Do you commute to work by car? Then you should know that, walking or cycling are better not only for your physical health, but also for your mental well-being. A least according to a British study mentioned at the BBC website and also published in the Preventive Medicine journal. The study showed that employees who commute "actively", any combination of walking and cycling and public transport, were able to concentrate better and were generally less stressed. Employers who encourage their staff to leave their cars at home can therefore do a lot for their satisfaction and well-being.
A joint 18 year study by the University of East Anglia and the University of York analyzed data collected from more than 18,000 British adults who commuted to work. It focused on the feelings of worthlessness, frustration, sleepless nights and the inability to face problems. It also calculated different factors that affect satisfaction such as income level, family, house moving, job changes, etc.
The leader of the study, Adam Martin of Norwich Medical School at the University of East Anglia, was particularly surprised to find that commuting by car is more mentally challenging than commuting by public transport. Although it would seem that crowds of commuters or disruptions of service could be very stressful. The study found that buses or trains also allow passengers to relax, meet other people, then walk from the stops. This, in turn, lowers stress. The conclusion with driving cars is that the longer employees commute to work, the worse psychological impact it has on them. Public transport is better than a car, but walking or cycling is the very best for our mental health.
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