Excuse | Athens Java Hut

You just had a brutal day at work. What’s your move? According to a survey conducted on behalf of Ebates.com, 51.8 percent of Americans say they sometimes go shopping when they need a pick-me-up.

The survey asked 1,000 Americans aged 18 and older about their shopping habits. Not surprisingly, more women are getting their retail therapy on than men: When you break the above stat down by gender, 63.9 percent of women say they shop to increase their happiness, compared to 39.8 percent of men. The top item women spring for? Clothes. Plus, 39.2 percent of women believe that retail therapy really does provide a mood boost (20.6 percent of men feel the same way).

Fun fact: They might be right. In a recent experiment conducted at the University of Michigan, 100 participants watched a sad movie clip. They were then randomly assigned to either a “Choosing” or “Browsing” group and presented with 12 items (such as slippers and headphones). The “Choosers” were told to pick four items (all priced at $ 25) that they’d hypothetically like to buy, and then drag them into a box labeled “Your Shopping Cart.” The “Browsers” were told to judge which four items would be most useful when traveling, and then drag those into a box labeled “Travel Items.” The participants then rated their emotions again—and the “Choosers” were much less sad than the “Browsers.”

The idea, says lead researcher and assistant professor of marketing Scott Rick, PhD, is that making buying decisions helps you reclaim some sense of control when you’re upset—and that minimizes sadness.

So, as it turns out, retail therapy can be a useful (and fun!) tool every once in a while. Just don’t go crazy since you’re probably not in the most rational state of mind when you do it. “I would definitely hold off on the big-ticket purchases until you’re in a more neutral, deliberate, cool-headed state,” says Rick. But that super-cute blouse you’d most likely grab anyway? Go for it!

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

javahut healthy feed

Whether you have a habit of blasting Beyonce through your headphones or you spent too many nights at noisy clubs in your teens, this health news will be music to your (slightly damaged) ears: Resveratrol (an extract found in red wine) can reduce noise-related hearing loss by about 50 percent, according to a new study in the journal Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery.

In an animal study, researchers gave rats either a placebo or various amounts of resveratrol (43 micrograms, 430 micrograms, or 4300 micrograms) and then exposed them to noise for 24 hours. Though the placebo group and the group with the least amount of resveratrol fared about the same, researchers saw that the other two groups had a significant reduction in noise-induced hearing loss. In fact, it lessened hearing loss by about half!

So will guzzling a few glasses of wine before heading out to a super-loud concert make your ears invincible? Not exactly. The research showed that resveratrol reduced free radicals and bioinflammation (a precursor to many health issues, including hearing loss), which creates a protective effect against the noise, says lead study author Michael Seidman, MD, director of the Division of Otologic/Neurotologic Surgery at the Henry Ford Hospital. Unfortunately, you’d need to drink a lot of wine to see immediate and major protection, says Seidman, and at that point the negative impact (like, say, getting drunk and making yourself sick) outweighs any potential benefits. That being said, a glass or two of red will add a tiny bit of protection in the short-term that a few cups of beer can’t provide. Regardless, be sure to pack a pair of earplugs if you’re heading to a loud concert, since hearing loss is permanent—no matter how much wine you drink.

Something else to consider: Even if you’re not a fan of noise, amping up your resveratrol intake will give you a ton of additional long-term health benefits. Not only will it help keep your hearing intact, but it also limits bioinflammation, which is responsible for Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart attacks, and other health issues.

In addition to drinking more merlot—guilt free—you can also boost your intake of resveratrol with foods like peanuts, grapes, and blueberries. But if you’re sold on the idea of toasting to good hearing, get more wine inspiration, here:

Wine Tips From the Experts

Best Boxed Wines

Wine Tips to Know

Wine Terms to Know

What Wine Experts Drink: The 6 Best Summer Wines

photo: iStockPhoto/Thinkstock

More from Women’s Health:
Drinking Alcohol to Shrink?
6 Steps to Avoid a Hangover
Cheap Wine Choices

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