Stuff You Should Know
Short Stuff: The Retirement Curse
September 30, 2026·12 min·5-min readconversationalself improvement
Podzilla Summary (5 min)
TLDR
Retirement can trigger a decline in mental and physical health—termed the 'retirement curse'—especially in the U.S., where people often lose social structure, purpose, and routine upon leaving work. The key to avoiding this downward spiral isn’t just staying alive, but staying engaged: th
Retirement can trigger a decline in mental and physical health—termed the 'retirement curse'—especially in the U.S., where people often lose social structure, purpose, and routine upon leaving work. The key to avoiding this downward spiral isn’t just staying alive, but staying engaged: th
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Mentions
Books, people, and resources mentioned in this episode.
People
Robert WaldingerChuckJerryDave
Companies
iHeartRadio
Research & Papers
Harvard Study of Adult Development
Topics
FitnessHabitsLongevityMental HealthNutritionPersonal FinanceProductivitySelf Improvement
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