Simple Strategies to Stress-Proof Your Trip to Work
Stress is everywhere. From the moment you wake up to the time you get back to bed, stressors are all around you – finding their way to get through your body and damage it. And if you’re one of the many people who spend 30 minutes or more commuting or driving their way to work, you must be getting an extra blow of stress.
That’s the latest finding in a study published recently in the journal Environment and Behaviour. Here, British researchers examined the commuting habits of 5,216 men and women. They found that women who drove more than 30 minutes one way to work or spent 60 minutes on public transportation had a significantly higher risk of experiencing psychological stress.
Stress on the Road
Commuting often makes us experience different forms of discomfort – the noise, the traffic jam, the air pollution, the thick snow or the pouring rain, and the numerous passers-by. If you commute via public transportation, you are likely to experience the stress coming from overcrowding, violation of personal space, delay, unsolicited interaction with other travellers, and the lack of control over your environment. If you are hurrying to get to the office for an early meeting, chances are, you will be late. And the fact that the same situation happens five times a week could really be exasperating, and unnoticeably damaging to your health. Apart from having poor concentration, impaired decision-making and low sense of well-being, people who persistently suffer from psychological stress are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and other chronic diseases. Worse, they may also find it hard to recover from such health problems – according to Dr Zhiquiang Feng, the study author and researcher at the University of St. Andrews.
The traffic jam, the snow, the crowd and related stressors are things that you lack control of. This does not mean however that you can’t do anything to calm yourself and reduce your soaring stress levels. Turns out, there are simple strategies that will not just make your ride less stressful, but also enjoyable!
Manage your time well. Having full control over your commuting schedule can significantly reduce your anxiety and stress levels. You can do this by preparing all the things you need for the next day in the evening. Laura Stack, a time management expert, recommends squaring all the things that can sabotage your morning, especially when kids are concerned. Before nodding off, take time to prepare the clothes you’ll wear the next day, your kids’ lunches and school uniforms, etc.
Tune in to the classics. Getting anxious about another two-hour commute? Tuck your earphones and listen to classical music. Its stress-relieving effects have been proven when a study published in the journal Heart in 2010 revealed that classic songs like those of Bach and Mozart are more effective in reducing anxiety in pre-operative patients than an oral sedative drug. In another study conducted in 2011 by the Halfords (retailer of British car parts), it was found that music such as the Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, Coldplay’s "Yellow," and Fleetwood Mac’s "Landslide" maintained the blood pressure of drivers and calmed them down.
Go to bed early. Having enough sleep each night can make a big difference in your stress levels. Sleep is as important as food and water. If you don’t get enough sleep, your brain becomes deprived of the nutrients it needs to function properly. On the other hand, quality sleep boosts your energy, calms your body, and makes you more resilient to the effects of your everyday stressors.
Leave earlier. If you get to bed early, you will also wake up earlier and be able to drive your way to work on a timely manner. A research from the International Stress Management Association shows that commuters had higher stress levels when they are unable to take control of the situation.
Focus on the positive side. Instead of stressing yourself with the thought of going again for another nerve-racking commute, why not take advantage of the opportunity to visualise your future plans or your dreams. This is something you can’t do while you’re doing the paperwork in the office. You may also want to bring a book or newspaper with you so you will have something ‘worthy’ to do whenever you feel bored while travelling. Stressful as it may seem, commuting gives you time to be yourself. So just sit back and relax!
Turn off your mobile phone. While checking email updates on your phone en route helps you save time, its consequence is far more unbearable than its advantages. In a data compiled by the U.S. Department of Transportation, commuters who used their mobile phones while driving tend to have a reaction time equal to that of a blood alcohol level at the legal limit of 0.08 per cent. Not only that. Multitasking while on your way to work increases the risk of road accidents and injuries.
Make your car interior smell like a garden. Aromatherapy is not something you can just enjoy in the bathroom. Right in your own car, you can benefit from the stress-reducing effects of aromatherapy, particularly lavender. According to Arianna Staruch, an associate professor at the School of Naturopathic Medicine at Bastyr University in Seattle, USA, lavender has been found to successful reduce anxiety in patients of dental procedures. “We can assume that it would help balance the nervous system in the face of commuting stress” she said.
Prepare a stress-relieving snack. Healthy snacks like walnuts greatly reduce high blood pressure due to stress, revealed Penn State University researchers. Observe a variety on your snack but make sure they are all filled with essential nutrients, especially vitamin C. Put one big orange in your bag or a bottle of lemon juice.
Get your daily dose of omega-3. A study by the Ohio State University found that regular intake of omega-3 fatty acids does not only reduce stress by 20 per cent, but may also counter the effects of pollution such as eye irritation and respiratory issues. Fish oil and flaxseed are two of the best sources of omega-3s.
Stretch the stress away. Stretching and toning moves can alleviate your stress levels while commuting and at the same time, increase your muscle strength in the long run, suggests Lacey Stone, a fitness expert based in New York. Driving? Take advantage of the traffic or the red light to do a simple stress-relieving exercise. Tilt your right ear down toward your right shoulder to stretch the left side of your neck. Breathe and hold on for 10 seconds. At the next stop, do the same thing, this time, stretching the right side of your neck.
Dear Readers,
How about you, what stress-relieving strategies do you usually employ while taking a long trip on your way to work?
Share your comment below.
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