It’s easy to assume the worst when a recession hits. And it goes without saying that an economic downturn can harm people — especially those who are already suffering or are in poor economic health. But you may be surprised to learn that the data isn’t all negative. Surprisingly, healthy living habits actually tend to improve during times of economic recession for many people!

 

Here are three reasons why:

More Time for Exercise

During booming economic times, most individuals spend most of their time working. That means that they tend to neglect healthy habits, such as exercise. Surprisingly, one thing that often improves during times of recession is the amount of exercise that people perform. And you can take a cue from that fact — neglecting your physical health during this time is not a good idea. Make time to exercise on a daily basis to keep up your health.

Eating Home-Cooked Meals

When the economy is good, people tend to spend more of their hard-earned money on eating take-out food or going to restaurants. While some of that food can be perfectly healthy, much of it is not. During recession times, on the other hand, people tend to make more food at home in order to save money. And that is often a good thing in terms of healthy living — using fresh, nutritious ingredients to make a home-cooked meal is one of the best things you can do for you and your family.

Less Work-Related Stress

There’s no question that things can be stressful during a recession. But compared to the high-stakes stress of the competitive job world, some individuals actually find that they’re less stressed when work isn’t the only thing they’re focused on. In many cases, recession times allow people to focus more on what really matters, like family, relationships, and good health.

 

To put it simply, people tend to focus more on preventative health and wellness care during a recession, largely because they’re spending more time at home and less time at work. So try to look on the bright side during these difficult times — there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel.