NEW YORK - Apparently, money can't buy you happiness after all.
Researchers from Yale and Oxford Universities surveyed 1.2 million Americans and found that people that are active and exercise are considerably more happy than those who don't—even if they have less money.
The study also found that less active people would have to earn approximately $25,000 more just to be as happy as someone who is consistently more active. Furthermore, those who are active report 35 poor mental health days per year while those with a more sedentary lifestyle experienced 53 of those down days.
Dr. Jeptha Tausig, a clinical psychologist, told FOX 5 NY exercise triggers the release of our internal feel-good chemicals.
"If you're approaching making money as a bit of a game, like backgammon or monopoly, it certainly could activate some of the rewards centers of your brain," Tausig said. "It's not going to have the same physiological benefits and you're not going to get the same feel-good experience that you would from exercise."
Keep in mind, more exercise doesn't necessarily correlate to more happiness. The study concluded that working out three times a week for 30-60 minutes had the greatest impact on overall well-being.