A Longer Commute — Not Just a Longer Work Day — Increases Risk for Insomnia

If you’ve ever dozed off on the train home from work, you’ll get this in your tired bones. It turns out that it isn’t just long workdays causing sleep troubles, but that extra long commute as well. A study just released in Sleep Health: Journal of the National Sleep Foundation concluded that working over 52 hours and having a commute over two hours, or working 41-52 hours with that same commute, resulted in higher insomnia prevalence. (1) The same was true for shift workers with longer commutes. This points to the need for people struggling with sleep to look at multiple work-related factors in their schedules, not just the work day. 

The study first appeared in Sleep Health and examined differences between commute times and hours worked per week of more than 50,000 individuals, ages 15 to over 60. Results were divided into five key age groups, including 15-25, 26-39, 40-49, 50-59, and 60+. 

Key findings found that when compared to individuals who worked 35-40 hours per week and commuted less than 60 minutes each day, employees with long working hours or shift work (classified as 52+ hours each week) and commuted more than 120 minutes per day, had a higher risk of insomnia or insomnia symptoms. The study also found that as commute time and working hours increased, the risk of insomnia also increased.

This isn’t the first time researchers have looked into the issue with commuting. A previous study in 2009 (which the new study also cited) found that stress levels are increased for commuters, which can impact sleep quality. (2) A 2021 review found a higher prevalence of insomnia amongst shift workers when compared to other populations. (3)

Other research seeks to answer the “why.” (4) In short, added stress leads to being less physically active, increasing cortisol levels that could cause poor sleep. In addition, some researchers point to less family time and relaxing time, impacting your emotional health, which is connected to sleep. So, it’s not so much the commute itself, as additional stressors that take up your time, energy, resources, and more. The consequences have a way of showing up at night.

There are a few things stressed-out workers and long commuters can do to help alleviate sleep issues overall, including:

• Get more natural daylight in during the day — could part of your commute involve a walk, for example?
• Prioritize bedtime, because you can’t “make up sleep” just on the weekends, research shows
• If you have a choice, opt for the day shift over night, as it can have serious impacts on your sleep and health. But if you don’t have a choice, set some intentional practices to optimize sleep health even with the night shift schedule.

Finally, see if a carpool buddy or group transit options means you can catch a nap on that long commute!

Can You Become a Morning or Night Person? Experts Weigh In.

If you look at your phone hours after your family has gone to bed, realize it’s 1 a.m. and you still aren’t tired, you might consider yourself a “night owl.” Conversely, if you …

Read More

The Overlooked Connection Between Mothers With Insomnia and Traffic Incidents: New Study

Anyone keeping up with a parenting magazine or two surely knows that babies can bring their parents joy and havoc in equal measure. And while there’s an abundance of research highlighting the deleterious …

Read More

How Those With Sleep Apnea Can Approach The “Drowsy Driving” Dilemma

Driving can get dull for some, but operating a huge hunk of metal requires a lot of concentration. So when you hop behind the wheel a bit sleepy, you could be at higher …

Read More

According to New Apple Watch Sleep Study, Americans REALLY Aren’t Getting Enough Sleep

The numbers don’t lie, and our Apple Watches are telling the alarming truth. Americans are doing an exceptionally terrible job getting enough sleep, according to data from Apple Watch along with the Apple …

Read More