In life, there are many things that can be exhausting, whether at work or home. Conversations about housing prices, rent, and kids' school.

But in my case, there's one more thing: my younger brother.

These days, I really feel like I'm aging because of him.

"Ah, I'm getting older because of this guy."

My brother is thirty years old and always has money problems. It's not just once; it's almost every time.

I get calls saying he can't pay his rent to his roommate. He feels like he's going to get kicked out. Then a few days later, I hear he got into a fight after drinking.

The problem doesn't end there. The last call always comes to me.

"Sister, please help me just this once."

At first, I naturally helped him. After all, he's family. But it wasn't just once. Twice, three times, ten times. Eventually, I started to feel anxious every time my brother's phone rang.

Talking about this reminds me of a study I read recently. It suggested that having someone around who constantly causes stress can actually speed up the aging process.

The study referred to such people as "nuisances." These are individuals who make life difficult or continuously stress you out. Parents, children, siblings, and coworkers can fall into this category.

It was found that for each person like this in your life, your biological aging process speeds up by about 1.5%. In simpler terms, it means you could be about nine months older than someone your age.

At first, this number might not seem significant. But when it accumulates over several years, it changes the story. It means your body ages faster due to stress.

"Ah, so that's why I feel like I'm aging lately."

When I think about it, family is the hardest. With friends, you can keep your distance. You can stop contacting them.

But with family, it's not that easy. It's difficult to completely cut ties with siblings.

So, I think that adds to the stress. I want to help, but the situation keeps repeating. Even when I help, it doesn't solve anything. Then I get another call.

The research also mentions similar points. Family relationships, like those with parents or children, are deeply intertwined in life, making them hard to resolve. This can create even more stress than friendships.

After reading this, I've made a small change. I've decided not to take on everything anymore. I realized I can't be responsible for someone else's life at the expense of my own well-being.

If someone wants to live a long life, they need to exercise and be careful about their diet. But I think I need to add one more thing.

Whenever possible, keep a little distance from those who cause stress.

Just because they are family doesn't mean I have to carry all their problems on my shoulders. I think this way, I can live longer and healthier with my son.

"I want to live my life too."

I've told my brother this thought. He needs to start paying back the ten thousand dollars he owes me little by little each month. If he doesn't pay it back, I won't lend him money again, so he shouldn't call me.

It's not a huge amount, but it's not insignificant either, so if my brother starts paying it back, I think I might feel a bit relieved then.