The hidden toll of stress: How emotional health accelerates biological aging

New research reveals mental well-being may be the missing link in longevity science

At the cutting-edge HOLOLIFE Summit in Tallinn, Estonia, Bilhen Sali delivered a presentation that challenged conventional wisdom about aging and health, revealing how emotional well-being plays a critical but often overlooked role in determining our biological age.

When biological age outpaces chronological age

"I was biologically fifty-five while being chronologically twenty-four," Sali told a captivated audience at the HOLOLIFE Summit 2025 on Saturday. As Head of Communications at biotech company GlycanAge, Sali shared her personal journey of discovering how chronic stress and emotional turmoil had dramatically accelerated her body's aging process.

Despite following what she believed was an optimal health regimen with "perfect diet" and supplements, her biological age testing revealed a shocking discrepancy. "I was trying to be perfect on the outside. I mean, how come my body wasn't grateful about what I was doing? And it was even aging at an accelerated level," she explained.

The science of glycans and inflammation

The presentation detailed how GlycanAge testing measures chronic inflammation through glycans – biological markers that indicate the balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory states in the body. These glycans, present on nearly every cell, facilitate cellular communication and reflect overall health status.

"Glycans are not only good; they can be bad," Sali explained. "The good ones are anti-inflammatory; bad ones are pro-inflammatory. And the ratio between those actually shows us how our entire body is doing—the overall inflammatory state."

Unlike genetic testing, glycan profiles can change within months, offering a dynamic picture of health that responds to lifestyle modifications, including mental health improvements.

The global emotional health crisis

Sali contextualized her experience within a broader pattern observed among GlycanAge users. She presented several case studies, including a biohacker whose glycan age spiked during a divorce, another individual who aged eight years after losing three family members, and even the company's CEO, whose results worsened following emotional heartbreak.

These anecdotes are supported by sobering global statistics. According to data presented at the summit, 62% of people across 31 countries cite stress as the main negative impact on their daily lives, while 45% identify mental health issues as their nation's primary health concern—surpassing cancer (38%).

"We live in such a modern life... Every tool that we could have, we have it. And still, we haven't been as miserable as we're today," Sali observed.

The mind-body connection

What makes this research particularly significant is how it quantifies the biological impact of emotional distress. Traditional health metrics might miss these effects entirely, as they often focus on physical biomarkers without considering their relationship to mental states.

"Emotional health does impact our overall health," Sali emphasized. "There are countless studies, more and more coming, proving how this intense stress and emotional pain is a main driver for many chronic diseases—and so, premature deaths."

The presentation highlighted how emotional well-being isn't merely a subjective experience but manifests in measurable biological changes that can accelerate aging and increase disease vulnerability.

Paths to recovery

When asked about interventions that helped improve her biological age, Sali identified three key practices: seeking help, expressive writing, and daily meditation.

"I was really afraid to cry for help," she admitted. "Writing helped me a lot as well... And third thing is meditation. I started meditating every day, and I did it for months and months."

These approaches align with emerging research on stress management techniques that can reduce inflammatory markers and potentially reverse accelerated aging.

The future of holistic health assessment

As the HOLOLIFE Summit continues through Sunday in Tallinn, Sali's presentation represents a growing intersection between emotional and physical health sciences. By providing objective measurements of how mental states impact biological processes, technologies like glycan testing may help bridge the gap between psychological well-being and medical outcomes.

The implications extend beyond individual health to public policy, suggesting that mental health support should be considered fundamental to disease prevention and longevity strategies.

"We have this very moment and the choice what to do with it," Sali concluded. "To observe from aside or join and be co-creators of our own life. The good, the bad, and that in between."

Frequently asked questions

What did Bilhen Sali discover about her own age?

Sali told the Tallinn audience she was biologically fifty-five while chronologically twenty-four, despite following what she believed was an optimal health regimen. As head of communications at GlycanAge, she used her own result to argue that chronic stress had accelerated her ageing.

What do glycans actually measure?

Chronic inflammation. GlycanAge testing reads glycans, markers present on nearly every cell that facilitate cellular communication and reflect the balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory states. As Sali put it, glycans are not only good; the bad ones matter too.

What evidence links emotions to biological age?

Sali presented cases from GlycanAge users: a biohacker whose glycan age spiked during a divorce, an individual who aged eight years after losing three family members, and the company's own chief executive, whose results worsened following emotional heartbreak.

About the event

This recap is part of the HOLOLIFE Summit 2025 Europe series, recorded in Tallinn on 14 and 15 June 2025. Read the summary of the whole event or join the next edition, HOLOLIFE Summit 2026 Amsterdam, on 14 and 15 November 2026.