Oct 8, 2008 10:45 pm US/Central
Good Question: Is The Economy Hazardous To Health?
(WCCO)
Checking your 401(k) lately is enough to make you sick to your stomach. Let's face it, the economy isn't healthy. And while the president asks for patience critics aren't sure lawmakers have found the cure for what's ailing our wallets.
That's stressing out a lot of Minnesota families. And we all know anxiety isn't good. So is the economy hazardous to our health?
"The research evidence quite frankly, is a little bit mixed. Money matters to a point, but it's not the only thing that predicts our psychological or physical health," said University of St. Thomas Psychologist John Tauer.
He said make no mistake, money woes are stressful and stress is a killer. Numerous studies show stress contributes to heart disease and high blood pressure, and aggravates our mental well-being.
"So, money absolutely matters but not nearly so much once one's basic needs are met," Tauer said.
But if somebody told you a bad economy could be good for your health, would you believe it or just laugh?
Tauer said boom times, when the economy is good, have their own risks.
"The inverse of this is when the economy is really good. Are people happier? I don't think so because they run out and they want the latest new gadget and then they're stressed that they need to make more money," Tauer said.
A New York Times article that said a bad economy might be good for your health quotes Grant Miller of Stanford, who said people who work less have more time for healthy behaviors:
- To cook at home instead of gulping fattier fast food.
- For exercise.
- To play with their kids.
"That's one angle where this economic downturn could actually lead people to slow down and truly smell the roses," Tauer said.
Here's a concept that's recession proof: How happy we are is strongly affected by how grateful we are for what we've got, not what we want.
In fact, the University of Pennsylvania has a research Web site to help hundreds of thousands of people develop gratitude and happiness. You can register and use it all you want for free by clicking on the link below.
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