Stress and Longevity
It has been long suspected that stress can accelerate aging. We certainly know it can make one look haggard. This observation is now supported by scientific research. A study of women with high levels of stress from caring for a chronically ill child showed that psychological stress (both perceived and actual) was associated with genetic aging, equivalent to at least an extra ten years. Another recent study published in the Journal of Immunology reported that the chronic stress experienced by children and spouses who care for Alzheimer's disease patients might cause an earlier death. The caregivers, studied over a period of 30 years, had their lifespan shortened on average by 4 to 8 years.
