Does stress physically age our body? Going by the assumption that stress eventually triggers a flight/fight response, and the subsequent realization that flight/fight puts the body in a system of readiness to use it's available resources (mental, physical). Does it make sense to think that stress physically ages a person? I am specifically referring to characteristics identified with aging such as bleached hair, telomere shortening, wrinkles around the eyes, etc.

The fight/flight situation, through activation of the sympathetic part of the autonomous nerve system, leads to secretion of catechol amines, i.e. adrenaline and noradrenaline. The effects of these hormones, if excreted continously or without real resting time, are thought to be bad for your health. If you recall the possible effects of those two substances (which are both similar to amphetamine, by the way), and look at what big studies have found about the impact of high blood pressure then you know the most important negative effect of stress, IMHO.

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