Stressful People in Your Life Could Be Adding Months To Your Biological Age (pnas.org)

(Monday February 23, 2026 @11:48AM (msmash) from the thanks-for-nothing dept.)

Reference: 0180846382
News link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/26/02/23/1459227/stressful-people-in-your-life-could-be-adding-months-to-your-biological-age
Source link: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2515331123

A [1]study published last week in PNAS found that people who regularly cause problems or make life difficult -- whom the researchers call "hasslers" -- are associated with measurably faster biological aging in those around them, at a rate of roughly 1.5% per additional hassler and about nine months of additional biological age relative to same-age peers.

The research drew on DNA methylation-based epigenetic clocks and ego-centric network data from a state-representative probability sample of 2,345 adults in Indiana, aged 18 to 103. Nearly 29% of respondents reported at least one hassler in their close network. The biological toll varied by relationship type: hasslers who were family members showed the strongest and most consistent associations with accelerated aging, while spouse hasslers showed no significant effect on either epigenetic measure.

The damage also went beyond aging clocks -- each additional hassler was associated with greater depression and anxiety severity, higher BMI, increased inflammation, and higher multimorbidity. When benchmarked against smoking, a major behavioral risk factor for aging, the hassler effect corresponded to roughly 13 to 17% of smoking's estimated impact on the same aging clocks.

[1] https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2515331123

Who determines who the "hassler" is? (Score:1)

by Tablizer ( 95088 )

It's generally relative to expectations and personality types involved.

Re: (Score:2)

by sabbede ( 2678435 )

I'd expect it to be entirely relative, but also that it wouldn't matter. I'm sure there are plenty of cases where people are hassling their hasslers, with each accurately blaming the other for making them age faster.

Re: (Score:3)

by JimMcc ( 31079 )

All one has to do is click on the link to the cited article immediately after the title, in this case "(pnas.org)". But, yes, linking to the article in the summary would also be good.

For sure (Score:4, Funny)

by dskoll ( 99328 )

I got divorced 12 years ago. My physical health definitely improved.

Stress is the top killer - most others are BS (Score:2)

by Somervillain ( 4719341 )

Every time you see some article about something in life making you healthier or sicker, ask the question...is there a stress correlation? It's safe to say every modern non-genetic/mutation ailment can be traced very reliably to stress. In the 90s, they thought drinking wine was good for your health. Doctors told my dad, a non-drinker, to have a half glass every night for heart health...he tried it and felt sicker and gave up...even felt bad he couldn't drink wine to be healthy.

Now we know, wine is ba

Is there a lesson here? (Score:3)

by marcle ( 1575627 )

You certainly can't choose all your relatives. But at least, if you're choosing a spouse, learn how they react to adversity and disagreement. And the same goes for their family. It can mean the difference between a happy life and a world of hurt and melodrama.

Clickbait (Score:2)

by rsilvergun ( 571051 )

And particularly nasty clickbait at that.

Yes we know stress kills. The fact that you can be stressed out by certain people is hardly news.

But tying it to individuals makes for great clickbait because it gets you thinking about every little niggling problem in your life caused by the people around you.

This is not to say that there aren't some people you shouldn't get away from. You absolutely should. But a study or story like this is it going to help.

News: 0180846382