Stressed? Just think about retirement

If cage cleaning, cat scratches, and cranky clients have prematurely aged you, you’ll be happy to know retirement may melt away some of the physical and psychological effects of these years of stress.

Nearly 15,000 employees at a French company were asked to rate their health from seven years before retirement to seven years after. While reports of poor health increased with age, between the year before and the year after retirement, reports of poor health dropped 5 percent. This adds up to eight to 10 years of life. And the benefits accrued only to those who worked in less-than-perfect jobs.

So don’t fret that your stressful job is ruining your health. Just get ready for that pre-retirement boost of energy, health, and well-being. Then plan your world vacations, Great-American-Novel writing, and masterpiece painting accordingly.