It seems that recessions and depressions are good for your health.

According to this study, people were healthier during 1930-1933 when the Great Depression was laying the world to waste. In times of economic expansion, according to the study, mortality rates increased. "In contrast, the recessions of 1921, 1930-1933, and 1938 coincided with declines in mortality and gains in life expectancy,'' the writers say. Of course, more people were committing suicide back then, but the researchers don't put much stock in that, claiming that people topping themselves only accounted for 2% of deaths.

Now, there are all sorts of reasons this could happen. For a start, traffic tends to be heavier when the market is booming so more people would be knocking themselves off on the roads. Also during boom times, people are working a lot harder so there is more stress, and less sleep. Also, there is less likely to be much social support during boom times because everyone is working so hard.

So the conclusion is that boom times are a health hazard. Still, there's something to be said about suffering in comfort.