New research published in the British Medical Journal has identified links between psychological distress and an increased risk of death.
More than 68,000 adults over the age of 35 took part in the study, which is considered one of the most comprehensive of its kind to date.
Elizabeth Broadbent of the University of Auckland School of Medicine says the large sample size means that other factors can be controlled for in the study.
“They’ve got 68,000 people in the sample, which is a very large sample, and allows them to control for some of the other factors which might be associated with mortality such as alcohol, exercise and social-economic status,” she says.
Ms Broadbent says that stress can have a negative impact on a person’s life.
“If you are feeling stressed over a period of a month or more, you have a feeling that you can’t cope with all the things you have to do, and your sleep is affected, you’re not getting as much sleep as you’d like. Your concentration is affected, and you’re not enjoying doing the things you used to enjoy.”
Watch the video for Firstline’s interview with Elizabeth Broadbent