Researchers focused on strained relationships in our social networks, specifically on individuals they called 'irritants.' The researchers wondered whether strained relationships might affect aging in the same way as other factors of chronic stress. Study participants were asked to name people they spend time with, talk to about personal or health matters, or who have influenced their health habits. Each additional irritant was associated with an increase in biological age by about nine months and a slight acceleration of the pace of biological aging (by 1.5%). The presence of additional annoying people was also linked to worse health assessments, increased symptoms of anxiety and depression, more chronic diseases, and increased weight, suggesting that difficult relationships can have a negative impact. A new study published in the journal PNAS investigated what happens when the stress in our lives comes from those around us.
