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Anxiety about growing older, declining health linked to aging-related biological changes
Having anxiety about aging—particularly fears about declining health—may manifest on a cellular level and contribute to accelerated aging among women, according to a study by researchers at NYU School of Global Public Health.
"Our research suggests that subjective experiences may be driving objective measures of aging," said Mariana Rodrigues, a PhD student at NYU School of Global Public Health and the first author of the study, published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology. “Aging-related anxiety is not merely a psychological concern, but may leave a mark on the body with real health consequences.”
Many people experience stress about aging, worrying about physical decline, illness, and a loss of independence. Moreover, research shows that psychological distress can contribute to biological aging through epigenetic changes, or changes in how genes are expressed.