Exercising tops money for more happiness. It is commonly known that having a lot of money would make life easier, but it won’t necessarily make you happier. Researchers from the Yale and Oxford universities state to have proven that exercising has a greater contribution to mental health than your financial status. The research that has been published in The Lancet, investigated more than 1,2 billion Americans about their mental and physical health.
Respondents had to indicate how frequently they had felt mentally unwell in the past month (f.ex. emotional stress or depression). Additionally, they also had to indicate their level of income and were asked about their physical activities, ranging from exercising to even lawn-mowing.
Active people experience less unhappiness
Exercising tops money for more happiness. The study showed that active people experienced around 35 bad days a year, while people who rarely exercise experience about 18 more of those bad days. The scientists also found that those who exercise, feel equally well as those who don’t exercise but earn an additional $25,000 more. So, this suggests you’d need to make much more money, in order for your earnings to give the equivalent happiness effect exercising has.
To dose remains key
Regular exercising is clearly good for your mental health, but it doesn’t mean that the more exercising you’ll have, the happier you’ll become… The study showed that three to five workouts of 30 – 60 minutes are an ideal contribution to your well-being. If you exaggerate, physical activity can soon become counterproductive.
Finally, the researchers also revealed that sports which involve social interaction – such as team sports or even fitness sessions – have an even higher contribution to your mental health.
As Herculeans, we believe in an hollistic approach that includes physical health. Our platform allows you to capture your data and prove your employer that you’re one hell of a healthy employee!