7 Ways In Which Long Traffic Jams Impact Physical And Mental Health

Spending long hours in traffic? It can be more than just an annoyance, and impact your physical and mental health significantly.

Traffic jams can impact health (Image by Freepik)

Traffic jams can be a major irritant but if you are getting stuck in one on a regular basis, it can be more than just annoying. It can lead to physical and mental health issues. So coping with traffic congestion doesn't only result in being late for appointments or commitments, causing mental distress. The irritation of inching along the road, observing minutes pass by with no resolution in sight, isn't infact just a minor inconvenience, say experts, but affect your health significantly. A recent report by Fortis Hospital, as of May, 1, 2024, states that ‘cars waiting in traffic jams or at red lights contain up to 40% more pollution than those that are moving.

Impact Of Traffic Jam On Health

Factors that can impact physical and mental health due to traffic jams are:

1. Fatal physical diseases caused by pollution

As per a report published by IQAir, India ranks 3rd on the list and recorded an average Particulate Matter (PM) concentration of 54.4 micrograms per cubic meter. Air pollution is affecting us more than just breathing issues. It contributes largely to asthma, lung cancer as well as other respiratory diseases. Air pollution has been known to be associated with stroke and heart disease too, all of which can be fatal.

2. Degenerative disc disease

As per bansalhospital.com, approximately 40-50% of individuals in India experience mild or severe degenerative disc disease (DDD) after reaching the age of 40, indicating that one out of every five people over 40 is affected by it. Degenerative disc disease, also understood as, degeneration of the intervertebral disc, is a condition caused by long seated hours in the same position. A serious disease causing a herniated disc, it may also require surgery in the long term.

3. Chronic Stress

Long traffic jams have proven to induce chronic stress in daily commuters. A significant stress triggers for drivers trapped in traffic is struggling with the errors or behaviors of fellow motorists. Heightened impatience can escalate into resentment, aggressive driving, and road rage, amplifying stress levels. Referred to as a 'silent killer,' stress renders individuals prone to various ailments, including depression and other diseases.

4. Cognitive Disabilities

Other unnoticed effects of traffic on one’s cognitive abilities have been observed by researchers. Long traffic hours may result in cognitive disabilities often characterized by a feeling of helplessness, sense of a lack of control and poor tolerance levels for frustration. All of these lower one’s inhibitive ability to respond to situations.

5.  Social implications of traffic induced stress

Traffic induced stress not just negatively affect an individual’s emotions and feelings, but also spills over into other aspects of his life. Major stress faced by individuals while commuting in traffic can reduce their job and life satisfaction, which in turn deteriorates one’s overall mental health further.

6. Sleep deprivation

Long hours of commute increased to longer hours owing to traffic, often leading to sleep deprivation among commuters. As mundane as it might sound, longer hours in the traffic reduce the sleep time of individuals who work far from their homes. Sleep deprivation in turn affects their long-term memory, performance and attention spans. Lack of sleep has been attached to exhaustion, anxiety, lower immunity and impulsive behavior.

7. Urinary Tract Infection

Inability to urinate for a time when stuck in traffic can cause a urinary tract infection easily. A urinary tract infection can sometimes reach severe levels as to cause acute urinary retention. Occurrence of this in elderly individuals can result in psychotic behavior as well.