We hear a lot about how stress is hard on older adults \u2014 and it certainly can be harmful \u2014 but new research from AARP finds that Americans age 50-plus say they are managing stress well.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A new AARP survey<\/a> on 1,770 adults 40 and up reveals that most adults believe stress can be handled<\/a>, though they are concerned about how it affects their health.\u00a0(Below, we focus on data in those 50 and up, specifically.)<\/p>\n Among 84 percent of people over 50 who experienced stress within 30 days of the survey<\/a>, 29 percent reported they felt somewhat stressed, 39 percent said they were a little stressed, 16 percent had no stress and 15 percent had high stress. About 72 percent say they\u2019re doing well managing their stress.<\/p>\n In terms of their mental and emotional health in those 50 and up:<\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cWhile most recognize that stress is part of life, relatively few describe their stress levels as very high. Yet many also say there are small things they could do to manage stress better,\u201d says Cheryl Lampkin, senior research advisor at AARP Research. \u201cTo me, that suggests when it comes to stress management, older adults aren\u2019t in crisis \u2014 it\u2019s more about helping them build on coping strategies they already have.\u201d<\/p>\n The most damaging type of stress<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to pay attention to your stress level because it can impact your physical and mental well-being, especially as you get older. A temporary stressor can be unpleasant, but chronic stress is the real danger \u2014 it\u2019s linked to inflammation, hormone dysfunction and oxidative stress, which accelerate biological aging and raise your disease risk. Ongoing tension in your life can also drive cognitive issues and poorer mental health, among other ailments. And it can be harder to deal with as you become older.<\/p>\n \u201cOlder adults have less physiological reserve than younger adults, meaning the body may recover more slowly from stressors,\u201d says Dr. Lisa Christian, a clinical health psychologist at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.\u00a0<\/p>\n What\u2019s more, you may not feel stressed-out if you\u2019re under chronic stress. It could show up as fatigue, irritability, social withdrawal or sleep disturbances, and it may be tough to tell if you\u2019re actually dealing with clinical depression or anxiety<\/a>, Christian says.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Impacts on health<\/p>\n Most adults over 50 in the survey say stress<\/a> influences their mood, energy levels, focus, brain<\/a>, emotions and physical health.\u00a0<\/p>\n