Researchers discovered journeys of half-an-hour are damaging mental health They found those with the longest commutes, an hour each way, fare the worst They were 33% more likely to be depressed, the study of 34,000 adults found Having to spend an hour on the train, or behind the wheel, going to work each morning and evening is the bane of most adult lives. As a result, those who endure these long commutes are more likely to be stressed and depressed, new research has found. A study of more than 34,000 working British adults found journeys upwards of half-an-hour are damaging the nation's health and productivity. But those who have the longest commutes, deemed to be more than an hour each way, appear to fare the worst mentally. They were 33 per cent more likely to suffer from depression and 12 per cent more likely to report work-related stress. A study of more than 34,000 working British adults found journeys upwards of half-an-hour are damaging the nation's health and productivity Results also showed that they had a 46 per cent greater risk of getting less than the recommended seven hours of sleep each night. These factors caused them to be less productive than employees who were given flexible working schemes by their bosses. While those who spend less than 30 minutes traveling to and from work gain an extra week of work each year. The results found that because of their greater amount of sleep and more positive mental state, they were more productive. However, contrary to popular belief, working from home does not help combat the effects of traveling to and from work. WHAT ABOUT FLEXIBLE WORKING? Many employers aim to mitigate the impact of a long or stressful commute by offering flexible or home working arrangements to employees. The study showed that flexible working has a positive impact on both employees' physical and mental health and their productivity. Employees who are able to work flexibly were less likely to be stressed or depressed, and were also less likely to smoke, be obese or get insufficient sleep. These employees also had an additional five productive days each year compared to those with no flexible working arrangements. Source
