A new study published in Cell Metabolism found that the biological age of humans increases rapidly in response to different forms of stress. But the study also found that this accelerated aging can be reversed after a period of recovery from stress.

Before April and Stress Awareness Month come to a close, it’s a good time to take stock of how to cope with stress. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), stress is linked to the six leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver and suicide. The new study reveals that it can also speed up the aging process.

According to Healthline, experts say that stress can cause inflammation and damage to DNA in our cells, which in turn advances aging. A younger biological age is linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, immune dysfunction, metabolic disorders, and other age-related conditions.

“Previous reports have hinted at the possibility of short-term fluctuations in biological age, but the question of whether such changes are reversible has, until now, remained unexplored,” said co-senior author James White, assistant professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine.

Experts say that stress accelerates aging in several ways. It triggers that release of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, which can damage DNA and cells if the stress is excessive and prolonged. Secondly, stress can lead to oxidative stress over the long haul. Oxidative stress can damage cells, proteins, and DNA, leading to premature aging, explains Dr. Tunc Tiryaki, founder of the London Regenerative Institute.

Chronic stress can even affect the protective caps on the end of our chromosomes, called telomeres, that shorten with each cell division and are thought to be a biomarker of aging.

“Chronic stress has been associated with shorter telomeres, which can contribute to premature aging,” says Tiryaki. But once the stress is removed, says Tiryaki, your body can recover and the physiological processes that were damaged may return to their normal levels of functioning.

“Cells can begin to produce more antioxidants and activate DNA repair mechanisms, which can help reduce the damage caused by oxidative stress,” he said.

You can take a biological age test to measure biomarkers like DNA methylation and telomere length, and provide blood and urine samples to assess your age, but gauging your everyday lifestyle habits will also provide accurate clues, says Healthline.

Eating a healthy diet, limiting alcohol consumption, and not smoking are all great ways to improve your overall health, and in turn, lower your biological age.

While we cannot eliminate stress completely, Jessica Cording, a registered dietitian and author of "The Little Book of Game Changers: 50 Healthy Habits for Managing Stress & Anxiety," tells Newsmax that when her clients adopt these positive changes into their lives they handle stress better.

1. Exercise. Exercising increases the level of endorphins in your body, which stimulates your immune system, reduces stress, and improves your mood. Exercise also helps strengthen the heart and lungs, two organs that may be affected by excess stress.
2. Get plenty of sleep. When we sleep, the stress hormone, cortisol, is lowered. But when we are sleep deprived, cortisol levels rise. For optimum health, most adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. When you get less than that, as many people do, it can eventually lead to health problems such as forgetfulness, the inability to fight infection, mood swings and depression.
3. Plan your meals carefully. "Make sure that your meals provide a balance of protein, fat and carbohydrates with half your plate for both lunch and dinner being vegetables," says Cording. To make life easier, prep your veggies once or twice a week so that the peeling and chopping are already done.
4. Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Numerous studies have shown that becoming even a little dehydrated can increase levels of cortisol. "Make it convenient to drink by having a bottle you like to use, setting alerts on your phone, or establishing a habit of drinking water at regular times each day," Cording says.
5. Sing and dance. Biologist Denis Noble tells Healthline that doing anything that creates joy and excitement is a good stress reliever. “Singing also has the added benefit of activating the vagus nerve, which is connected to all the major organs and instructs them to rest,” says Noble, co-founder of the Oxford Longevity project.