- Stress can temporarily change our biological age, but the process reverses when the stressor is resolved, according to a new study.
- Stress can come from emotional distress, disease, drug treatment, environmental exposure, or lifestyle changes.
- Chronic stress occurs when the body stays on high alert, even after the stress eases.
When faced with a stressor, either real or perceived, there is a fight or flight reaction, according to Harvard Health
The brain sends signals, and the body reacts by readying itself to either fight the threat or flee from it.
Some bodily reactions include:
- Heart rate and blood pressure increase
- Breathing quickens
- Pain response dulls
- Pupils dilate
- Awareness and observation increase
- Adrenaline is pumped through your body – giving you additional energy and strength
The body produces cortisol to help with extended alertness to face a threat.
“The flight or fight response is a psychological reaction when we are experiencing something dangerous or terrifying – mentally or physically,” said Babitta Spinelli, LP, a psychotherapist and workplace mental health consultant in private practice. “It’s triggered by a release of hormones created to deal with the danger one is facing or fleeing from it.”
“In other words, the flight or fight response is a reaction to an experience or event perceived as stressful, scary, or traumatizing,” Spinelli told Medical News Today. “It activates a response in one’s nervous system and triggers extreme stress causing one to fight or flee.”
“Although this behavior is designed to survive a situation that feels ‘dangerous’ and may be helpful [short-term], a continuous, unaddressed flight or fight can create a negative physical reaction in the body,” Spinelli added. “Everything is temporarily halted during flight or fight. If an individual is consistently in flight or fight, this can create chronic stress which contributes to brain changes, anxiety, depression, sleep issues, high blood pressure, physical issues, and disease.”
Chronic stress occurs when people cannot slow their reaction to stress or remain on high alert, even after the stressor has passed.
High levels of cortisol for an extended time can result in the following:
- Increased appetite and buildup of fat tissue
- High blood pressure
- Stress on the heart and lungs
- Suppression of the immune system
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Muscle tension
- Headaches
All of this can take a toll on your body and health. The current study concludes it can also take time off of your life.
“I found that stress increases one’s biological age and can be positively impacted or restored by incorporating a healthy mental and physical lifestyle,” Spinelli said. “Paying attention to one’s mindset is also extremely powerful in reducing stress which ultimately positively impacts the body.”
“Experiences such as trauma and other major life stressors impact the experience of age. Trauma takes a toll on one’s mental and physical health,” Spinelli continued. “The toll of disease, surgery, and other traumatic experiences impact how one feels and how a person navigates life regardless of age. Individuals in their twenties can feel older when experiencing challenges and difficulties. If an individual doesn’t make space to recover and work on those traumas, it does catch up physically and accelerates the aging process. However, through restoration, which I see as paying and applying active attention to recovery, both physical and mental, there are reversals in the biological aging process. Leveraging healthy habits into one’s life helps an individual manage and take control over stress instead of stress leading.”
They suggest the following activities:
Exercise – Being active can improve emotional well-being. Getting up and dancing, moving around, or stretching for ten minutes can help.
Practice deep breathing – Try sitting with your eyes closed and breath deeply. Slowly release your breath and repeat ten times.
Meditate – A simple meditation is to sit quietly for 10 minutes and focus on your breath. Pay attention to how each breath feels as you inhale and exhale. When you find your thoughts wandering, bring them back to your breath.
Practice gratefulness – Each day, write down three to five things you are grateful for. As you continue to do this, you might become more positive throughout the day and continuously look for what makes you happy.
Be social – Spend time getting together and laughing with friends. Creating relationships provides a sense of belonging and can give life meaning.
Listen to music – Make a playlist of music you like, sit back, close your eyes, and listen.
Take care of your body – Exercise, eating right, limiting alcohol consumption, and not smoking or using tobacco products are the keys to a healthy life.
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