Walking Towards Better Mental Health
Driving yourself to work is the last thing you need for your mental well-being, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of East Anglia collaborating with the Center for Diet and Active Research.
Taking public transport, walking, or cycling have been found to improve mental well-being.
People who gave up driving for walking or cycling were generally found to exhibit better mental well-being, and also felt less under strain as compared to those who drove their own cars. Even using public transport was found to be better than driving yourself, so far as mental well-being was concerned.
According to Adam Martin, the lead researcher form the University of East Anglia, these gains have been attributed to the fact that “buses and trains give people time to relax, read, socialize and there is usually an associated walk to the bus stop or railway station; it appears to cheer people up.”
These were observations made from assessing feelings of worthlessness, the inability to solve problems, unhappiness, and even sleepless nights from an 18 year study that involved nearly 18,000 residents of the United Kingdom. Income, the number of children, relationships and other factors that could affect mental well-being were also factored in the analysis of the data obtained.
These observations are the latest in a mounting body of evidence that points to the numerous benefits of an active commute, and even public transport, which by its design usually incorporates a little bit of walking.
Besides the numerous benefits an active commute has been demonstrate to impart on the physical well-being, prior studies have also shown that cognitive performance is enhanced by walking at your own pace, and significant boosts in self-esteem have been documented while engaging in some physical activity for as little as five minutes. Walking has also been shown to boost creativity.
It is for these and other reasons that many governments the world over are encouraging more people to take up an active commute, and if you haven’t, it is time to think about it.
It’s for your own good after all.
By Matengo Chwanya
