Having Trouble Sleeping? It Could Be Your Commute

A 1999 study by the Department of Medicine at the NYU School of Medicine, determined that a long commute will negatively impact your ability to sleep. More than 70% of the tired commuters that took part in the study reported that they had napped on the train to work. Over 50% of the sample group reported difficulty sleeping and lengthy commutes were also associated with high blood pressure, exhaustion, and stress. The study was conducted with the help of 21,000 US commuters, taking the train to work or school.

Not only does a long commute cause you to have to worse sleeps but it can also increase your stress levels and decrease your social interaction. The length of your commute isn't the only factor that can negatively impact your health. If you have an unpredictable commute that varies each day, it may be even worse or you. 

Swedish researchers recently did another study of commuters in the province of Scania. Their findings were published in the BMC Public Health Journal and were found to be very similar to the US study. Poor sleep quality was said to be a major factor to commuters in Scania, where most of the commuters drive a car to work. Poor health and sleep quality were again found to be a problem for long distance commuters. The study showed that a very short commute was actually good for some people - perhaps because it allowed them to wind down after a long day. Both studies say that the more transfers you do, the more likely you are to have a negative experience while commuting. Transfers increase the variability of your commute and keep you from being able to relax on your way to and from home. 

The average daily commute in the United States is about 25 minutes and only 5 per cent of Americans take public transit. A further 86 per cent will drive a vehicle to work; the rest will walk or ride their bicycle. A study in the Journal Of Health Economics shows that women are affected more by a daily commute then men. Traffic pollution can also play a part in your health according to a study by the British Medical Journal, which showed that high traffic pollution could increase your risk of a heart attack. 

Economists have found that a commute of 45 minutes will carry with it such a cost to your health that you would have to earn 20 per cent more money to make it worthwhile. Think about that next time you hop in the car, head for the train or bus, or when you're thinking about finding a new job or place to live. Commuting is bad for your health so avoid it when you can.