Money making you stressed? Here's how to chill out

If you’ve ever been worried about money to the point you get a headache, it won’t be a surprise to learn that financial stress can have a major impact on physical and mental health. In fact, the American Psychology Association's latest Stress in America survey found that 72 percent of Americans reported feeling stressed about money. While financial stress can happen to most people, it’s the impact it can have on our health that's especially troubling. “Health impacts of chronic stress include digestive problems, muscle aches, sleep difficulties, heart disease and headaches,” says Lindsay Bryan-Podvin, LMSW, Founder of Mind Money Balance, LLC, and author of The Financial Anxiety Solution.

Bryan-Podvin says a common mistake people make when they worry about money is that they start making decisions from a place of reactivity. “Being stressed about money doesn't feel good, so many people quickly take action to temporarily reduce the stress, without thinking about the long-term consequences of their choice. For example, a person might be stressed about rent coming due, get their tax refund and overpay on their rent, not considering that they have other bills to pay for, and now their tax refund is wholly tied up in their rent,” she says.

Here, Bryan-Podvin shares five tips that can help you chill when it comes to finances.

References for this information:
American Psychological Association Website, Stress
Mayo Clinic Website, Healthy lifestyle

The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Murad, and are for informational purposes only, even if the advice of physicians and medical practitioners are included. This article is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, and should not be considered specific medical advice.  

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