We know the effects stress, anxiety, and depression can have on our lifespans. Anxious states shorten our telomeres, the pieces of DNA on the ends of our chromosomes, which prematurely ages our cells and reduces longevity.
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What might be surprising is that women experience more stress than men…and yet they live longer. This is explained by the numerous health benefits linked to female sex hormones.
Different reactions to illness
First, estrogen plays a preventative role in cardiovascular disease up until menopause; second, women’s immune systems are much better than men’s. Theirs age less rapidly and offer stronger protection against viruses.
As for chronic illnesses, women are more often affected by relatively benign illnesses—like osteoporosis or arthritis—whereas men succumb more often to potentially deadly diseases like diabetes.
Women take fewer risks
Finally, men and women have different ways of living. Women tend to take better care of their health, have higher resistance to pain and sickness, don’t brush off symptoms, and take advised medication regularly. They take fewer risks, smoke less, drink less, take fewer drugs, and drive more cautiously.
And even though they suffer more often from depression, women have lower suicide rates than men. And going back to stress, imagine if women were less stressed than men…their lifespans would be even higher! The only thing left to do is take on a more ‘zen’ attitude…
Check out the video above for more!
