5 Habits That Are Shaving Off Years Of Your Life

Stress is a silent killer

Chronic stress can actually become a habit, as a lot of people who are not accustomed to thinking about other underlying causes think they are being more productive when they are stressed.

This is not only a bad way of going about completing your tasks, but it just helps stress shorten your life span. And we aren’t saying that you are losing years of your life by being stressed, but rather that stress has a proven effect on a molecular level.

Research has shown that stress actually impacts us on a cellular level, attacking the DNA and reducing the length of the protective casing at the end of the DNA strand (which is more commonly known in the medical field as a telomere). Different types of stress impact us in different ways, but this is in direct correlation with how we have survived as a species for centuries.

Our brains are wired to always be on the lookout for threats so that we can survive and adequately deal with anything that is trying to kill us. Being under constant stress (and sometimes relying on it due to habit) will keep your body on constant alert, which will age your cells and cause you to age faster! This will make the telomeres’ length shorter and make them appear the size of a much older person, despite the patient being in their prime years.

Stress actively ages you, which is why when you are putting off relaxation with the excuse of having time later or when you retire, you are actively making things worse for yourself.