Do you live with chronic stress—the kind that never quite goes away? These days, it’s hard not to. Between economic pressures, societal turmoil, family conflict, and all the typical stress factors that come with aging in America, stress feels like our constant companion. Some might say there are plenty of reasons to feel stress in this day and age, and that’s likely true.
But bear this in mind: if we fail to deal with chronic stress in a healthy way, our bodies pay the price. Not only will our days be less happy, but odds are we’ll have fewer of them to enjoy, because stress can shorten our life span. That’s why stress is often called “the silent killer.”
In this recent article from NextAvenue, authors Edd and Cynthia Staton tackle the topic of stress and give us tips on how to recognize and deal with stress in our lives. Our takeaway is clear: if we want to live longer and happier lives, let’s start with the obvious negative influences over which we can exercise some control—beginning with chronic stress.
Three Out Of Four Americans Deal with Daily Stress
“Stressed out? You’re not alone,” write the Statons. “Over 75 percent of Americans report symptoms of stress in their daily lives.” But despite its reputation, stress has two sides.
Psychotherapist Dorlee Michaeli explains, “Stress can be both positive and negative. On the positive side, it can give you the energy and ability to pursue and accomplish difficult things.
On the negative side, chronic stress can have a detrimental impact on your overall wellbeing by increasing your body’s level of inflammation.” For this reason, the Statons tell us, chronic stress is often called the “silent killer”, and some experts even argue it’s more influential in our lifelong health than diet or exercise.
The Historic Roots and Biological Reality of Stress
“The word ‘stress’ first appeared in English in the 1300s as a shortened form of ‘distress,’ meaning being under pressure,” the Statons write. “It is our body’s instinctive flight-or-fight survival mechanism in response to a perceived threat. When activated your bloodstream is flooded with adrenaline and cortisol, causing increased heart rate, tense muscles and heightened senses.”
The trouble is, they add, our brains can’t tell the difference in threat “between a lurking saber-toothed tiger and a looming deadline.”
No matter what, our bodies produce the same biological reaction, and this takes a physiological toll over time. “The body is designed to move in and out of stress, not remain stuck in it,” says psychotherapist Christina Kantavelos. “When it cannot return to baseline, the repair mechanisms that protect healthy cells become overwhelmed.”
How Chronic Inflammation Impacts Your Immune System
When we experience constant surges of the stress hormone, cortisol, it can eventually lead to chronic inflammation. Michaeli says, “Further compounding the situation is cortisol’s ability to dysregulate your immune system and increase the odds of developing infections.”
This damage to your immune system “not only slows recovery from viruses, bacteria and injuries, but also increases your risk for autoimmune disorders, cancers and hormone disruptions,” says Amy Ma, the founder of Wise Fox Wellness.
“On a cellular level, other than mitochondrial stress, it shortens telomeres which are markers to cellular and biological aging.” Telomeres, the Statons explain, are the “protective caps at the ends of our DNA.” When they shorten, “age-related conditions including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cognitive decline and weakened immune function take place,” Kantavelos says. “Many people feel this in real time as more pain, slower recovery, brain fog and increased vulnerability to illness.”
Stress and the Increased Risk of Dementia and Diabetes
Inflammation can wreak havoc in the body. “[It] weakens normal cell function, increasing your susceptibility to age-related diseases like dementia and diabetes,” says Dr. Menachem Jacobs, co-founder of Outlive Biology.
“Your cells’ powerhouses, the mitochondria, are disrupted by prolonged stress, directly impacting the aging process,” says Jacobs. “Cells need energy from mitochondria to function, but stress causes oxidative damage that reduces their effectiveness.”
(The Statons pause here to explain that oxidative stress is caused when free radicals outnumber antioxidants. We lack the space to include all that they have to say.)
Michaeli says, “As well as impacting the natural tissue repair process, insufficient antioxidants may also lead to visible external changes such as premature wrinkles, dull skin, or changes in hair, such as thinning or early graying.”
“For older adults, the cumulative impact of stress can be especially profound because the body has already spent decades working to compensate,” Kantavelos adds. “The nervous system becomes more sensitive, and small stressors can have a bigger physiological effect.”
Proven Strategies to Manage and Lessen Stress
It is impossible to live a life free from stress, unfortunately. But the Statons offer us the following as proven strategies to lessen its harmful impacts in our lives:
Enjoyable Exercise: Yes, it really is that important! 10–20 minutes each day of exercise that we enjoy is proven to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress and releases endorphins—the body’s “feel-good” chemicals.
Mindful Disconnection: “When there’s a lot going on in our lives, it’s tempting to keep pushing through without setting aside time for rest and recuperation,” the Statons write. “This tendency tends to exacerbate the stress that we are already feeling.” Because of this, they recommend taking time to disconnect: take a walk outdoors, sit quietly, focus on breathing. These all can be effective methods for reducing stress.
Better Sleep: We all know that when we’re stressed, our sleep often suffers. “Prolonged periods of poor sleep create a ‘sleep debt’ that, like inadequate rest, actually increases stress,” the Statons write. “A warm bath, light reading and turning off devices during the hour before bedtime are some ways to relax and prepare for restorative sleep.”
Eating Well: Stress disrupts our normal eating habits and can lead to unhealthy patterns like excessive snacking, “stress eating”, or ignoring our body’s hunger signals. “A regular meal schedule along with an anti-inflammatory diet rich in fruits and vegetables improves both physical and mental health,” the Statons write. “The antioxidants these foods contain are associated with longer telomeres which support emotional resilience.”
Proactive Responses to Life’s Challenges
Not all stress is created equal, the Statons add, and trauma, abuse, and mental health struggles can push us to our limits. But, they ask: “[…] is chronic stress always an unavoidable byproduct of our busy lives, or could it be something we actually choose?”
It is up to us, they write, to interpret and deal with the stress life throws at us: “Our thoughts can either intensify our angst or help us reframe the situation in a more manageable way. By bringing our attention to the present moment, we are in a better position to observe our reaction to whatever is going on, then decide how best to move forward.”
Sandra Wartski of Silber Psychological Services puts it this way: “Accepting circumstances that cannot be currently changed can help you focus on what can be changed. Visualizing what you want, then taking decisive action, is much more beneficial than constantly fretting and wishing problems would just go away.”
The Statons conclude their article with this wise thought: “Stress will always be with us. Responding in ways that are proactive rather than reactive can go a long way towards keeping it from becoming chronic, thereby improving the quality of our lives.”
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