- Glen Zheng
- Apr 1
- 4 min read
Feeling Stressed? Maybe Your Stressful Commute Is To Blame
The Surprising Ways Your Stressful Commute Affects Your Mental Health
Written By: Glen Zheng
About the Author
Glen Zheng, Master's of Social Work (Candidate), Student Clinician
Have you been finding that your commute adds to your stress in life? Perhaps you’ve noticed yourself become irritable after battling rush hour? In this article, I discuss the unexpected ways that your commute may be affecting your mental health, alongside proactive measures you can take to manage this daily stress.
Getting from one place to another can be an unexpected source of significant stress. From weekly grocery runs to your daily commute, have you ever thought how your method of transportation may be impacting your day-to-day stress?
In the same way that many mental health professionals advocate for sleep hygiene and digital hygiene, I believe it could be beneficial to start thinking about our “commute hygiene” as well. After all, Canadians, on average, spend 52.8 minutes traveling to and from work, with Toronto residents topping Canadian rankings at 66.6 minutes per day. That’s over 275 hours per year Torontonians spent commuting, and something worth thinking about.
Before I continue, I want to mention a (pretty large) disclaimer that many practical solutions proposed in this blog may not be feasible for everyone. Mortgages/rent, mobility challenges, and lack of transportation alternatives are real barriers people face that make commutes difficult to change. That’s why I’ve provided mental health-focused recommendations to reduce stress as well.
Why Should I Think About My Commute?
Our commutes take place at the beginning and end of our days. This means that the hour we spend in morning/evening rush hour traffic can significantly influence how we show up in relationships, our leisure time, and overall life satisfaction.
Commuting Time Linked to Lower Life Satisfaction
With time in our workweeks being finite, the way we allocate our limited time can really matter. In other words, when we spend five to ten hours a week traveling to and from work, that’s time we don’t get back towards our health, relationships, leisure, and more.
Relationships
Have you ever found yourself irritable due to rush hour traffic, making it harder for your partner, children, or colleagues to connect with you?
Perhaps this frustration was due to other drivers or unexpected construction. Whatever the reason, the chaos of commuting often leaves us stressed. In this way, the stress of traffic can make it harder for us to connect with others in the way we want.
Leisure Time
When we spend 5-10 hours behind the wheel, that’s time we don’t get back to relax, see friends, exercise, or pursue that hobby you’ve always been meaning to try. Imagine how you might feel with 5 extra hours of leisure time throughout the work week.
The good news is that there are practical and mental health-focused solutions to help you navigate stress from transportation.
Ways to Combat Stress in Your Commute
Listen to Music or a Podcast You Enjoy
Stressful activities are exactly that – stressful. However, try listening to music, an audiobook, or a podcast you love during your next commute. By combining something you enjoy alongside your daily commute, transportation can start to become manageable, or even something to look forward to.
Mindfulness
Practicing the act of mindfulness can help reduce stress during your commute. By understanding how your commute causes frustration, practicing mindfulness can help you self-regulate by actively choosing to let sticky emotions pass. But remember, keep your eyes on the road!
Gratitude Practice
During your morning commutes, try mentally listing 3 things you’re looking forward to. Then in the evenings, list 3 things that went well. Actively practicing gratitude can increase well-being, reduce stress, and make your commute a part of your check-in/check-out ritual.
Take a Break
Set aside ten minutes to unwind after your commutes. This might look like leaving for work ten minutes earlier or asking family for ten minutes alone after a long day of work. Funnily enough, ten minutes of ‘me-time’ might be exactly what’s needed to create presence for others.
Commute Quality
The way we commute can also influence our wellbeing. A 20-minute walk or cycle isn’t the same for stress levels as 20 minutes of stop-and-go traffic. If feasible, consider choosing the mode of transportation that makes the most sense for you. In addition, modes of transportation like walking or cycling can be surprisingly effective ways to keep you physically active.
Moving Closer to Work
This solution isn’t for everyone. The reality is that with large families, mortgages/rentals, finances, or a home that you love, moving simply doesn’t make sense for many people. However, if the benefits of moving 10-15 minutes away from work outweigh the costs of moving, this might be something worth considering. If your goal is regaining leisure time throughout the week, moving might be your most effective option.
Consideration: Costs
One barrier to moving closer to work may be that housing costs are more expensive. While this is likely true, moving closer to work can reduce your transportation costs significantly. For instance, if driving to and from work costs you approximately $200 of gas/month, choosing to cycle or walk could save you $2400 per year. If you want to go the extra mile, going totally car-free can save you an additional ~$2000/year in insurance alongside other significant costs associated with maintenance, parking, and car payments.
Final Thoughts
Our commutes are a significant part of our day, and it might be time to start treating it as such. In this blog, I’ve covered ways that commutes add to stress, while providing practical and mental-health focused approaches to address it.
If you’re looking for help with workplace stress, burnout, relationships, couples counselling, life transitions, or general life satisfaction in Toronto, Therapy Uninterrupted offers online counselling across Ontario. Book your free 15-minute video consultation today with one of our team members using the link below. If you need it, you can also look at our Affordable Therapy Program, offering low-cost support to people who need it.
References
Crunched for time? Commuting linked to lower life satisfaction | Recreation and Leisure Studies | University of Waterloo. (2024, May 21). Uwaterloo.ca. https://uwaterloo.ca/recreation-and-leisure-studies/news/crunched-time-commuting-linked-lower-life-satisfaction
Solodar, J. (2025, January 31). Sleep hygiene: Simple practices for better rest - Harvard Health. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthy-aging-and-longevity/sleep-hygiene-simple-practices-for-better-rest
Swidda Rassy. (2025, October 12). Long commutes linked to higher stress, study finds. CTVNews. https://www.ctvnews.ca/montreal/article/long-commutes-linked-to-higher-stress-study-finds/
Weingarten, N. (2024, August 29). Toronto workers have longest commutes in Canada: StatsCan. CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/commute-times-toronto-1.7307002
