Studies have shown that financial wellbeing and mental health are strongly linked. Financial distress can lead to poor mental health and mental illness can add to financial stresses.

Here’s a checklist to see if your current economic environment is stressing you out.

1. You have insomnia or trouble sleeping.

Experts call sleep problems related to money stress as “financial insomnia.” It doesn’t mean you don’t get any sleep at all, it means that you’re not getting the rest you need. You may fall asleep but wake up in the middle of the night and have difficulty sleeping again.

2. You argue with people close to you about money.

Financial stress can destroy relationships including with the ones closest to you like your spouse, children and friends. A survey in the US found that financial disagreements “predicted divorce more strongly than other common problem areas like disagreements over household tasks or spending time together.” Almost half of divorced Gen Xers (41%) and 29% of Baby Boomers said they ended their marriage due to disagreements about money.

3. You’re withdrawing socially.

Financial worries can cause you to retreat into solitude, avoid friends and social interactions, which can make your stress worse.

4. You’re gaining or losing weight.

Financial stress disrupts your appetite, which results in unhealthy stress eating—or not eating. It can also lead to harmful coping mechanisms such as substance abuse (alcohol and drugs) to try to mask your worries.

5. You’re anxious or depressed.

Whether you’re in debt or your financial portfolio is not performing well, anxiety and depression can result from your situation. Experts agree that volunteering can take your mind off your worries. A research in the UK that collated evidence from 40 different studies over the last 20 years concluded that volunteering can lead to lower levels of depression and increased wellbeing.

It’s natural for investors to feel anxious over the stock market when it’s seemingly on a never-ending roller coaster. Whether you’ve invested the majority of your retirement fund on the market or just part of your savings, it can be very stressful during these volatile times.

If you haven’t yet diversified your investments, now is the perfect time to do so with FWD Life Insurance’s Peso Nitro and Velocity Global Payout Funds, available with FWD All Set Higher Investment-Linked Insurance. The insurance-linked investment plan aims to provide regular payouts, not just capital appreciation.

Advantages of FWD Peso Nitro and Velocity Global Payout Funds

With the FWD Peso Nitro and Velocity Global Payout Funds, you invest in pesos but get access to global funds that help you grow your wealth. This includes equities, fixed income and alternative assets issued by the world’s largest companies.

Designed to fit your appetite for risk, FWD Peso Nitro Global Payout Fund is for aggressive investors who are willing to take more risk for a higher yield while FWD Peso Velocity Global Payout Fund is for moderate investors who accept lower yields for lower volatility.

FWD Peso Nitro Global Payout Fund aims to provide regular peso payouts regardless of short-term market performance or the global financial environment. This fund not only aims to provide you with regular payouts but also aims to grow your capital as well. The fund is primarily invested in equities, convertible bonds, and multi-asset income funds.

FWD Peso Velocity Global Payout Fund, meanwhile, is for investors with a moderate appetite for risk. It also aims to provide regular payouts with potential for moderate growth in your capital. The fund is primarily invested in 20% global equities and 80% in fixed income securities.

Both funds will be invested in USD denominated securities but will be valued in Philippine Peso. Foreign exchange movements will have an impact on the funds’ value, which can also be beneficial to the funds on USD strength. But on strong peso, it may slightly lessen the value of the funds as the main investment earnings will still be coming from the underlying investments.

Lifetime protection

With FWD All Set Higher, you also get insurance that protects you until age 100 subject to the fund’s performance; should the client pass away before age 100, the family will receive 125% of the paid premium or the account value, whichever is higher as death benefit. And to help you grow your wealth, it also gives a loyalty bonus on the 10th year of your policy and recurring thereafter every two years.

When your wealth is in the hands of FWD’s team of experienced financial managers, you’ll no longer panic or worry when market setbacks happen as you have global opportunities at your disposal—so you can focus on living your life to the fullest. Book a financial session with an FWD financial advisor today to know more about FWD Peso Nitro and Velocity Global Payout Funds, available with FWD All Set Higher.

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