6 Ways to Prevent Stress from Causing Aging

Does stress cause aging? In short: yes. Researchers have consistently found that there is an observable link between exposure to chronic stress and accelerated aging. This process refers to biological age, not chronological age. Your chronological age is how old you are in years, but your biological age captures how your body is behaving and feeling. Chronic stress can cause biological – not chronological – age to accelerate rapidly.

Why Does Stress Cause Aging?

Exposure to stress triggers a range of biological responses, beginning with the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These stress hormones are important, meant to help us respond to stressful or dangerous situations. However, when someone is experiencing chronic stress, the body’s overproduction of cortisol and adrenaline over time can cause widespread inflammation and damage to DNA and cells. Long-term chronic stress also leads to oxidative stress, a state that can cause cellular damage and lead to premature aging. As chronic stress triggers rapid aging, it can also increase the risk of developing early onset age-related diseases.

How to Reverse Stress Aging

Wondering how to reverse stress aging? Here’s some good news: the accelerated aging process that can be triggered by chronic stress can be reversed. Once the stress is removed, the human body has a range of mechanisms available that can aid in healing and repairing cells and tissues that may have been damaged by chronic stress. 

There are countless tools and techniques you can use to help reduce stress so that you can help your body start healing and slow the aging process. Best of all, they’re easy to implement and can be adapted to your needs.

6 Ways to Prevent Stress from Causing Aging

Focus on Things That Bring You Joy

One of the best tools to combat stress is to spend time doing things that bring you joy. Do you like reading? Knitting? Playing pickup basketball? Painting? Going to trivia nights? Taking a long bath? Whatever your answer, find a way to spend a little bit of time doing things you love more frequently. Your body will thank you.

Mindfulness and Meditation

No matter how busy or stressed you may be, learning to incorporate a mindfulness or meditation practice can reduce your stress. Best of all, it’s something you can do wherever you are: on a lunch break at work, early in the morning before your family wakes up, before a stressful meeting, or whenever you can fit it in.

Regular Exercise

Regular physical activity is a crucial and incredible stress reliever. It also stimulates a healthy immune system and helps regulate blood pressure and circulation. In addition, regular exercise enhances mood and mental health by triggering the release of endorphins, the brain’s “feel-good” chemicals, while reducing stress hormones. It also improves blood flow to the brain, supports mental health, and promotes overall well-being. 

 Remember that you can be creative with the method you use to exercise: going on a bike ride, gardening, joining a running club, hiking, doing an at-home workout video, swimming, joining a pickleball league, and doing yoga are just a few of the ways you can find a way to exercise that also brings you joy.

Here are 5 easy fitness tips for senior health and wellness.

Get Enough Sleep

Adequate sleep is also crucial for stress reduction. Our bodies rest, repair, and recuperate when we’re asleep, so as you recover from stress, prioritize sleep. If you struggle to wind down at night, consider adding a supplement that helps your body fight against stress throughout the day so that your body and mind are more prepared to go to sleep at night. 

Having trouble sleeping due to stress? Try Integrative Therapeutics HPA Adapt Stress Resistance Complex, a blend of five adaptogenic herbs that help the body respond to physical and mental stressors, or Pure Encapsulations’ Daily Stress Formula, a blend of herbs and nutrients that synergistically support mental relaxation.

Also try these 6 sleep tips for aging seniors.

Prioritize Self-Care

Pampering yourself is a great stress reducer, but creating a soothing daily or nightly skin care routine can also provide the added benefits of slowing the signs of visible aging. Twice daily moisturizing is recommended for skin of any age, but it’s especially important for mature skin. 

Look for products with hydrating ingredients like vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide, which can help soothe stressed skin. Not sure where to start improving your skin care routine? Try these 3 best moisturizers and serums for aging skin.

Also try UpCircle Night Cream with Hyaluronic Acid + Niacinamide, which uses hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and rosehip oil to promote overnight skin regeneration, or Source Naturals Skin Eternal Cream, which helps skin feel supple and replenished with skin-supporting ingredients like DMAE, ALA, ascorbyl palmitate (C ester), coenzyme Q10, hyaluronic acid, and MSM.

Eat Well and Take Dietary Supplements

A balanced diet is important in reducing the effects of stress. Proper nutrition, including antioxidants, can help your body fight against free radical damage. What you put in your body is one of your best tools as you consider how to reverse stress aging. Try to eat a varied diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats, and remember to stay hydrated, too. 

To ensure your body has all of the nutrients it needs to fight stress, consider adding a supplement like Codeage Life, which offers a synergistic blend of high-grade vitamins, herbs, and fruits extracts to support healthy aging and the methylation cycle.

Does stress cause aging? Yes. But at least you can help slow, stop or even reverse some of the symptoms. Good luck on your self-care and health journey!