So, feeling bad about how stony broke you are right now? Why not go for a run?
That’s the counterintuitive advice offered by researchers at Yale and Oxford Universities, who did a staggeringly large study involving 1.2 million Americans.
They were asked “How many times have you felt mentally unwell in the past 30 days, for example, due to stress, depression, or emotional problems?”, and then quizzed about their income and to choose from a list of 75 physical activities, ranging from stuff like cleaning the house to exercising.
Or incorporating both!
And the outcome? According to the study published in The Lancet, that people that exercise regularly feel down about 35 days a year, and people who don’t feel bad for 53 days (on average).
As far as how happiness was affected by what you earn, that 18 day difference could also be achieved by earning US$25,000 extra, which… look, let’s be honest: running is way more achievable.
IT’S LIKE SEVERAL GAMES OF TENNIS!
Now, as with all things that correlate mood and activity, it’s worth pointing out that depression and anxiety are correlated with feeling exhausted and antisocial, so it’s entirely possible that people that go out and do physical activity with friends are just happier people generally who therefore feel up to doing stuff.
And one might also bitterly point out that fit, well-off people might be reasonably happier with their lot than someone who’s sedentary and poor, just as a general rule.
Please note: cutting costs by exercising with non-approved equipment carries its own risks.
Also the study found that there’s a ceiling to the whole exercise-happiness thing, with three-to-five weekly sessions of an hour each, ideally including a team sport, being the sweet spot. Going over that level didn’t seem to boost mood, or for that matter earning capacity.
In any case, the boffins have spoken: you can’t actually afford to buy happiness. But failing that, who’s up for some water polo?