Marylanders trade morning commute for work-from-home health benefits

The morning commute is a thing of the past for many Marylanders, and a report finds their personal lives and health have benefited as a result.

The health and wellness company 1And1Life, using data from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, found almost 800,000 Marylanders have ditched long commutes and are seeing improvements in all areas of their lives. The data show that ditching the commute reduces the risk of everything from high blood pressure and obesity to stress and fatigue.

1And1Life also found that about 58% of employees say they’ve benefited from more time with family. An additional 17% spend that time working out. Another 46% of employees are using the time to sleep longer and 20% use it to make a healthier breakfast, which comes with a lower risk of obesity. But there are always the outliers. About 18% say they actually miss commuting.

The long commute destroys happiness, according to a Swiss economist at the University of Zurich, who says commuting as a trade-off for employment makes people miserable.

Melissa Howell

Melissa Howell joined WTOP Radio in March 2018 and is excited to cover stories that matter across D.C., as well as in Maryland and Virginia. 

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