Standing in long queues, waiting for the stoplight to turn green, killing time when your flight gets delayed – all of these can trigger the impatient monster lurking within us, and it's bad for the health.
People who are short-fused are more likely to age faster than those who aren't impatient, a new study revealed.
This is because of shorter telomeres. Telomeres are caps at the end of DNA strands that protect our chromosomes from fraying, and the longer these caps are, the better they are at protecting cells from damage. Think of those plastic tips on our shoelaces, which are known as aglets, only at the genetic level.
In a new study, scientists from the National University of Singapore examined 1,158 undergraduates to determine if there was an association between the telomere length and patience. The participants were asked a series of imaginary questions that involved instant or delayed gratification.
First, they were asked if they'd take $100 right away or wait a month to receive $101, a relatively small reward. The delay amount increased all the way up to $128 if the participants waited.
Researchers rated the students based on their level of impatience depending on just how much reward money it took to motivate them to wait for the payout. Those who were ready to wait for a small reward were rated as more patient, while those who needed more to be swayed were considered less patient.
Then, the team took blood samples for each participant to analyze their telomere length. Researchers were surprised to find the link that those who were hastier had shorter telomeres than their patient counterparts.
Xinh Zhang, co-author of the study, said impatience is linked to cognitive and social incompetence, the inability to cope with life frustration as well as the risk of mental disorders. The length of telomere has also been linked to life expectancy.
"These untoward effects associated with impatience lead us to contend that impatience can lead to shorter telomere," said Zhang.
He said it is unlikely that healthy individuals in their early 20s are able to sense the length of their telomere and then make the more impulsive choice.
Although Zhang and his colleagues admit the findings do not prove a causal relationship, they plan to conduct a follow-up study to see if the meditation method of mindfulness can help lessen impatience and protect telomeres for longer periods.
The study is featured in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
