Fewer deaths during a recession

A Fortune Magazine article talks about a little known, but well documented truth, that death rates decline and healthy living habits improve in tough economic times.

The interesting thing is that following a Frugal Prosumer lifestyle reaps many of the same health benefits. There is less stress from a job, positive lifestyle changes, and more time to be healthy.

An important reason for this decline in death rates seems to be that people adopt smarter lifestyles and with those improvements you get a healthier nation. And it's even noticeable in the short period of a typical recession.

Another reason seems to be that there is extra free time. Not having to go to a job or being underemployed means more time for exercise as well as more time for sleep, which improves health.

"A lesson for health-care reformers is that their focus, our system of insurance and care, isn't the root cause of America's high medical costs. The recent downturn in dead people is a reminder that the No. 1 culprit for rising health-care costs is lifestyle."

"A lesson for companies is that it's possible to make employees work so hard that it's bad for the business. If employees can't find time for physical activity -- or are exhausted after grueling 60-hour workweeks -- the employer will pay a price in lost productivity and higher medical costs."

Check out the article.