How does stress cause you to age?

Prolonged stress will accelerate the shrinkage of telomere segments (protective caps at the ends of chromosomes), thereby shortening cell life.

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This is the result of a study on hundreds of older women."We find that the more stressful a woman is in a year, the more telomeres are shortened , " study author Eli Puterman, associate professor of psychiatry at the University, San Francisco, USA. said. In contrast, women who maintain an active lifestyle, eat in moderation and know how to avoid the effects of stress, their telomere segments are significantly preserved.

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Telomeres are like the plastic ends of shoelaces, which are responsible for keeping the cord from being pulled apart. Telomeres include DNA and proteins, which protect the ends of the chromosomes and keep chromosomes from becoming loose. If the telomeres become shorter and the texture is weakened, the cells will age and die faster.

Cell aging is associated with age-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease and cancer. One theory is that older people are more at risk of cancer because the short telomere segment causes their chromosomes to be unstable, so they malfunction.

Telomeres will become short with age. On the other hand, unhealthy habits like smoking, poor diet and too little sleep can make telomeres shorten faster. Prolonged emotional stress also makes telomeres shorter.

Professor Michael Speicher, President of the Human Genetics Institute at Graz University of Medicine (Austria) said: "This study evokes a promising message: Participate in activities and practice healthy habits. can minimize the negative effects of stress on your body ".