According to a new study conducted by health economists at the University of East Anglia and the Centre for Diet and Activity Research in the UK, walking or cycling to work is better for people’s mental health than driving.

Share on Pinterest The psychological benefits of walking or cycling to work come on top of the well-known physical health benefits.

In February of this year, the UK Office of National Statistics published a report that found UK citizens who walked to work had lower life satisfaction than those who drove to work. The report also found that cyclists were less happy and more anxious than other commuters.

The new study, however – which is published in the journal Preventive Medicine – contradicts this.

The team studied 18 years of data from almost 18,000 commuters in the UK aged 18-65. The data took in various aspects of psychological health including feelings of worthlessness, unhappiness, sleepless nights and capability of dealing with problems.

Factors that are known to affect well-being, such as income, having children, moving house or job, and relationship changes were also taken into account by the researchers.

The results suggest that people benefited from improved well-being when they stopped driving and started walking or cycling to work. Commuters reported that they felt better able to concentrate and “less under strain” if they used these methods of travel, rather than driving a car.

The researchers also point out that these psychological benefits come on top of the well-known physical health benefits associated with walking and cycling.

Even traveling on public transport was associated with greater psychological well-being than driving.