How Big City stress affects your health

 The crime, the traffic, the congestion, the noise, and non-stop pace of the big city take its toll on your health. That’s not just anecdotal any longer, researchers are uncovering some not so surprising facts about the negative impact big cities have on peoples’ health.

In the heart of the busy metropolitan jungles, more people suffer from heart attacks, strokes, and anxiety than those who live in more rural areas. Those who fare best live in mild climates, where wild swings in temperature from the summer to the winter are practically non existent.

The Big City is a Threat Your Physical Health

All that traffic, high crime, and noise isn’t just going gentle into the night, it’s having a real affect on its residents physical well being. New research shows that people living in a big city have a higher risk of a heart attack and stroke.

Busy commutes tend not only to be stressful, but detrimental as well. Spending hours on a train or hopping from bus to bus means a lot more time spent parked in a seat. That’s not good for the heart or the belly. Studies reveal that many choose to eat while commuting in an effort to save time. The net result is a bigger waistline, which increases blood pressure, decreases circulation, and cause more fatigue.

More weight means a higher risk for hypertension and other physical health risks like high cholesterol. Simply put, less walking and more sitting have an adverse impact.

It’s Also Mental, Studies Show

Aside from the physical health risks, people living in big cities face a 21 percent higher risk of anxiety disorders, a 39 percent increase in mood disorders, thanks to a study conducted on 32 healthy participants which was published in the journal Nature.

Conversely 24 participants from rural communities were included in this brain scan study,  a statistical dead-heat in the world of MRI. Those 24 people showed little to no signs of increased risk to their mental health, a finding that wouldn’t at all surprise the average urban dweller.

The cold weather, and hustle and bustle of the big city isn’t healthy, physically or mentally, according to the research.

A solution to these potential problems? Well, one such solution is to either move to a smaller, less stressful area like the Florida Keys. Or, invest in a property to rent and buy a second home to vacation in the peaceful landscape only the Florida Keys can offer.