Which Makes You Happier, Exercise or Money?

A new study, performed by researchers at Yale and Oxford and published in The Lancet, surveyed 1.2 million Americans and made a remarkable observation – people who exercised regularly were significantly happier than those who did not.

The survey was based on a simple question – “How many times have you felt mentally unwell in the past 30 days, for example, due to stress, depression, or emotional problems?”

The results were startling. People who exercised on a regular basis had about 35 “bad days” per year. People who did not exercise reported 50% more bad days, 53 per year. In other words, people who included regular exercise in their lifestyle are 50% happier. That result was impressive but may not be that shocking.

However, interestingly, they found that exercisers feel just as good as people who don’t engage in physical activity but make $25,000 more per year – so, exercise makes you happier than money.

The study recommended three to five training sessions per week, about 45 minutes each. Too much less, and you wouldn’t create the desired impact; too much more and you’d risk the wear and tear or fatigue starting to reduce happiness.

Logically, once you get into better physical condition, you can push the boundaries to suit your needs, but the point is that you don’t need to overdo your exercise to maximize your happiness. Get in shape physically, and you’ll be getting into shape emotionally, too!

Obviously, to exercise, you must be physically able to do so. If you are suffering with chronic or acute pain, let us evaluate you and see if we can get you to the point that you can return to exercise without causing harm. If you are not in pain but are ready to begin exercising for the first time in a little while, let us help maximize your performance and limit any potential injuries, aches or pains with specific chiropractic care! Your body will thank you for doing so!