Stress and Aging
- Soumya Khadye
- Jan 15, 2024
- 2 min read
Yes, it's true. Stress truly does accelerate aging, and this now has a scientific basis. Being constantly exposed to stressful situations, or even just being overly preoccupied, naturally triggers the body's stress response. This begins with releasing hormones such as cortisol or adrenaline, or what's more commonly know as the "flight or fight" mechanism. While this was very beneficial for our ancestors when they were being chased by a bear, it turns out to cause more harm then help to today's elderly population. Stress hormones are only meant to be released for short periods of times, and when the body senses that it is no longer in danger, will return the concentrations of these hormones to a baseline level. However, if the stress is long-term, these hormones can cause inflammation and damage to DNA if not removed from the body.
This is called oxidative stress, when Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) remain unattended to and the body lapses into a state of imbalance. A study by the Russian Institute of Sciences shows that ROS's can shorten the telomeres - small caps at the ends of chromosomes that decrease every time your cells divide (once your telomeres have gone, your cells stop dividing). Lastly, there is also the concept of inflammaging - the idea that stress-related inflammation invites most of the diseases that come with age, including atherosclerosis, diabetes, and hypertension.
So, how do we stop experiencing stress?
There's no one solution that can definitively eliminate unnecessary stress from your life, but here are some things you can do to maintain a calm and healthy lifestyle:
If you can, try some physical activity. See the Resources page for exercising based on specific needs.
Get a pet! If you need some furry company, a pet can be a great way to relieve stress by simply spending time with them. Of course, be mindful of the responsibility this requires - do not make your situation more stressful in the attempt to lower it.
Join a community group - being amongst others and forming warm relationships will help cope against a feeling of loneliness if you do not live with others.
Practice mindfulness - see Resources page.
Eat nutritious and healthy foods
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