Mind over ageing

We’re often told not to worry. It’s one of those throwaway lines that does not sit right especially when you’re already feeling overwhelmed. This week we are taking a look at how worrying might be doing more than just ruining our mood; it could be ageing us, too.

A study from New York University suggests that anxiety about ageing may actually accelerate the process at a cellular level. In other words, the very thing we fear could be happening faster because of that fear. It sounds dramatic, but it speaks to something we already know, the mind and body are not operating separately.

What’s interesting is that this isn’t about vanity. The women in the study weren’t worried about wrinkles or grey hair, but about health, decline and what ageing might realistically bring. When you think about it that feels far more grounded and far harder to dismiss. The thought of being unable to care for yourself is scary.

Women are often closer to the realities of ageing, whether through caregiving, family dynamics or simply being more attuned to long-term health. Add to that the cultural noise around how we should age, and it’s hardly surprising that anxiety creeps in.

Still, the takeaway isn’t to panic about panicking. If anything, it’s a reminder that how we think about ageing matters. Not in a superficial, “stay positive” kind of way, but in a more basic sense. Our expectations shape our behaviour, our stress levels and it seems even our biology.