A study undertaken by Stanford University’s Calming Technology Lab has found that cyclists are 40 percent less likely to be stressed during and after their commutes compared to those who drove or took public transport.
The study involved hooking up commuters with wearable breath monitors which measure calmness. Data from 20,000 commutes by 1,000 commuters found that those who cycled arrived at work in a calmer, more relaxed state of mind.
The calmness quotient was measured by the use of the Spire wearable, a clip-on health tracker which tracks physical activity, heart rate, and the length and depth of breaths (short, shallow breaths indicate that stress levels could be high). The device monitors breathing in real-time and, via a smartphone app, provides notifications to lower tension and increase calmness.
The head of the Calming Technology Lab, Neema Moraveji, outlined that stress isn’t just a product of the working environment.
“People normally think of stress as something that happens at work, and certainly it does, but commutes are interesting because it’s a place where you’re kind of in charge of your environment — you’re usually on your own, in control, and you can set the tone of your day. We wanted to see what kind of state people put themselves in.”
Moraveji went on to say, “It’s particularly interesting to see that many people don’t transition back into the home after a long day of work very well. By biking to work we know that the physical nature of cycling and physical exertion will engender a more calm and focused state of mind. So while being good for us physically, we also see lots of psychological and emotional benefits.
The full study can be found here:
http://calmingtechnology.org/lab
One thing is for sure, when I bike to work I worry less about being late to work. My cycling time is more predictable than driving or public transportation.
One thing is for sure, when I bike to work I worry less about being late to work. My cycling time is more predictable than driving or public transportation.