You’re probably familiar with the colloquial idea that stress leads to “grey hair.” This may not be true in the specific, but research shows that prolonged stress can accelerate aging, as measured by our cells!

For years scientists searched for a specific way to assess the effect of stress on health on a cellular level. The winners of the 2009 Novel Prize in Physiology discovered that chromosomes have a protective “cap” at the ends called telomeres that help DNA maintain it’s integrity during the replication process. As we age and our cells replicate over and over and over again these telomeres shorten, compromising DNA integrity and its ability to replicate.

This means as a person gets older, we can expect to see their telomeres getting shorter. Indeed, shorter telomeres are correlated with markers for chronic, age-related diseases. What happens when shorter telomeres are found in young people? The same risks appear for diseases thought to affect primarily older demographics. By the same token, older people with relatively long telomeres tend to be healthier than average.

So what causes telomeres to shorten? The researchers’ findings showed a correlation between prolonged stress response (measured in cortisol levels), decreased telomere length and chronic disease, leading them to the conclusion that chronic stress increases the likelihood of premature aging and chronic diseases.

Data shows that bodywork, like massage, effectively decreases cortisol levels, thereby encouraging telomere maintenance. It’s not just a good feeling- massage positively affects your cells! For further reading on another way to bring some peace to your daily life, check out our blog on the power of pause.