Is your daily commute damaging your health?
Is your daily commute damaging your health?
The daily commute to and from work can be incredibly exhausting and frustrating, not to mention time consuming. But could it also be harming your health?
Well, research from numerous scientists and health experts around the world certainly suggests so. From idle hours to passive inhalation of vehicle exhaust, your daily commute to and from work could be the most damaging aspect of your life when it comes to your health.
How does my trip harm my health?
Millions of us commute to and from work every day. It can be a stressful experience with an average total commute of 56 minutes across the country. However, in London we spend 1.5 hours commuting to and from work every day.
Here are these items of clothing that can harm your health:
Diet: If you leave the house early ready for your long commute to work and return late, chances are you’re cutting time somewhere. Often, it is your diet that suffers. Evidence has shown that many people use their daily commute as a time to snack, from unhealthy coffee and bacon sandwiches in the morning to chocolate, chips and sugar-laden sodas at night.
Mental Health: An often underestimated effect of a daily commute is the damage it can do to someone’s mental health. Long-term exhaustion can make you feel stressed and irritable, and the stress of travel can also affect your mental health.
Exhaust fumes: There is evidence to suggest that you will breathe in more pollution sitting in a car during heavy traffic than if you were outside. Dirty exhaust fumes are sucked into the car through the air filters and get trapped in the car. The Royal College of Physicians claims that pollution is responsible for 40,000 premature deaths a year in the UK.
Lost time – Finally, with so much time spent traveling to and from the workplace, exercise is often cut back to allow time for the daily grind. Research has shown that those who make a daily commute are likely to have a less active lifestyle outside of the office.
Can I make my trip healthy?
We now know that our commute to work can be incredibly unhealthy for our body and mind, but what can we do about it?
Bicycling or walking to work: This may not be an option for everyone, but if possible, why not explore the option of walking or biking to work, especially during the warmer months of the year? Many employers now offer a bike to work plan that can help cover part of the cost of buying a bike, for example, while many modern office buildings also have showers and changing rooms for staff who need them. So, if you’re within a reasonable distance of your workplace, leave the car at home and start your day in a healthy way.
Even if you’re out of shape, or too far from the office to bike or walk, see if you can get off the bus a few stops early or park a little further from the office so you can start getting some exercise. to your daily routine.
Flexible working: An increasing number of employers are now offering their staff flexible working. At the very least, this should allow you to vary your work hours a bit, which can reduce your commute time (traveling off-peak) and, vitally, give you more time in the evening or morning to be more active. . You could go for a run, swim, or join a gym. You may even be able to work from home one or two days a week, giving you less time to travel and more time to explore, get out, and do something else.
Talk to employers: Here in the UK, the last decade has seen companies start to implement workplace health policies. In addition to cycling to work, fruit in the office and shower schemes, they may have benefits in the form of reduced gym memberships or the like. At the very least, ask your employers what they can do to help counteract your unhealthy commute.
Improve your diet: For some people, there won’t be any alternative options when it comes to travel, so it’s all about doing what you can. If you drive, make sure you don’t have unhealthy snacks available. Try to get up a few minutes earlier and eat a proper breakfast, or if you must snack, fill your car with healthier options like fruits, nuts, and seeds.
Other actions to take
You can also try these simple measures when you get to work to try to counter the damaging effects of commute:
Always Use the Stairs – If you work a couple of floors up in a building, try to reduce your use of the elevator and use the stairs instead. Even if you are located on the 30th floor, start by exiting on the 28th and going up two levels of stairs. These small changes are a good start, and you can increase the floors you cover with stairs as you get more fit.
Don’t use the escalators, walk on them: If you take the train to work and use the escalators every day, try going up and down them instead of just riding them.
Go talk to someone: Instead of calling a colleague on the phone, get in the habit of talking to him at his desk. This small change can not only help your fitness and health, but it could also help your work relationships and communication!
With our journeys becoming longer and longer, it is important to be aware of the possible adverse effects that our health can suffer and how to try to mitigate some of these harmful effects.