Life is stress full enough but an extreme commute Commuter stresscan put you over the edge! It can zap your well being, lead to back pain from sitting and a host of other problems. When you can’t move closer to your job and have to endure a commute over ten minutes long, it’s important to find ways to transform your time on the road and tame that killer commute.

Taming the killer commute:

You enjoy life less: A recent Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index found that employees with very long commutes get less sleep, feel more anxious throughout the day and experience a decreased sense of well-being.

There’s pain with no gain: Long commutes can lead to a host of health problems. The Gallup Index noted that one third of employees commuting more than an hour and a half develop pain in the neck or back from sitting. They report that it’s a recurring problem. Only a quarter of those polled with commutes of ten minutes or less endured similar problems.

One is the loneliest number: Driving long is isolating. With less time to spend socializing drivers feel less happy and fulfilled. Author, Robert Putnam, Bowling Alone, has written that you’ll have ten percent fewer social interactions for every ten minutes of your commute.

Putting on the pounds: Studies show that you exercise less due to the rush hour time crunch. Drive-through fast food and gas station convenience shops provide quick, salty, sugary and overly processed temptations to cooking a healthy dinner. Obesity is a problem for extreme commuters. The more miles you drive the more likely you’ll gain weight according to University of California–Los Angeles, and Cal State–Long Beach researchers who looked at a number of life-style factors.

But wait! Make lemonade from lemons: For many moving closer to work is not an option. The economy and poor real estate market has made it harder for families to relocate. There are other choices such as telecommuting one or more days a week.  A long, intense commute may lead to a sense of resignation and possibly depression. If you regularly commute more than ten minutes, with determination you can create a refuge in your car and transform rush hour to your advantage.

Many extreme commuters surrender to the situation and find ways to improve their brains – studying a foreign language, listening to books on tape. Others use the time to quietly decompress from their day, arriving home feeling more present and relaxed. This is especially easy if you use some of the Drivetime Yoga breathing techniques to clear your mind and oxygenate your blood. It helps to flush out stress inducing hormones and reduces stress. There are also small techniques to work tense muscles and increase flexibility; to ease back pain from sitting, to relax a stiff neck and tight shoulders – all safely with targeted techniques.

Conquer your commute and enhance your life. Find out more at http://www.DrivetimeYoga.com.