MONDAY, Sept. 28, 2009 (Health.com) — Are you finally ready for some good news about the recession? As it turns out, a shaky economy might actually be good for your health.

Although it seems hard to believe, a new analysis of the Great Depression—the mother of all economic bad times—suggests that mortality dropped and life expectancy increased during that period.

Researchers estimate that around that time, a year with a 5% drop in the gross domestic product (GDP) was associated with a 1.9-year gain in life expectancy, while a 5% rise in the GDP lowered life expectancy by about one to two months.

And it’s not just the Great Depression, says José A. Tapia Granados, MD, of the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Past research has shown similar results—at least a drop in mortality—in periods of U.S. economic recession during the 1980s and 1990s, as well as in recessions in other countries, Dr. Tapia says.

“In some sense it is good news,” he explains. “The usual view of a period of recession is that everything is bad during these periods.”

In a study published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Dr. Tapia and his colleague Ana V. Diez Roux analyzed the economic growth and population health in the United States between 1920 and 1940, including the years of the Great Depression, which lasted from 1929 to 1933.

Life expectancy in general increased 8.8 years between 1920 and 1940, but gains fluctuated with the economy.

Next page: Smoking, drinking tend to drop during recessions

1. Make your $$ work hard
Women who see their life savings dwindling are understandably “scared, angry, and confused,” says financial expert Suze Orman, author of Suze Orman’s 2009 Action Plan. But “fix-it-now” decisions can put long-term financial security in danger. Her advice: “Resist the temptation to stop investing in stocks. If you have time on your side—and that means at least 10 years, preferably longer, before you need the money—keep a large portion of your retirement money in stocks.” Why? Once you move your money out of stocks, you give up any chance to recoup your losses, Orman says. Sure, a safe and stable fund may inch along with a 3 to 4% gain a year, she says, “but chances are that’s not enough to help you reach your long-term investment goals.”

2. Hang with happy people
A new Harvard study shows that happiness is contagious, spreading from one person to nearby family members, neighbors, and friends. “One happy person can increase the happiness of others she comes into contact with by 8 to 34%—and the effect can last up to a year,” says Health’s life coach M.J. Ryan.

3. Get paid to be healthy
If you need a carrot dangling in front of you to get you moving, there’s good news: Many companies are offering incentives for healthy behavior. Even in a recession, you can get paid as much as $200 to $300 a shot for doing what’s good for you, from taking a weight-management or stop-smoking course to getting your heart attack risks appraised. At companies like Aetna, employees can earn more than $1,200 a year for participating in health-and-fitness activities and programs. Ask your human resources department what they’ll pay you to get fit or stay well.

4. Be good to yourself
Financial uncertainty takes a toll on your health, says Andrew Weil, MD, director, Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. In fact, a recent study following healthy unemployed people found that 80 percent were diagnosed with a new health problem within 18 months of being laid off. The key to staying well in bad times? “Get enough rest, sleep, and physical activity, and have fun,” Dr. Weil says. He also recommends eating an anti-inflammatory diet that includes fish oil (2 to 3 grams a day), taking a good multivitamin or multi­mineral, and doing deep-breathing exercises.

 
Related Links: