Britain is sliding into recession, according to research published today.

But it's not just the economy that slows down in a recession. According to Terry Pettijohn, a professor of psychology in California, pop music slows down too. In uncertain times people prefer songs that are longer and slower, with more meaningful words – such as Bridge Over Troubled Water, and That's What Friends Are For. "In better times," he says, "it's more likely to be faster, upbeat songs like At the Hop or My Sharona."

Meanwhile, Leo Shapiro, head of a Chicago-based consulting firm, says: "During a recession, [sales of] laxatives go up, because people are under tremendous stress, and holding themselves back ... During a boom, deodorant sales go up, because people are out dancing around."

What symptoms of boom and recession have you detected?