Stress and aging: Slow it down

Author of 'Stress Less' discusses how stress affects us, and how we can turn it off.

September 15, 2010|By Jen Weigel | Lessons for life

Can you lower your stress and reverse the signs of aging? According to Thea Singer, author of "Stress Less: The New Science that Shows Women How to Rejuvenate the Body and the Mind" (to be released Sept. 23), the answer is a resounding YES.

"We are supposed to do everything and do everything well," Singer said. "Super mothers, super at our jobs -- it's the age-old quest."

So can you do it all and be stress-free? Singer said it depends on your perceptions of what's happening around you.

"What I found in all of my research is it's the sense of being OUT of control that's our biggest stressor," she said. "If we think of it as something external, perceived stress, something we can't control, then we are a mess."

Singer supplies a "Perceived Stress Scale" in her book, which is a scientifically proven measure for assessing our overall level of angst. The test has 10 questions asking about reactions and behaviors over a month's time. The higher your score, the more likely your stress level is gnawing away at your DNA. Singer cites research from cell and molecular biologist Elizabeth Blackburn and health psychologist Elissa Epel, who say chronic stress speeds up the rate at which our cells age by 10 years or more.

"Their first study on this came out in 2004," says Singer. "It's alarming. There have been other studies since then that have interestingly come up with that same figure."

Other impressive finds? Drinking Concord grape juice and blueberry juice improved memory function by more than 40 percent in those tested, and Omega-3 fatty acids can actually reverse cellular aging, Singer said.

"I've always known that fish oil has health benefits, but I was blown away when I found out they might help reverse aging," she said.

And if you think working out is too much work -- make time for it anyway.

"Studies show that exercise reverses your genetic profile in your muscles," Singer said. "[Researchers] took muscle biopsies and found the profile of the older adults who exercised closely resembled younger people."

Here are Singer's five tips to relieving stress and turning back the biological clock.

1.) Take "diet" out of your vocabulary. "Research shows that dieting itself is stressful," says Singer. "Mindful eating is the opposite -- and can lead to losing weight and keeping it off too."

2.) Get on the treadmill -- and then pump some iron. "The first stress-proofs your brain, so you will perceive things differently; the second makes you stronger, even reversing your muscles' genetic profile to that of a younger person."

3.) Boost your resilience by countering negativity through reinterpretation. "Sure you missed the bus to work and your boss will be angry. But concentrate instead on the person who sat down next to you and kept you in stitches for the ride."

4.) Receive -- and give -- social support. "Studies have shown that volunteering, for example, not only makes people happier, it can also reverse cognitive decline. And both giving and receiving social support light up the same brain circuits -- the reward pathway."

5.)  Get a good night's sleep. " Sleep deprivation may be one of the greatest stressors. If you can't sleep or anticipate sleeping problems, take a hot bath about 90 minutes before bedtime. The shift from elevated temperature to quick cooling can move you into deep sleep -- the most restorative kind."

And don't forget -- while you're incorporating these lifestyle changes into your routine, be sure to check your negativity at the door. "Reduced pessimism is what lowers stress," says Singer, "not increased optimism. There's a difference."

Catch Jenniffer Weigel's TribU segment this Wednesday on WGN TV Morning News, and weekdays throughout the day on CLTV.