Not only is walking and cycling to work good for your physical condition, it can also be beneficial for your mental health, suggests a new study by English scientists.
As part of the study, data on almost 18 commuters from England who answered questions about their well-being, incl. whether they felt worthless or sad in the past few weeks, and whether they had been having sleepless nights. Based on these responses, each participant was assigned a place on the scale of mental well-being. The surveyed persons completed the questionnaires for at least three years in a row in the period 1991-2009.
People who walked or cycled to work performed better than employees who cycled. Drivers were 13 percent. more likely to experience constant pressure and difficulty concentrating compared to walkers and cyclists.
The results were maintained after researchers took into account factors influencing life satisfaction such as household income, overall health, and having children.
Moreover, people who switched from commuting to walking or cycling tended to improve their mental condition. According to the researchers, the results suggest that avoiding driving may be beneficial for the level of happiness. They recall that this was in line with previous studies that found a link between exercise and improved mood.
The potential benefits of walking or cycling to work should be used in urban projects that promote active mobility to the workplace, researchers note in Preventive Medicine.
Surprisingly, people using public transport on their way to work also scored higher on the scale than car commuters.
You might think that disruptions in transport or congestion can be a potential source of stress. But buses and trains give people time to relax, read and socialize, and the accompanying walk to the bus stop or station seems to cheer people up, says Adam Martin of Norwich Medical School at the University of East Anglia.
The new results conflict with other UK research that found that people who walk to work on foot have lower life satisfaction and that cyclists are more anxious than drivers. It was, however, a one-off study.
The researchers caution that it is unclear whether the results can be extended to countries where active mobility and public transport are not as widespread, and where walking or cycling to work may be a problem. (PAP)