How Stress Impacts Health as We Age

Wouldn’t it be nice if the older we got the less stress we felt in life? Yes, that would be wonderful. Unfortunately, though, life doesn’t work that way.

Our team of in-home care providers at Qualicare Big Sky wants to offer some insight into the effects of stress.

How Stress Affects Aging

Let’s take a look at ways your stress level can impact the aging process:

Short Telomeres

While you might not think job or family stress adds up to health trouble, it certainly can.

When you suffer from stress, your telomeres, which are like caps at the end of the body’s chromosomes, can be shortened. When these are shortened, it causes the cells to be damaged (or even die), which can result in a number of medical conditions like:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Cancer
• Parkinsons disease
• Type 2 diabetes

Poor Brain Health

If you are looking for a way to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, it is time to look at your stress levels.

When your stress reaches the level of chronic stress, it can actually increase your risk of suffering from dementia. In fact, stress can make your brain age prematurely, which seems to happen quicker in men than women.

Therefore, it is important to do what you can to lower your stress levels.

Vision and Hearing Loss

What did you say? Yes, stress doesn’t only affect your brain and heart health”it can also increase your blood pressure, which can lead to temporary vision and hearing loss in some cases.

Fortunately, by lowering your stress levels, getting enough exercise, following a healthy diet and getting enough sleep, you can moderate your blood pressure and lower your risk of resulting health issues.

Stressed when it comes to caring for your loved one? Allow our team of in-home care providers at Qualicare Big Sky to take some of that stress off your plate!