Secret to Guys' Happiness? Culture

Guys who take in a show or museum are more satisfied with their health
By Sarah Whitmire,  Newser Staff
Posted May 25, 2011 2:33 PM CDT
Culture Is the Secret to Guys' Happiness
Dancers of Hungarian National Ballet perform on the stage of the State Opera House in Budapest on April 27, 2011 during the dress rehearsal of Adolphe Adam's 'Giselle'.   (Getty Images)

Good news for guys looking for a health boost: You may not have to rely on strenuous exercise (that you probably weren’t going to do anyway). Bad news: It might involve soaking in a little more culture than a ball game and a six-pack. Men who attend the ballet or frequent an art gallery are more likely to be happy and satisfied with their health, reports LiveScience. But you don’t need to wear a pair of tights to make it work: Subjects in the study out this week felt healthier after a "receptive culture" activity, like checking out a museum or a musical.

It also didn’t have a thing to do with the size of their paycheck—results showed that an interest in art was beneficial regardless of socioeconomic status. Researchers noted that men also felt healthier after volunteer work, being outdoors, participating in a club, or working out, but that men (and not necessarily women) doing creative things were "strikingly" more satisfied across the board. (More ballet stories.)

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