A study suggests the long-term survival benefits of shopping are better than going to the gym, because seeing friends and just people-watching can stave off loneliness and improve psychological health.
The researchers found those who shopped daily lived longer than those who shopped less frequently, even after taking accounts of people’s physical or other health problems. In shopping venues, socializing with, or watching others can provide social and mental benefits. Compared with other types of leisure-time physical activity, like formal exercise, which usually requires motivation and sometimes professional instruction, shopping is easier to undertake and maintain.
