I was curious what the effect of Commuting has been on my life. I have suffered more frequent back problems since becoming a “mega-commuter”. That is someone who travels more than 90 minutes per day or 50 miles per day. It turns out that back problems are a common side effect for people, but even more serious problems happen.

If you watch the video here it details all the problems that commuting causes. It is interesting that even after a short period of time, 35 minutes commuting can cause negative reactions in most people. I have always had long commutes so this has just been my reality, but now I am wondering if I am not doing myself a disservice by having a long commute.

One of the main reasons that I have commuted all of my life is that I have been able to work at jobs in cultures that I love. Having a pleasant workplace makes all the difference and motivation to want to work there. I think that is part of the reason why I have chosen to commute in the past. However it has come at a great cost to me. First of course is the cost of tolls, gas and car expenses. I have shared that I have bought very reliable cars so that I wouldn’t be stressed in my commute. Second, it has cost me more in Health costs due to the distance.

The car expenses to me are a wash because I enjoy having a Comfortable Car, and it is a hobby to learn and experience about cars. More concerning to me is the cost to my health. I have often seen a chiropractor about back problems all my life. I can’t blame cars for this. I have seen chiropractors more since driving and when I drive more than 2 hours at a time, my back starts to hurt.

I have done exercises that help with this pain and develop my core muscles. It also helps that I sometimes will see a professional massage therapist. I find hot showers are very relaxing, so for the most part this has been a winning strategy for me. However lately today and yesterday my back was hurting more than usual. I think I will need to either increase my exercise level, or perhaps get regular massages like I used to or chiropractic treatments. I will call my doctor next to see what is the best long term decision.

All this is to share that if you go the distance, there is a cost. I don’t mind paying that cost because I have a great way of coping with it. However if I didn’t have the money for a comfortable car, and medical treatment, I probably would not be a mega commuter. I don’t blame people who don’t want to deal with doctors and prefer short commutes. To each their own.

The post Commuting is bad for your health and strategies I use to deal with it appeared first on Stuff worth knowing about.