Stress And Aging

Miriam Webster’s definition of human stress: a physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation.

It has been proven by several studies over the years that excessive stress affects your immune system, reduces your body’s ability to fight disease and speeds up your aging process.

Excessive stress leads to facial wrinkles and premature or rapid graying of hair, as well as to impatience, irritability, impaired decision-making, confusion and forgetfulness.

And as if these “minor” effects of stress weren’t bad enough, stress regularly leads to actual medical conditions, such as:nn* High blood pressure and hypertension (leading to heart problems)nn* Cancernn* Hormone imbalancesnn* Mental disordersnn* Respiratory problemsnn* Digestive problemsnn* Diabetesnn* Weight gain and the inability to lose weightnn* Susceptibility to colds and flunn* Frequent headachesnn* Neck and back painnn* Teeth grinding and TMJ

The amount of stress a person can handle varies by individual and affects different people in different ways. It will benefit you to know what causes stress in your life and how much you can handle. Unfortunately most people don’t try to understand and take control of stress in their life until it is too late.

Good and Bad Stress:

Some stress in your life is good for you. Good or positive stress helps strengthen your immune system, gives you that extra burst of energy when you need it, motivates you, makes you more productive and contributes to your happiness.

Bad or negative stress, on the other hand, negatively affects your immune system. It saps your energy, affects your performance and creates tension in your mind and body. On a daily basis bad stress comes from conflict, negative pressure, anxiety and frustration. Long term bad stress creates a negative impact on your life that can continually bring you down. Bad stress can come from the death of a family member or close friend, losing a life partner or spouse, job loss, work related situations, financial problems, verbal or mental abuse, serious injury or a life threatening illness, to name just a few.

The longer bad stress is left unchecked the greater the chances are it will cause disease in your life and contribute to shortening your life expectancy.

Where does stress come from?

Stress comes from three sources: your situation, your mind and your body.

From your situation -- Your situation has to do with where you live, the air you breathe, the sounds you hear, the people you know, the job you do, boredom, loneliness, the relationship you’re in and your family dynamics.

From your mind -- What we think about and how we think are both instrumental in determining what will cause us stress and what won’t. Living with too many self-imposed rules (should, ought, must, have to, owe, deserve) adds unnecessary stress to our lives. As do guilt, envy, jealousy, worry and self-defeating thoughts like, “Things are bad,” “I hate,” “There’s nothing I can do about it,” and “Why me?”

From your body -- This source of stress has to do with what you do to your body: too little sleep, irregular meals, working long hours, drinking caffeinated beverages, lack of exercise, smoking, excessive alcohol use, drugs and eating too much salt and simple carbohydrates like sugar, white bread and pasta.

How can I reduce stress?

Stress affects everyone differently. While there are various programs for identifying and reducing stress, there is no one fix that fits all. You first need to identify your stressors, determine which are good and which are bad, and then set up a personalized program that works for you. Some typical things that can help reduce stress are:nn* Meditationnn* Yogann* Visualizationnn* Mental exercisesnn* Diaphragmatic breathing or deep breathingnn* Physical exercisenn* Good nutritionnn* Counselingnn* Support groups (including friends and family)

Conclusion:

Stress is a normal part of life that affects everyone differently. Knowing your stressors and how stress affects you is the key to developing a personal healthy life plan and reducing your biological aging.

Stress is the leading contributor to physical and mental aging and to the shortening of your life expectancy. Too much bad stress, or the inability to manage stress, is why some fifty-year-olds look like they’re seventy. On the other hand, the ability to control their stress explains how some seventy-year-olds look like they’re fifty! Which group do you want to be in? Stress can rule your life, but only if you let it. Reducing or controlling your stress is the key to looking better and living a long, healthy life.

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