A new study reveals that difficult people in your life, dubbed "hasslers" by researchers, may accelerate your body's biological aging. For every additional "hassler" a person regularly interacts with, their pace of aging increases by about 1.5 percent, according to the research. This means the body ages roughly 1.015 biological years for each calendar year, potentially adding months of biological age over time. The findings suggest that these negative social ties act as chronic stressors, posing a serious threat to overall health.[pnas+7]
The "Hassler" Effect on Biological Clocks
Researchers defined "hasslers" as individuals who create problems or make life more difficult. Nearly 30 percent of people report having at least one "hassler" in their social network. The study, funded by the National Institute on Aging and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, analyzed data from over 2,000 individuals.[washingtonpost+6]
This accelerated aging was measured using "epigenetic clocks," which are blood or saliva-based biomarkers. These advanced clocks, such as GrimAge2 and DunedinPACE, track changes in DNA methylation patterns at the cellular level. They offer a more accurate reflection of a person's physiological state than chronological age alone.[pmc+11]
Byungkyu Lee, an assistant professor of sociology at New York University and lead author of the study, noted the striking link. "Each additional hassler in a person's close network was associated with the body being biologically older than it should and aging at a faster pace," Lee told PsyPost. He added that even small effects accumulate, with one hassler corresponding to about "9 extra months on the odometer and a 1.5% faster speedometer reading" over time.[psypost+1]
How Stressful Relationships Impact the Body
Negative social ties mimic the harmful effects of other chronic stressors, such as financial strain or workplace stress. This constant stress leads to increased inflammation, compromised immune function, and an elevated risk for cardiovascular and other diseases. Marital disagreements marked by hostility and negative behaviors can increase pro-inflammatory cytokine production, contributing to inflammation-related disorders.[pnas+2]
Beyond physical aging, the number of "hasslers" in a person's life consistently links to worse health outcomes across multiple areas. The strongest associations were with mental health, showing an increase in the severity of depression and anxiety for each additional "hassler".[healthline+1]
Previous research also highlights the broad dangers of relationship conflict. A Danish study involving nearly 10,000 adults found that stressful social relations in private life linked to a two to three times increased risk of dying in middle age. Conflicts with family, friends, and neighbors posed the greatest risk, with arguing being the most harmful factor.[cbsnews+1]
Who is Most Affected?
The impact of "hasslers" is not evenly distributed across the population. Women, daily smokers, and individuals already in poorer health are more likely to report having difficult people in their networks. Those with adverse childhood experiences also face a higher likelihood of encountering "hasslers".[pnas+5]
The type of difficult relationship can also play a role. While the PNAS "hassler" study found detrimental associations with kin and nonkin hasslers, it did not find significant associations with spouse hasslers in its fully adjusted models. However, other studies have shown that troubled marriages can significantly impact health. An Israeli study tracking nearly 9,000 men over 32 years found that an unhappy marriage increased a man's risk of death by 21 percent. This risk was similar to leading a "couch potato" lifestyle.[pnas+2]
Another study focusing on midlife adults found that stress from friendships, but not family or romantic partners, was uniquely linked to faster biological aging. This suggests that the influence of different relationship types can vary across life stages. Family members who act as "hasslers" showed strong associations with accelerated aging in some research, possibly due to the inescapable nature of family ties.[pmc+2]
The Power of Positive Connections
Conversely, strong and supportive relationships can have a protective effect against accelerated aging. Lifelong social support and consistent connections across decades can slow biological aging and reduce chronic inflammation. Researchers found that people with richer, more sustained relationships showed younger biological profiles.[sciencedaily+4]
Anthony Ong, a psychology professor at Cornell University, compares social connections to a retirement account. "The earlier you start investing and the more consistently you contribute, the greater your returns," Ong said. He emphasized that these returns are not just emotional but biological, leading to slower cellular aging.[sciencedaily+3]
An analysis of 148 studies found that people with strong social bonds had a 50 percent greater chance of survival than those with poor social relationships. Positive, fulfilling relationships reduce stress, improve mood, and provide a vital reason to move forward.[online+1]
These findings highlight the critical role of social environments in shaping health and longevity. Reducing exposure to harmful social interactions and actively cultivating supportive relationships could be key strategies for promoting healthier aging trajectories.[pnas+8]
Prioritizing healthy social connections and setting boundaries with difficult individuals may be as important for long-term health as diet and exercise.[psypost+2]
