Hey there! 🫣
You know that moment when your phone lights up and the name on the screen makes your stomach drop? 📱
We all have that one person. The “quick question” at 6 PM. The relative who somehow turns every family gathering into a debate. The friend who says “I’m just being honest” right before saying something you absolutely did not ask to hear.
Well, science just gave us another reason to be annoyed.
Can difficult people really age us faster?
A recent study looked at more than 2,300 adults, asking about their social relationships and collecting DNA samples to estimate biological aging.
People who reported having at least one “hassler”—someone who regularly creates problems or makes life harder—showed about 1.5% faster biological aging. That works out to roughly nine months.
Nine months.
Apparently, someone can now add time to your biological age without even touching your birthday cake. 😅
So should we block them all?
❌Y̶e̶s̶❌
Tempting. Very tempting.
But the study doesn't mean one difficult person is suddenly adding nine months to your face. Researchers were looking at an association between stressful relationships and biological aging.
The idea is that repeated stress may gradually take a toll. Constant conflict, criticism and tension can keep our stress response switched on, while long-term stress has been linked to inflammation and changes in immune function.
Sometimes, even seeing someone's name pop up is enough to make your shoulders tense. 🙈
What about family?
Here's where it gets interesting.
Difficult spouses weren't linked to faster biological aging in this study. One possible reason is that marriages can also provide emotional support, affection and companionship, which may balance out the stressful moments. 🤔
Other relationships may not work that way.
You can't always choose your relatives, coworkers or neighbors, but you can decide how much access they get to your peace.
Boundaries are not rude. “I’ll deal with that tomorrow” is a perfectly valid sentence.
And having people around who make you laugh matters, too. Friends and family who makes you laugh until you snort might actually be doing more for your well-being than you realize.
And what can we do about the stress?
Start with the obvious: limit unnecessary contact, set boundaries and make time for people who make you feel good.
Then create little rituals that help you switch off after a long day.
After a particularly exhausting conversation, try putting your phone down, dropping your shoulders and taking a few deep breaths. A little Oleia Frankincense Oil on your neck and shoulders can be part of that wind-down routine.
And for that one person who seems to have made irritating you their full-time job?
I have an ❌u̶n̶o̶f̶f̶i̶c̶i̶a̶l̶❌ genius solution: gift them Oleia Tangerine Oil. 🍊
Will it turn “Why is this not done yet??” into “Take your time, no rush”?
Absolutely… no promises. 🫠
But at least the room will smell amazing while they complain.
Soooo… win? 😂
And the next time someone starts testing your patience, take a breath before you respond. Protect your peace, set the boundary and save your energy for people who actually deserve it.
Because apparently, peace and quiet may be part of your anti-aging routine.
Show me your bottle and I’ll show you mine? ’Til next time! 😉
xo, L.
Reference:
https://www.verywellhealth.com/difficult-people-aging-11925482