People with plenty of disposable income tend to be the ones you’ll find at triathlons, grueling Tough Mudders, and other extremely challenging sporting events. In part, that’s because a combination of extra dough and significant free time makes training for these things more doable. But researchers are beginning to wonder if there’s another draw: The Pain. “By flooding the consciousness with gnawing unpleasantness, pain provides a temporary relief from the burdens of self-awareness.” (That’s a pretty accurate explanation of why I have seventy-five browser tabs open right now.) From Outside: Why Do Rich People Love Endurance Sports?

+ For some, pushing oneself to extremes is the right kind of pain. For everybody, back pain is the wrong kind. Vox reviewed eighty studies on the topic and found that you’re probably doing the wrong thing to ease your pain in the back.