One of the fastest ways to age quickly is to experience chronic stress. Stress can accelerate the process of aging tremendously. Living without any type of stress is unrealistic so the important thing is to find ways to manage the stress in your life in order that it doesn't take over your life.

When a person encounters stress, the body's natural equilibrium is thrown off balance. This then wrecks havoc with cell repair, the production of collagen and hormone secretions. If you experience a high level of stress over extended periods of time this is worse than short lived periods of stress in regards to the aging process. Studies have shown that when stress hormones remain at high levels over a long span of time, this can cause the brain to age faster.

Biological Age vs.Chronological Age

In order to better understand how stress can affect the rate at which you age, it is important to understand the distinction between biological age and chronological age.

Everyone ages but not everyone does so at the same rate. The rate at which a person ages is connected to a variety of factors including hereditary, lifestyle, medical conditions and illnesses and the stress of everyday life. All of these elements can affect whether a person will age fast or slow, or will fall somewhere in between the two.

Chronological Age

A person's chronological age is based on when they were born. It is how many years you have been alive. If you have been on the Earth for 50 years then that is your chronological age. It is fairly self-explanatory.

Biological Age

On the other hand, a person's biological age is not a fixed number. Instead it is an assessment of your state of health and what it is in relation to other people in the general population. If anyone has ever told you that you look younger than your 45 years then this is a statement that reflects your biological age.

Researchers can use a number of different tools and tests to distinguish an individual's chronological age from their biological age. Some of the most commonly used ones include auditory threshold, systolic blood pressure measurement and near point vision.

It is possible to be one age but have the physiology (and /or appearance) of a much older person due to the stress you live with. For example, you could be in your late 40's chronologically but your biological age might be closer to that of a 60 year old.

Relaxation Techniques

Bearing these above points in mind, it then becomes essential to see why finding ways to calm and relax your mind, body and soul is so very important. It is vital to take breaks from your everyday life and get away from the constant stressors that can contribute to aging you.

Taking a weekend trip to visit loved ones or friends gives you the opportunity to see new things and experience new things. Your brain will thank you for the diversion. A change of scenery, even if it is a short change, is always welcome.

There are a variety of ways that you can relax and calm yourself. Here are a few suggestions to get you started. Get a moderate amount of exercise on a regular basis. Practice deep breathing exercises, learn to meditate and discover how stress relieving yoga can be for the body and mind.

Make sure you get the right amount of sleep each and every night. Do not hold on to tightly to everything. In other words, be willing to let go of the need to be in control every now and again. Finally, take up a hobby that makes you happy and provides you with the opportunity to laugh and have some much needed fun in your life.

The above tips should help you with your new anti-aging process!