Stuck in traffic snarls? It can cause higher chronic stress, sleep deprivation
Long commutes eat up exercise time, and are associated with weight gain and high BP.
By ET CONTRIBUTORS |
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The cars waiting in traffic jams or at red lights contain up to 40 per cent more pollution than those that are moving.
By Dr Vivek Kumar
Commuters who are exposed to air pollution, especially those riding in non-air conditioned vehicles such as autos, e-rickshaws, cycle rickshaws and motorcycles, double their health risk.
Aside from chronic lung diseases, air pollution can cause blood pressure to rise and inflame the arteries, increasing heart attack and stroke risk. Blood pressure goes up with increased traffic pollutants, and electrocardiogram changes show decreased blood flow to the heart.
Pollution that gathers inside cars in traffic jams and at red traffic lights is far higher than that found in cars that are moving. It contributes to lung cancer, asthma, and other respiratory diseases, besides heart disease and stroke. All of these can be fatal. Pollution at intersections is 29 times higher than those found in free-flowing traffic. At intersections, vehicles slow down, stop, rev up to move when lights turn green, and the drivers are exposed to polluted air for longer duration. As the output is ongoing, the pollution does not disperse but lingers and accumulates. The cars waiting in traffic jams or at red lights contain up to 40 per cent more pollution than those that are moving.
Long commutes eat up exercise time and are associated with weight gain, lower fitness levels, and higher blood pressure — which are all strong predictors of heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer.
Being exposed to the daily hassles of traffic can lead to higher chronic stress. One of the stress triggers while driving during a traffic jam is impatience — having to wait for the traffic to move and dealing with the mistakes of other motorists on the road. Impatience, if not handled at the beginning, tends to turn into resentment, aggressive driving and anger - which all can lead to road rage. Stress, is a "killer disease" that makes people vulnerable to other diseases and even depression.
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Pollution at intersections is 29 times higher than those found in free-flowing traffic. Some commuters who are caught in traffic mess are also deprived of sleep, especially those who had to get up early the next day to avoid the morning rush and get to work on time.
Sleep deprivation can also affect performance, attention, and long-term memory.
Moreover, lack of sleep can cause anxiety, exhaustion, frustration, impulsive behaviour, lower immunity, and some mental health problems. It also encourages drug and alcohol.
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Traffic jams also don’t allow commuters to use rest rooms if required, causing holding of urine for long period of times which can cause urinary infections. Urinary infections can sometimes be so severe as to cause acute urinary retention. If this happens in an elderly individual, it can lead to psychotic behaviour. If a commuter held up in a traffic jam feels thirsty and is not carrying a water bottle, it can cause low blood pressure due to dehydration. If a commuter stuck in a traffic jam has a medical emergency like a heart attack, they might not be able to reach a hospital in time for treatment.
(The author is Additional Director, Interventional Cardiology, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute - FEHI)
Stress Patch, Solar Supercapacitor & More: Tech For Well-Being Is The Next Big Thing
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From a stress-detecting patch to AI that mimics the human brain, the technology of the future is geared towards health solutions.
From a stress-detecting patch to AI that mimics the human brain, the technology of the future is geared towards health solutions.
A team of US researchers has developed an ‘artificial synapse’ that does not process information like a digital computer but rather mimics the way the human brain completes tasks. The discovery can lead to energy-efficient AI devices. The graphene-based neural networks can be employed in flexible and wearable electronics to enable computation at the ‘edge of the internet’ — places where computing devices such as sensors contact the physical world.
“By empowering even a rudimentary level of intelligence in wearable electronics and sensors, we can track our health with smart sensors, provide timely diagnostics, regulate and optimise the manufacturing process,” say the researchers.
A team of US researchers has developed an ‘artificial synapse’ that does not process information like a digital computer but rather mimics the way the human brain completes tasks. The discovery can ..
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Scientists have developed a waterproof wearable patch, which when applied directly to the skin, absorbs sweat and within seconds assesses how much cortisol — stress hormone — a person is producing. “This offers a novel approach for the early detection of various diseases and evaluation of sports performance,” says lead author, Onur Parlak from Stanford University, US.
Scientists have developed a waterproof wearable patch, which when applied directly to the skin, absorbs sweat and within seconds assesses how much cortisol — stress hormone — a person is producing. ..
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Google Glass can rekindle the hopes of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) globally, including in India. According to Ned Sahin, founder and CEO of Brain Power, a US-based science-driven company, Augmented Reality (AR)-powered wearable computers can help those with ASD gain confidence, clarity, understanding, social integration and self-sufficiency.
Google Glass can rekindle the hopes of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) globally, including in India. According to Ned Sahin, founder and CEO of Brain Power, a US-based science-driven comp..
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Using wearable sensor technology, researchers have developed an automatic alert system that may help people to quit smoking by sending video messages. A smartphone app automatically texts 20 to 120-second video messages to smokers when the sensors detect specific arm and body motions associated with smoking. According to the researchers, the mobile alert system that they are testing may be the first that combines an existing online platform with mindfulness training and a personalised plan to quit smoking.
Using wearable sensor technology, researchers have developed an automatic alert system that may help people to quit smoking by sending video messages. A smartphone app automatically texts 20 to 120-..
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A team of scientists led by an Indian-origin professor has developed a new solar-powered supercapacitor that could help make future wearable technologies lighter and more energy-efficient. The research could take the wearable systems for health monitoring to remote parts of the world where solar power is often the most reliable source of energy.
A team of scientists led by an Indian-origin professor has developed a new solar-powered supercapacitor that could help make future wearable technologies lighter and more energy-efficient. The resear..
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Falls are a common cause of injury in older adults and can create health problems. A recent study under NIH’s Women’s Health Initiative to predict an individual’s risk of falling made 67 participants, all over the age of 60, wear a small device with motion sensors that measured their walking patterns for one week. They found that data extracted from the devices could accurately predict the participants’ risk of falling, as measured by physical examinations of unsteadiness in standing and walking.
Falls are a common cause of injury in older adults and can create health problems. A recent study under NIH’s Women’s Health Initiative to predict an individual’s risk of falling made 67 participant..
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of www.economictimes.com.)
