It's Official: Coupons Give A High, Reduce Stress

This was posted at Coupons.com. How fun!

 

 

"We all feel stressed out at the holidays.

From shopping to tree trimming to remembering to move that darn Elf, the holidays can certainly make your blood pressure rise. But did you know that couponing can relieve stress and even make you happier?

That’s what we found. We wanted to know if coupons actually affected our bodies, “Do coupons impact us physically?”

So, the folks here at Coupons.com teamed up with noted neurologist, Dr. Paul Zak, to find out. In a first of its kind study in a scientific lab, everyday shoppers were given a coupon and monitored for changes in their heart rates, breathing, perspiration and levels of a hormone, called Oxytocin. (Oxytocin is a hormone generated in our brains that’s associated with kissing, cuddling, and other such activities, in case you don’t have your medical journal handy). The results were astounding!

The study found participants who received coupons, compared to those who did not get a coupon, had a 38% increase in Oxytocin and their stress levels went down (heart rates dropped 5%, respiration dropped 32% and perspiration was 20 times lower).

According to the doc, “not only are people who get a coupon happier, less stressed and experiencing less anxiety, but getting a coupon—as hard as it is to believe—is physically shown to be more enjoyable than getting a gift.” People like coupons more than gifts? Now there’s an idea for a stocking stuffer.

If you’re reading this, then you are already reaping the positive health benefits of coupons so keep on couponing and you just may beat those winter blues."