People living close to the English coastline are more likely to say they are "fit and well", according to last year's census.
Researchers at the European Centre for the Environment and Human Health in Truro, said people living less than 1km away from the seaside are happier, with the good news picked up by a host of national news outlets this morning, including the BBC, ITV and The Telegraph. The benefits may be explained by scenic sea views encouraging taking outdoor exercise but the study said it could also be the sea itself has a calming effect, creating a more relaxed environment. More cynically, researchers added that it could be that wealthier, healthier people are more able to move to the coast.
The seaside tip may just come in handy for wealthy UK bosses, who increasingly are feeling both stressed and depressed, according to news picked up by The Financial Times and the Daily Mail. Nearly one in five has suffered depression in the past year and 42% suffered stress. Six in ten said they were ‘constantly tired' but had experienced insomnia in the past three months.
Unsurprisingly, the news was linked to difficult financial times putting more pressure on businesses but the survey of over 1,000 managers also found that "negative management styles" are on the rise in the UK and taking a toll on job satisfaction. While overall job satisfaction dropped from 62% to 55% in the last five years, among those working in "authoritarian" and "bureaucratic" organisations only 28% were happy compared to 67% otherwise.
The report by professors at Coventry and Lancaster universities, said these management cultures are linked to employee disengagement, decreasing job satisfaction, poor health, reductions in productivity and business decline. It also said bosses work nine weeks a year for free in fear of losing their jobs.
The news coincided with new data showing that suicide is on the rise among older men in the UK, as reported in the Guardian.
Looks like it's time for us all to go for a seaside break. If only it would stop raining.
