Is Stress Worse for Older Adults? Here’s What You Need to Know

By Karen Heslop
BlackDoctor
https://blackdoctor.org/

It’s not unusual to hear older adults say that things bother them less than when they were younger. Even if you believe this is true, health experts say that your body may be telling a different story. You may not feel stressed, but the way your body responds to stress is often worse and longer-lasting than what happened when you were younger. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be that way. 

Why Stress Affects Older People More

When it comes to stress, the situation with older people can be complicated. In fact, many older people aren’t necessarily wrong when they say they’re not bothered by much. Studies show that older adults report feeling less stressed in situations that their younger counterparts can’t tolerate. They also aren’t as reactive in negative circumstances. 

Researchers say that this may be because of the coping tools that older adults have accumulated over time. As you get older, you’re unlikely to react as readily to stressful situations, and you may have learned to use techniques that manage stress like deep breathing. Furthermore, older adults may have a more authentic and supportive group of friends that makes handling stress easier. 

Although that sounds good, it’s only half of the story. Those studies only accounted for acute stress. The problem with older adults is that they’re more likely to deal with chronic stress, which can have worse consequences. This chronic stress may be caused by illnesses, being a caregiver, living on a fixed income, dealing with grief or loss, or needing to make changes to your lifestyle. 

The constant pressure of chronic stress wears on your body. While these effects aren’t always obvious, they can certainly be significant to your health.

The Physical and Mental Signs That Stress is Affecting You

Whether you notice it or not, chronic stress takes a toll on you. Your body has natural responses to stress that are usually meant to help you get through a sudden stressful situation. When the stress is constant, however, these responses can become detrimental–especially for older adults. For example, stress encourages your body to produce cortisol. This hormone can prepare your body to respond to an injury by increasing inflammatory compounds and clotting factors in your blood. 

With chronic stress, cortisol is being produced in your body more than is needed. It doesn’t help that older people produce more cortisol than younger adults, and it takes longer for their levels to return to normal. As a result, there can be more inflammation in their bodies, which results in painful joints and weakened muscles. Over time, constant inflammation increases your risk of developing conditions like heart disease and high blood pressure. 

The constant flood of cortisol in your body can also wreak havoc on your immune system. If this is happening, you may experience colds and flus more frequently than others. You may also find it harder to recover from them. 

You may have also heard of the ‘fight or flight’ response when stressed. This comes from your body producing adrenaline. Adrenaline is meant to increase your heart rate and blood flow to ensure that you have more oxygen flowing to your heart and muscles. Your metabolism kicks into overdrive to provide your body with energy while your blood pressure spikes to send the energy where it’s needed. 

While adrenaline is helpful for an acute negative experience, a constant stream of it can hurt you. It keeps your blood pressure spiked, which is dangerous for a demographic of people who are already prone to having hypertension. When paired with the inflammation that’s typical for someone dealing with chronic stress, you may have a higher chance of strokes and heart attacks. 

To make things worse, chronic stress can negatively impact your brain as well. Studies show that older adults who are stressed can have trouble with their memories because of the inflammation caused by cortisol. This inflammation can make the brain less flexible, so you can’t build new connections as easily or recover quickly from an injury. There is also a link between stress and the risk of developing dementia. Additionally, you may have more depressive or anxious episodes. 

Interestingly, that’s not the end of the possible ways chronic stress can affect older adults. You may also have trouble sleeping, eating well, or concentrating. You may experience fatigue, muscle tension, frequent headaches, unexplained joint, muscle, or chest pain, and digestive issues. 

Tips for Managing Stress When You’re Older

The good news is that these health effects aren’t inevitable. As you might expect, staying away from stress is the best option. Once you identify what the issue is, you should remove yourself from the stressful problem as soon as possible. This will ensure that your body stops responding to it and you’ll reduce the impact on your health. 

While you may not always be able to control stressful situations, you can counteract how your body reacts to them. Being physically active can help to soothe the inflammation in your body, decrease anxiety, boost your mental health, drop your blood pressure, and ease chronic pain. Walking, dancing, and swimming are good ways to be active, but you should talk to your doctor if you’re starting something new. 

Another way to keep your stress in check is to get a good night’s sleep. For many older adults, this is easier said than done. However, finding a bedtime routine that works for you will be essential. It may also help to talk to your doctor if nothing helps you to rest. 

Your diet may be another way to fight inflammation in your body. If you’re not stocking up on fresh fruits and vegetables, fiber-filled foods, and healthy nuts, then now is the time to start. Studies show that a balanced diet can reduce inflammation while boosting the brain, digestive system, and immune system. Staying hydrated will also make a significant difference. 

When possible, try asking for help. This may come in the form of getting support to deal with stress or handing off stressful tasks to someone else. In either case, you’ll be able to share the load with others, which can help you feel less alone. You should see a difference in your physical and mental health because of that. 

Finally, meditation and mindfulness can help you to manage your responses to stress. Deep breathing and visualizations may be effective ways of redirecting your thoughts when you’re focused on stressful situations. Even if meditation doesn’t seem like it would work for you, consider exploring different forms before giving up. 

Many older people report having low levels of stress, but they may not be accounting for the issues that plague them daily. These problems can lead to chronic stress that results in multiple health issues. The best thing to do is acknowledge what may be stressing you out and find ways to deal with it.