(STUDY FINDS) — Certain days feel more like weeks, especially when unexpected issues occur, and bad luck keeps tripping you up. Now, new research actually suggests there’s truth in the saying that some days end up aging people far more than others. Scientists at North Carolina State University say younger adults really can look and feel older on especially stressful days, but only on days when they also feel less in control over their own lives.
“There’s substantial research that tells us stress makes older adults feel their age, or even feel older than they actually are,” says Shevaun Neupert, corresponding author of the study and a professor of psychology at NC State, in a media release.
“And the literature tells us that when seniors feel older than they actually are, that is associated with a host of negative health outcomes. However, there is little research examining this issue in younger adults – people in their teens, 20s and 30s. Having a deeper understanding of this phenomenon across all age groups could help us develop interventions that protect our mental and physical well-being.”
