Is working in an office bad for our health?
More and more employees are returning to their work settings. The benefits are obvious, but there may be a negative effect to all this, and it has to do with the distance and location of the office from home. A research team from Stockholm University found that a lengthy commute is associated with adverse health issues such as less physical activity, overweight and sleep problems. The findings were published in the journal ‘Occupational & Environmental Medicine’(opens in new window). The researchers used data from a previous study(opens in new window) on work environment and health. They then assessed the replies of about 13 000 people aged between 16 and 64 on topics such as lifestyle, profession, work-related stress and pre-existing health issues.
Location, location, location
The results showed that commutes over 3 km were linked to physical inactivity, excess weight and poor sleep quality. People who spent more than 5 hours a week getting to the office while working over 40 hours were more likely to have sleep problems and be physically inactive than if they commuted between 1 and 5 hours. “Sleep problems may arise from lack of time for stress-releasing activities and relaxation,” lead study author Dr Jaana Halonen told ‘Reuters’(opens in new window). “People may also be too tired to be physically active after a long working day and commute.” “There is clearly a message here about when choosing a job with a long commute, one needs to think about its impact on health - and if one does to choose to do that what one might do to mitigate that,” University of Cambridge researcher Oliver Mytton commented. “Of course not everyone has so much choice over where they work or the opportunity to work from home - which suggests there is a role for employers (and governments) to show flexibility to employees’ needs.” Dr Halonen and her colleague Dr Auriba Raza discussed the findings in a ‘The Conversation’(opens in new window) article: “They also show how important it is to plan and develop cities that take various aspects of residential life into account. For example, if people can commute more easily using public transport or by cycling, wheeling or walking, they may find it easier to be physically active and maintain a healthy weight. Limiting access to alcohol both near home and work may also reduce alcohol consumption and the health issues associated with harmful drinking.”
No choice about the where?
There are ways to deal with long commutes that have become an unavoidable part of life. “Using active travel where possible is one way to get more physical activity into your day. This may also have the knock-on effect of helping you maintain a healthy weight alongside being environmentally friendly. And, if you’re someone who likes to go drinking with colleagues after work, consider sometimes opting for mocktails instead.”