Anxiety about ageing will actually make your body age faster, warns study

According to the study, people who reported greater anxiety about ageing showed signs of faster biological ageing (Image: Pexels)

• Women anxious about ageing show signs of faster biological ageing
• Health fears, not beauty worries, linked to faster ageing
• Lifestyle habits may partly explain anxiety's impact on ageing

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Ageing anxiety may be more than skin deep. It could be, literally, under the skin, marked into your cells. We’ve all noticed a new wrinkle or an unexpected ache and worried about getting older. But what if simply fearing ageing will actually speed it up?

Scientists at NYU School of Global Public Health believe that anxiety about ageing, especially fears about declining health, may leave a measurable imprint on the body itself. Their findings, published in Psychoneuroendocrinology, suggest that the mind and body are far less separate than we like to think.

The researchers analysed data from 726 women taking part in the long-running Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study. Participants were asked how much they worried about becoming less attractive, developing health problems, or being too old to have children.

Also read | Brain health and ageing: How emotional regulation can protect against memory decline

Blood samples were then examined using sophisticated “epigenetic clocks”, scientific tools that track chemical changes affecting how our genes are switched on and off. One clock measured the pace of ageing, while another estimated accumulated biological wear and tear. As a result, women who reported greater anxiety about ageing showed signs of faster biological ageing, particularly on a measure known as DunedinPACE. And not all fears were equal.

Women, the team noted, may be especially vulnerable to ageing anxiety. Cultural expectations around youth and appearance linger stubbornly, while midlife often brings multiple caregiving roles. Watching parents grow frail can sharpen fears of one’s own future.

What the study sugggests

Health fears can cause damage: Women who worried about future illness or physical decline showed the strongest signs of accelerated biological ageing. These concerns, researchers suggest, may be more chronic and harder to shake than other ageing-related anxieties.

Beauty and fertility less impactful: Surprisingly, fears about losing attractiveness or fertility were not significantly linked to faster epigenetic ageing. Such worries may fade with time or be shaped more by social pressures than enduring health concerns.

Also read | You can slow biological ageing with simple lifestyle changes, here's how

The body keeps score: Epigenetic ageing reflects subtle chemical shifts in DNA regulation. Faster ticking biological clocks have previously been associated with higher risks of age-related disease and physical decline.

Coping habits may play a role: When researchers accounted for behaviours linked to anxiety such as smoking or alcohol use, the association weakened. This suggests lifestyle responses to stress may partly explain the connection.

Disclaimer: This article, including health and fitness advice, only provides generic information. Don’t treat it as a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist for specific health diagnosis