COMMUTING

Intro: Some 4 billion people are known to travel between home and work, school, or college. Is the daily commute just something people love to hate, or a major health hazard?

SOME FORM OF COMMUTING has been part of our daily lives since the Neolithic age, and although many complain about their journeys, research shows that we wouldn’t want it any other way. We’re generally happiest when we have at least some distance between where we sleep and relax, and where we spend the bulk of our day. However, there are limits. People perceive their commute as part of their job, but if it makes us unhappy, we’re more likely to quit – so much so that an extra 20 minutes’ commuting time can reduce job satisfaction by the same amount as a 20 per cent pay cut.

Length of journey is the major factor in commuting: in the morning, your body clock is winding up the brain and body – alertness and attention increases with each passing minute, and if you’re stuck in traffic or a broken-down train during this precious primetime, then the most productive part of your day could be lost in transit. A morning journey of 45 minutes or more seems to be the tipping point at which the journey length starts to take a toll on physical and mental health. Workers who travel over 90 minutes each day are less fit, weigh more, and have higher blood pressure, compared to those with a shorter travel time. Longer commutes are also linked to health issues such as sleep problems, exhaustion, aches and pains, and overeating. Moreover, unpredictable and stressful delays, the chances of which increase the longer your commute, make the biggest negative impact on our health.

The method of travel also plays a part in how healthy your commute is. Driving takes the cake as the most stressful and unhealthiest way to commute. Public transport always comes out better, but simply using your legs to get to work – be it walking, cycling, or jogging – beats both.

Scientists have shown that a “good” commute is one that is long enough to give us time to draw a psychological line between homelife and work – but not so long that it makes us anxious, bored, or tired. Even if you work from home, you can benefit from a “virtual” commute by going for a short walk, run, or cycle to mark the start and end of your working day.

Research suggests that 15 minutes is the optimum length of time for a commute.

Want To Improve Your Commute?

. WALK, JOG, OR CYCLE – moving under your own power releases mood-lifting hormones and increases blood flow to the brain, making you happier and more productive.

. SIMPLIFY JOURNEYS that involve more than one stop; for example taking children to school on the way to work. Multiple-stage trips are the most stressful.

. PLAN YOUR DAY and spend the time mentally adjusting to work mode on the way in, and winding down on the journey home.

. FIND A NEW JOB if your commute is more than 90 minutes long – your health is probably suffering!