Have you ever thought at some point of your life if stress increases as you get older? It's a very common question that many people have, especially when you ponder about the physical symptoms as well as the emotional symptoms that come with aging.
I've found that as your responsibilities pile up the older you get, the stress comes along with it as well.But how does your body and biology respond to stress as you age?
We now know that, on average, your cortisol (a rough biomarker of stress) levels tend higher as you age, but this is not true for everyone!
And if your wondering if stress affects how fast you age, there is good evidence that it does.
So in this article, let's explore how chronic stress and aging are connected. We're also going to talk more about the different ways stress affects older adults and discover some natural ways to manage stress.
Article Highlight
- So essentially, as you get older by the day, you might be more susceptible to chronic stress due to different things happening in your life like health issues, losing loved ones, and feeling lonely.
- Chronic stress affects your physical health and causes mental health problems, plus it can even mess with your memory and thinking abilities.
- But don't you worry too much, there are various simple, natural ways to help manage stress and reduce stress symptoms to improve your overall well being.
The Relationship Between Stress and Aging
As you get older and older, your body goes through many different changes that can affect how you feel and function overall. Some, if not most of the time, these changes might include a decline in your ability to think clearly, a loss of muscle mass, and even a weaker immune system as you age.
So what do these changes mean for stress affects?
Unfortunately, when you are always in stressful situations and constantly feel overwhelmed, it can make symptoms that come with aging even worse.
There are quite a few factors that may cause stress levels to go up in older people, such as dealing with health problems that come with getting old, losing control, adjusting to retirement, financial problems, relationship difficulties, and taking on caregiving responsibilities. All of these issues that older people have to deal with, just to name a few, can be both extremely emotionally and physically draining, and even causing long term stress to your life.
Does stress increase with age?
If your interested in the biology of stress affects and aging, and looking for associations, the main culprit is cortisol. While this stress hormone is critical for waking us up in the morning, it should rapidly decrease throughout the day.
Elevated levels of cortisol at the end of the day is typically considered a sign of increase stress response mechanisms in the body.
If your wondering why you feel stressed more as you age, it may be because for some people, your cortisol levels are not coming down! In fact, this study also showed that if you smoke cigarettes, you can also increase cortisol levels over the entire day.
So, should you do anything about it, and if so, what should you do?
Effects of Stress on Older Adults
We all want to age gracefully, and get out to do the things we missed when we were younger. So why is is important to think about our stress levels?
Chronic stress can really take a toll on your health and wellbeing as you age.
Physical Health Implications
Physical effects of stress may manifest in different things:
Weakened immune system: When you feel stressed all the time, your immune system takes a hit, making you more likely to catch infections and get sick.
High blood pressure: Did you know that chronic stress can contribute to high blood pressure? Sad to say, that's not good, as it increases your risk of heart disease and heart attack.
Muscle and joint pain: Stress can cause muscle tension and ache. This is especially bad if you're already dealing with other painful health conditions, plus it may also cause chest pain and other kinds of aches. s
Sleep disturbances: Chronic stress can keep you tossing and turning at night causing trouble sleeping, which can make you feel weak and lousy overall.
Mental Health Implications
When you experience stress too often, it doesn't just affect your physical health, it can also mess with your mental health. Many symptoms may show as:
Anxiety and depression: When you're constantly stressed, you may start feeling overwhelmed and make you more anxious and depressed, which can make it hard to enjoy life.
Emotional exhaustion: Have you ever felt like you just can't deal with life's challenges anymore and you have many racing thoughts troubling you? That could be emotional exhaustion from chronic stress.
Increased irritability: Stress can make you more irritable and cause other behavioral symptoms, which isn't fun for you or for people around you.
Cognitive Decline and Memory Problems
Stress can also have cognitive symptoms affecting your memory and thinking abilities as you age. Here's what can happen:
Impaired memory: Too much stress can make it tough to remember important things, both in the short-term and long-term.
Reduced cognitive function: Chronic stress can make it more challenging for the brain to process information, make decisions, and solve problems, which can be harder for people to deal with during aging.
Increased risk of dementia: So prolonged stress has been linked to a higher risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. And this definitely something you'd want to avoid when you age.
Natural Solutions for Managing Stress
You know, we all deal with stress from time to time, and not all stress is bad. However, when it become too much, that's where it can affect your health.
But, there are actually some pretty simple, natural ways for you to help manage stress.
If its so simple, why is everyone so stressed out?
Simple to do, hard to stay consistent!
Let's go through some stress management strategies that might work for you:
Moving your Body
Engaging in regular exercise and physical activity can really help lower your stress levels. It releases those feel-good endorphins, lifts your mood, and helps you relax. Try to get in at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week, along with some strength training.
At the very least, you can walk. Thats right, just take a walk and you can get significant decreases in cortisol levels and improved mental health.
Eating Well
A balanced and nutritious diet not only supports your overall health but also makes managing stress a little easier. Focus on whole foods like fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats, while cutting back on processed foods, added sugars, and too much caffeine or alcohol.
Getting Enough Sleep
It's essential to emphasize how important sleep is for managing stress and staying healthy. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night, stick to a consistent schedule, and create a relaxing bedtime routine.
For those in the know, any alcohol prior to sleep can cause massive sleep problems.
Dont believe me? Try getting a sleep monitoring device like an Oura Ring or Whoop. Two drinks and I lose valuable deep sleep cycle times.
Meditating and Being Mindful
Practicing meditation and mindfulness can help you reduce stress by promoting relaxation and self-awareness. Set aside some time each day for meditation or mindfulness exercises, like focusing on your breath or using guided apps.
You dont need to be some 2 hour a day hero.
One session of 5 to 10 minutes can have great results. Be consistent, the benefits build over time.
Breathing Deeply
Deep breathing exercises are a quick and easy way to activate your body's relaxation response and reduce stress. Techniques like diaphragmatic breathing, 4-7-8 breathing, or box breathing can be really helpful for you.
Trying Yoga and Tai Chi
Yoga and tai chi are great for combining physical movement, deep breathing, and mental focus to help you relax and manage stress. Give these practices a shot and see if they work for you too.
Exploring Natural Compounds
Many people have been using hemp based products for the amazing effects that cannabinoids have on stress.
The biggest evolution in the hemp space is the recent identification of CBDA (cannabibiolic acid) as the most potent cannabinoid for reducing effects of stress and anxiety.
With over 500% better absorption than CBD, CBDA is becoming the go to for those getting the benefits of hemp based products.
It's mechanisms work by interacting with both the endocannabinoid and serotonin systems, which plays a key role in managing stress responses.
Conclusion
So, there you have it - it turns out that stress can actually increase as we get older, thanks to things like health problems, losing people we care about, retiring, taking care of others, and feeling lonely. These factors can really take a toll on our bodies, minds, and even how well we think.But don't worry, by recognizing the effects of stress on aging and using some helpful strategies to tackle it, we can still enjoy a great quality of life and overall well-being as we age. Let's stay positive and take care of ourselves and each other!