Worried Sick: Anxiety About Getting Older Can Speed Up Biological Aging

There’s no shortage of things to cause you stress or worry in this day and age. Between political strife, economic concerns, global disputes, and climate change, there’s plenty to keep you up at night. And that’s before you even consider your own personal situation, whether it’s your health or the health of loved ones, your quality of life as you get older, or some other source of concern. And now we have new research that may give us all pause: It seems that anxiety about aging- especially stress about health as you get older- could in fact be contributing to speeding up your biological aging.

According to this new research out of NYU, women who are worried about aging, especially about their health declining, may have evidence of accelerated biological aging. In essence, “aging-related anxiety is not merely a psychological concern, but may leave a mark on the body with real health consequences.” The research underscores what we already know: there is a connection between mental health and physical health. What this study adds to our understanding is that there appears to be a correlation between the psychological distress that older women experience as they get older and the biological process of their aging. The study analyzed data from about 726 women who were part of the Midlife in the US study. The participants were surveyed about their levels of anxiety, and blood samples were taken to evaluate biological age using epigenetic clocks. What the researchers found was that the greater the anxiety about growing older, the more accelerated the biological age of the participant. The anxiety causing the most biological aging had less to do with declining attractiveness or fertility and more to do with health-related concerns that accompany aging. It’s hypothesized that, as caregivers, women may witness the health declines of their loved ones and fear the same demise for themselves. This is in keeping with other studies that have reported that psychological distress can affect biological aging. For more on this worrying study, take a few deep breaths and look here.

Another recent study also pinpointed a connection between stress and anxiety from caregiving and accelerated biological aging. This research, out of Emory University, found that the stress and worry that can accompany caregiving can become a health problem itself, leading to faster biological aging among those providing care. It’s thought that this accelerated aging could be triggered by many factors, including lack of self-care, loss of sleep, or stress from being overburdened with caregiving responsibilities. We already know that stress can cause such health problems as increased cardiovascular risk, disrupted sleep, and a decrease in your immune response- all leading to potentially serious health concerns. In fact, stress that becomes chronic has been called a “silent killer,” akin to poor diet or lack of exercise, because of its potential to trigger long-term negative health consequences. Ongoing and constant stress can result in chronic inflammation and weaken the functioning of your cells, leaving you more susceptible to such age-related conditions as diabetes or dementia. As the National Council on Aging has made clear, “Stress and age don’t play well together.” 

While no one can tell you not to worry or dismiss your sources of anxiety, knowing its impact on your physical health and its potential to speed up your biological aging may help motivate you to take action and reduce the pernicious effects of stress in your life. What kind of action? You know the drill: eat better, move more, get better sleep, meditate, and seek help for addressing the sources of your anxieties. While none of these steps will automatically wipe away your concerns, they should help fortify your body to be more resilient as you navigate the stress that permeates your life. As the saying goes, “You can’t control the stress that comes your way, but you can control the way you handle it.”