Health Archives - Page 39 of 41 - MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors

Exercise Officially Makes You Happier Than Money, According to Yale and Oxford Research

Five takeaways:

This article concerns a recent study of the physical behavior and mental mood of over 1.2 million Americans that showed conclusively that exercise makes a person happier and mentally at peace.

They asked Americans of different exercise frequencies, activities, and income levels, “How many times have you felt mentally unwell in the past 30 days, due to stress, depression, or emotional problems?”

The scientists found that, while those who exercised regularly tended to feel bad for around 35 days a year, non-active participants felt bad for 18 days more on average.

Scientists also found that physically active people feel just as good as those who don’t do sports, but who earn around $25,000 more a year.

The scientists also found, however, that too much exercise can be detrimental to your health. More than 3-5 sessions of 30-60 minutes per week was determined to be ideal.

From Ruqayyah Moynihan at Entrepreneur:
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This site may contain links to articles or other information that may be contained on a third-party website. Advisory Services Network, LLC and MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors are not responsible for and do not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third party website. The information and material contained in linked articles is of a general nature and is intended for educational purposes only. Links to articles do not constitute a recommendation or a solicitation or offer of the purchase or sale of securities.

What Kind of Happiness Do People Value Most?

Five takeaways:

This article asks us to ask ourselves: What kind of happiness do we want? “Experienced Happiness,” or “Remembered Happiness”?

Happiness has different versions. Experienced happiness (where you experience happiness on a moment-to-moment basis) is far different from “remembered happiness” (where afterwards you will reflect back and feel happy)

A recent survey of 1,145 Americans in the Journal of Positive Psychology found that 79% of respondents chose experienced happiness over remembered happiness for the rest of their lives.

When asked about what type of happiness they would desire to experience the following day, most respondents chose remembered happiness, indicating a desire for an immediate feeling of pride and purpose.

We are all busy, the article concludes, but spending too much time on pursuits associated with success and work-based pride might result in a person turning down far too many opportunities to feel happy in the moment.

From Cassie Mogilner Holmes at Harvard Business Review:
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Note: At the time of this posting Harvard Business Review offers two free article views per month. Four if you register for a free account.

This site may contain links to articles or other information that may be contained on a third-party website. Advisory Services Network, LLC and MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors are not responsible for and do not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third party website. The information and material contained in linked articles is of a general nature and is intended for educational purposes only. Links to articles do not constitute a recommendation or a solicitation or offer of the purchase or sale of securities.

A Counterintuitive Way to Cheer Up When You’re Down

Five takeaways:

Research shows that a reliable treatment of unhappiness is to make the effort to bring joy to others. A concerted effort to do so can be a source of well-being.

Misery loves company, but it creates company too: research shows that unhappy people tend to spread their unhappiness to those around them.

There is growing evidence that a “fake it till you make it” attitude towards personal happiness can help increase overall happiness. This includes a concerted effort to bring joy to others.

Spending money on others and volunteering have both been shown to raise one’s own happiness levels

“By deliberately preparing yourself to cheer up the people around you the way a happy person spontaneously would, you’ll create the conditions by which you can produce your own happiness naturally—and give the gift of happiness to others, as well.”

From Arthur C. Brooks at The Atlantic:
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Note: At the time of this posting The Atlantic offers five free article views per month.

This site may contain links to articles or other information that may be contained on a third-party website. Advisory Services Network, LLC and MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors are not responsible for and do not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third party website. The information and material contained in linked articles is of a general nature and is intended for educational purposes only. Links to articles do not constitute a recommendation or a solicitation or offer of the purchase or sale of securities.

Why Stress-Baking and Cleaning Make You Less Anxious

Five takeaways:

In the early days of Covid, a baking craze arose. The hashtag #quarantinebaking became so popular that Amazon sold out of popular brands of flour and chocolate chips.

It turns out there is neurological proof that homekeeping and self-care activities such as baking can help stop cycles of anxiety and depression by changing how the human brain self-regulates.

When humans perceive a threat, their amygdala– a region of the brain associated with stress– begins firing. The prefrontal cortex, which regulates emotion, begins working less effectively.

Activities such as baking or bicycling can reset the brain and allow the prefrontal cortex to more effectively regulate emotion. They offer a sense of applied skill and control.

Studies suggest that behavioral activation– as with activities like baking– can be just as effective as meditation in helping to reregulate brain activity. In the anxious early days of lockdown, this was hugely helpful as an escape.

From Sara Harrison at Wired:
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This site may contain links to articles or other information that may be contained on a third-party website. Advisory Services Network, LLC and MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors are not responsible for and do not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third party website. The information and material contained in linked articles is of a general nature and is intended for educational purposes only. Links to articles do not constitute a recommendation or a solicitation or offer of the purchase or sale of securities.