Katharina Buczek
Do you ever feel as if life is flying by? Well, it may not be just an illusion. A new study conducted by Yale University found that stress can make you biologically age quicker.
First, the researchers refer to biological age since it is a much more accurate predictor of health and longevity than chronological age.
Scientists are able to measure your biological age by measuring DNA chemical changes. These changes are natural with aging but still occur differently for all people.
Stress has been known to influence mood, increase the chance of heart disease, result in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and more.
But, this study specifically aimed to determine just how much stress could speed up biological aging and how humans can work to slow down that clock in such a fast-paced and high-stress society.
Just under five hundred people, ages nineteen to fifty, participated in the study. Since chemical changes in DNA determine biological age, blood samples were taken from each participant.
They also answered stress and resilience-related questions.
The study, unfortunately, found that stress does cause faster biological aging. Still, it is not all bad news; the study also found that individuals can take control of their aging by exercising more mindfulness.
The report said, “The relationship between stress and epigenetic aging appears to be modulated via specific psychological traits, including emotion regulation and self-control.”
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