It’s no secret that chronic stress has a number of deleterious health effects. It can lead to the development of hypertension. It can weaken the immune system. It can disrupt the sleep cycle, leaving a person afflicted with insomnia and a persistent feeling of fatigue. It can also affect the adrenal system, locking sufferers into a fight or flight state where they overreact to minor stresses as they were life-threatening situations.

Now as a result of a recently published medical study conducted by University School of Medicine and the Scripps Research Institute, it’s been found that chronic stress can cause premature aging.

Published in Molecular Psychiatry, the study found that individuals who live with chronic stress have an expression of a gene protein sequence called ankyrin-G that has previously been found in studies examining bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and autism. In addition to its link to various psychological disorders, the ankyrin-G gene expression has also been found in connection with premature cellular aging and increased risk factor for committing suicide.

As such, it behooves anyone with significant amounts of stress in their lives to make time in their schedules to engage in relaxing activities like running, listening to relaxing music and participating in regular massage sessions.

Read the full article here: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/310567.php