Today is Election Day — in case you hadn’t noticed by the masses of promotional junk in your mailbox and attack ads on television over the past several weeks. Are you going to vote? I hope you will, or already have.
Would you like to know who and what to vote for? Well, that I can’t tell you. How you vote is up to you. I am not about to take a political stance in a health column. The reason I am writing about it at all is that I believe voting is good for your health, and I am not the only one.
Voting makes you part of society and it strengthens your social ties. Research has shown that people who feel connected to others live longer and healthier lives. They also contribute more to society, which is a win-win for the individual and the community. When you are part of a community your mental health is better. Some experts suggest that many cases of depression, which is diagnosed in record numbers, might actually be misdiagnosed loneliness.
People who live in areas with low voter turnout report themselves as being less healthy than those who live in high-turnout areas. This research came out of Harvard, and found the correlation was independent of income measures. You can argue which is the chicken and which is the egg here, but one interpretation is that nonvoters are less socially engaged and therefore less healthy, or at least perceive themselves that way.
If you go beyond voting and actually get politically involved — like you folks who call me every night to solicit my vote or you who work for a candidate — you have less stress than the apathetic majority. Political involvement increases feelings of freedom, positive emotions and well-being. What is not to love about that?
If I still have not convinced you, think of the children. Children who see their parents or elders voting are more likely to become engaged citizens in the future, to get out and vote when it is their turn. Marc Zimmerman, a psychologist and professor at the University of Michigan, said, “There is also some evidence that talking about politics may help kids become better critical thinkers and help parents build communication patterns with their kids.”
What I think is fascinating is that it doesn’t even matter whether your candidate, your party or your political issue wins. Even if you lose, you benefit just from taking the action. It’s better if you win, but even losing voters are healthier than non-voters.
The only health risk I can think of related to voting is standing in long lines. That can be hard on the back, the feet and the neck. It can also increase your blood pressure if you get into a political argument with the next person in line. The way to get around these risks is to vote early (too late this time), stretch while you stand and keep your conversation neutral. Nice weather we’re having.
To your health. See you at the polls.
Dr. Peggy Spencer is a physician at Student Health and Counseling. She is also co-author of the book “50 Ways to Leave Your 40s.” Email your questions directly to her at pspencer@unm.edu. All questions will be considered, and all questioners will remain anonymous.
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