The Economic Crisis and Our Health

                                                                                         

Everyone knows what devastating effects the credit crisis can have on our bank accounts, but most are less aware of the effects it can have on our health. As threats of global recession are leading to mass hysteria, the stress of losing everything proves to be overwhelming for many.

But can the credit crisis really make you ill? Recent studies suggest that this has in fact been the case. The stress of not being able to provide for your family is a psychological burden (the unsettling headlines of theft, violence, and suicides come to surface) as well as a physical one. Excessive worrying and stress has lead to increased cases of stomach pains and headaches, makes us more susceptible to bacteria and disease, and ill effects on the heart and nervous system. It doesnt help to think that the health sector is also being affected by the poor economy; but if we are to rid ourselves of these health qualms, it is important to be fully aware of the situation.

Many healthcare services (including the NHS) are heavily affected by inflation, and lack of funding and investment from banks and other private sectors will prevent them from providing the best possible services to those in need. In a paper published by the British Medical Journal, John Appleby predicts that every 1% rise in inflation of interest rates will cost the NHS 380m every year, and that from 2011 onwards, the health service will have to deal with the brunt of the problem. This could have massive implications for the population at large, as the credit crisis is not only contributing to further ill health, but the high demand for health care services could leave many high and dry.

The reverberations of the economic downturn can also be felt on a more personal level. Winter tends to make us more susceptible to airborne bacteria and disease, and vulnerability is greatly enhanced by stress. As NetDoctors recent online poll suggests, one-fifth of the British population are getting fewer than five hours of sleep a night. This credit crunch insomnia, as the BBC calls it, is most frequently attributed excessive worrying about finances.

While there is not much we can do to overturn the recession, is important to go about ensuring our own good health. Simple techniques such as getting a few more hours of sleep at night, eating a well-balanced, varied diet, and getting enough exercise may all seem ridiculously clich, but the fact of the matter is that very few people adapt their bodies for the winter. The seasons pressing darkness frequently has the tendency to bring down your mood and energy levels. It is therefore important to recognize this, and take the right steps to making yourself feel good again.

Osteopaths note that you can also relieve the tension from those built-up financial woes through a variety of simple techniques. Massages, for example, are excellent for stimulating blood-flow and getting the circulation going in the high-stress areas of your body. Osteopaths offer professional massages which tackle specific pressure points in your body, but you could alternatively ask a friend or relative to massage your back and shoulders. This, combined with their ability to provide joint therapy and advice on special breathing exercises and other stress-management techniques, makes an osteopath a valuable person to go to in the face of the debilitating economic crisis.

While it is true that our wallets are still being drained by the economic crisis, our health does not have to be. By taking care of your body and consulting the right experts, you can ensure that the credit crisis does not make you ill.

About the author:
Andrew Mitchell, clinical director of the Osteopath Network, writes papers about musculo-skeletal conditions and York Osteopath. The Osteopath Network has over 550 clinics located throughout the UK and offers treatment at weekends and after hours.

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