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Today’s Health Upgrade
The real cost of tax day
The perfect pre-workout combination
Deep dive: omega 3’s
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Health
The Cost of Tax Day (Isn’t Just Financial)
You probably think of Tax Day as stressful, annoying, and a paperwork headache. But according to science, those stressors can boil over into something much more than frustration.
Research suggests that U.S. income tax deadline days are associated with a 6 percent increase in fatal car crashes. And it appears that’s just a symptom of a larger problem.
Researchers analyzed data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for a 30-year period and found the increase in crashes and fatal accidents. And scientists went deeper to better understand what happens as you prepare taxes.
Studies found that financial stress is one of the strongest predictors of psychological distress.
Scientists found that those who reported frequent financial worries were 10 times more likely to experience high psychological distress compared to those who had no financial concerns. Even individuals who worried about money “occasionally” were 3.5 times more likely to report mental health challenges.
The study found that financial stress was a stronger predictor of mental distress than some physical health conditions.
Interestingly, it’s not just about not making enough money. The perception of financial insecurity — such as worrying about bills, housing, or having emergency funds — shapes your mental health.
The researchers believe this link is so strong because financial worries affect multiple areas of life at once — from your access to healthcare to your ability to sleep, eat well, and manage stress. It creates a feedback loop: more stress makes it harder to manage money wisely, and poor financial decisions increase stress.
With tax day, it’s a timely reminder that the stress you’re feeling isn’t weakness — it’s biology responding to real and perceived threats to security.
If today has you on edge, try these research-backed strategies to help you offset stress:
Take a 10-minute walk (preferably outside).
Breathe deeply for 2 minutes .
Create a “money wins” list, so you can focus on progress you’ve made financially, instead of just looking at aspects that increase frustration.
Balance the stress with things you enjoy, whether it’s a show you love, a book, or surrounding yourself with friends or family.
If it’s too much, remember there’s nothing stronger than asking for help. Don’t sit in your struggles alone.
If tax day is feeling heavier than expected, remember you’re not alone, and being aware of that stress can help you control it and limit the risks of the day.
Instant Upgrade
The Perfect Pre-Workout Combination
How you prepare before your workout could determine how hard you’re able to push yourself and see progress.
A new study found that listening to music before your workout can help you train harder. And adding caffeine can take you to another level.
And before you think it’s just the caffeine, a good pre-workout playlist appears to do more than you might imagine.
The scientists separated participants into three separate conditions: one group had no music or caffeine, another listened to high tempo music and took a placebo, and the last group combined the high-tempo music with caffeine.
The key thing to remember is that this wasn’t music during your workout; it was a playlist they listened to during a 10-minute warmup.
Music before working out increased peak power and the total amount of work performed, meaning people could push their body harder and for a longer duration without any caffeine jolt.
And when caffeine was added to the mix — about 3 mg/kg of bodyweight approximately 60 minutes before the workout — the results were even more impressive.
Caffeine continues to be the most consistent performance-enhancer. It stimulates the central nervous system, increasing alertness and reducing the perception of fatigue. Meanwhile, music acts as a psychological stimulant, improving mood, motivation, and possibly motor coordination.
If you want to tap into extra performance, especially for short bursts of high-intensity work, try this formula:
Step 1: Take about 2–6 mg/kg of caffeine per body weight, approximately 30 to 60 minutes before your workout. That’s about 100 to 350 mg for most people — or about 1 to 4 cups of coffee.
Step 2: Listen to a playlist of songs that get you excited and energized. Let it play during your warm-up (and during your workout, if you prefer).
Step 3: Train hard! (And if you need a workout, try this plan from yesterday’s email.)
Deep Dive
The Omega-3 Advantage
You’ve heard omega-3s are important. But new research shows they might be essential—especially if you care about performance, recovery, heart health, and brain function.
The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) now recommends that if you’re not eating fish a couple times per week, athletes and active individuals should consider supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids to support cardiovascular health, reduce inflammation, and improve recovery.
In their official position stand, the ISSN reviewed decades of research to clarify the role of omega-3s—particularly EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)—in athletic performance and overall wellness. Their conclusion: omega-3s aren’t just a nice-to-have, they’re a key player.
The benefits of omega 3’s include:
Reduce muscle soreness and inflammation
In studies of athletes who supplemented with EPA and DHA, participants saw a significant reduction in delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), thanks to their ability to blunt inflammation and support muscle cell repair.
Improved muscle growth and strength
Several randomized controlled trials showed increased muscle protein synthesis and strength gains when omega-3s were combined with resistance training, particularly in older adults.
Cognitive and cardiovascular benefits
DHA supports brain function and memory, while EPA is linked to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease by improving blood flow, reducing triglycerides, and lowering blood pressure.
EPA and DHA incorporate into the cell membranes of muscles, nerves, and other tissues, altering how these cells function. They also regulate key pathways that control inflammation, blood flow, and neural communication.
Odds are, you’re not getting as much fish as you need. A recent study suggests that less than 10 percent of people get the amount of fish oil recommended by the American Heart Association. But that’s just scratching the surface of the real issues.
You might be best off getting your fish oil from food because research suggests a quality control issue in fish oil supplements.
If you eat fish two or three times per week, you likely don’t need to supplement with fish oil to support heart health. Each serving can be anywhere from 3 to 6 ounces or about the size of what fits in your palm.
If you are interested in other benefits — such as brain health — you might want to consume more.
One meta-analysis of seven studies and more than 30,000 participants found that eating about one pound of fatty fish per week (think salmon, herring, mackerel, and trout) was associated with a 24 percent lower risk of dementia.
If you don’t eat fish, supplements can help — but you have to be a very selective consumer.
According to the American College of Cardiology, one trial of 12,000 people tracked for up to 7 years saw no significant benefit from fish oil supplements. A different study of people taking a higher dose of fish oil for two years also saw no improvement compared to those who didn’t take fish oil.
The problem is three-fold:
Research suggests approximately 9 percent of supplements meet the recommended intake of combined DHA and EPA — the two oils associated with health benefits (for the record, you want approximately 2 grams combined). The supplements are under-dosing what you need, but there’s an even bigger concern.
In a different study on fish oil, 32 supplements were analyzed, and only three contained the amount of EPA and DHA on the label. And two-thirds of the products had less than 67 percent of the amount claimed on the label.
Because most supplements don’t pay for third-party certification, you might also be getting low-grade fish oil that is associated with an increased risk of health issues, such as atrial fibrillation.
Your best bet: If you’re not eating enough fish, you could consult with your doctor, get a blood test, and get a prescription-grade fish oil.
Or, if you choose to purchase an over-the-counter supplement, don’t settle for any brand that doesn’t carry the NSF Certified For Sport or Informed Sport approved supplements. It’s your best line of defense for quality and purity.
Our go-to fish oil is Momentous Omega-3, which stands out for it’s quality and purity, which includes testing for lead and mercury levels.
The research suggests 1,600 to 3,000 mg of combined EPA and DHA daily were linked to the most benefits.
And remember, the benefits take time and consistency matters. It can take 4 to 12 weeks of daily intake to see significant effects on inflammation, recovery, and performance.
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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell
