Even Low-Level Anxiety Can Shorten Your Life:
A large-scale new study shows that even very low levels of anxiety and depression can heighten the risk of death. While previous research made the link between high levels of psychological distress and death, this study is startling in its findings that even low-level distress places us at risk.
The investigators found that, over a 10-year period, people with slight distress, enough to prevent them from sleeping sometimes, or concentrating on tasks, had about a 20% greater chance of death. The correlation held true even after the researchers adjusted for other risk factors, such as exercise, overweight, drinking to excess, and smoking.
They also excluded people who died in the first five years after data were collected, in order to answer the "chicken and egg" question: "Do we become depressed and anxious because we're sick, or does psychological distress contribute to premature death?"
The study, in the peer-reviewed British Medical Journal, examined the medical records of 68,000 people. Primary causes of death were heart disease, stroke, and cancer. The take-home message from this impressive study is that just a little bit of distress can harm your health.
What steps can you take to lower your anxiety and depression levels today?
My first recommendation is, of course, plenty of EFT! Research published in another peer-reviewed journal, Integrative Medicine, shows that an EFT workshop lowers psychological distress by an average of 45%.
We're committed to your optimal wellness, so we offer over 100 workshops, all over the world, every year. Find the schedule on EFT Universe, along with thousands of pages supporting your journey to longevity and health.
Dawson Church.
