Did you know that some commutes worldwide can take as long as 40 minutes—even up to two hours in some locations? If you have a long commute, you’ve likely felt the effects of it: the fatigue, exhaustion, and even the lack of time at home. In many cases, long commutes can lead to sleep deprivation, but how do you combat this when you must travel an hour or more into the city to your job?
Fortunately, we’re going to explore that in our article. We’ll discuss how to improve your rest, even despite a long commute, so that you can enjoy better rest and recovery and feel your best. We’ll even share some tips to help balance work and rest, including what you can do to ensure you’re getting adequate sleep and not spending too much time at the office in the car, on the train, or even on the bus.
The Challenges of Long Commutes: How Do They Affect Sleep?
You may not think that your long commute can affect your sleep, but studies from around the world beg to differ. If you’re a long commuter, you likely experience more stress and fatigue than others, and you may even have a disrupted sleep cycle. One study in Korea showed that those who worked 52 hours or more and commuted more than two hours had higher risks of developing insomnia symptoms. However, this is not just an issue in Korea but globally.
No matter where you’re located, long commutes come with many challenges. If your bus or train is late or there is too much traffic, you experience more stress. Coming home late—especially if you’re already working overtime—can lead to lost sleep. While many studies have not quantified the effects, those who have longer commutes experience poor sleep on top of issues such as worse diets, depression, anxiety, and even social isolation (Source: PubMed). Add on environmental factors like noise and light, and you’ve got some of the building blocks necessary to develop certain sleep disorders!
But how do you combat these challenges? We’ve got some tips to help you overcome the challenges of long commutes and these adverse impacts.
Four Tips for Improving Sleep for Commuters
If you’re looking for ways to improve your sleep and you have a long commute, there are several things you can do. When it comes to your sleep, there are four specific tips we have found the most helpful. Here is what we recommend for mitigating long commutes and poor sleep or disrupted rest.
Plan Your Day Strategically
If you know that you’re going to be busy nearly every second of your day, then you’ve got to be strategic about the time that you do have. Create a consistent sleep schedule and stick to it, ensuring that you have morning and night routines to help you wind down appropriately. Additionally, if you have an irregular schedule due to long commutes, try using bright light therapy or get natural exposure during the day to sunlight to help with sleep, which has been proven to help with jet lag and could help with ensuring you stay on schedule.
Create a Sleep-Friendly Environment
Sometimes, you have the schedule and the plan to get better sleep, but you’re not preparing your environment to help with adequate rest. With many commuters suffering from as much sleep loss as 35% some nights, you have to make the most of your situation. That means creating a comfortable, quiet setting for you to sleep. If you have to go to bed when it is light out, try using some blackout curtains or even an eye mask to block out the light so you can wind down and get some sleep.
Use Your Travel Time Wisely
One of the best ways to ensure you get enough sleep is to use your travel time wisely. Let’s say you have a two-hour commute, and you have to go home after dinner after work. This is the best time to read, listen to calming music, and relax while you’re on the way home. It’s not ideal—especially if you love being at home—but it is a great way to take advantage of your commute and use it to your advantage. It’s also best during this time to reduce your access or consumption of stimulants during late hours so you sleep well and get enough rest.
Leverage Sleep Aids and Relaxing Techniques
If you truly find yourself struggling to wind down, there’s no harm in trying some sleep aids or techniques to help you relax and prepare for rest. White noise has been shown to help improve sleep, especially in areas where there might be intense environmental noise that you have to deal with (Source: PubMed). Alternatively, you can also use relaxation methods like deep breathing exercises, like the 4-7-8 technique, or even diaphragmatic breathing to help you relax and get your body ready for rest.
Bonus Tip: Set Healthy, Appropriate Boundaries
For those who deal with long commutes, don’t be afraid to set healthy, appropriate boundaries at work. It can be tempting to take on the next project in hopes of a promotion, but if your gut is telling you that you need to take a break and prioritize rest, it’s best to listen. Separate work and your home life as much as possible, even if you have a long commute.
You may also want to explore flexible work hours or telecommuting sometimes if you want to reduce your commuting time and spend more time at home. In some cases, bosses and companies are more than happy to accommodate hybrid work structures. No matter what you do, don’t be afraid to set boundaries so you can get enough rest and still preserve that all-important personal time that you need to feel your healthiest!
What Steps Will You Take to Help with Long Commutes?
Dealing with long commutes is hard to handle, and moving closer is not always an option. With some of the tips that we have provided, you can take steps to help you feel better and get enough rest—without sacrificing your professional performance. What steps will you take to help with long commutes in the future?
