You keep thinking about cycling or walking to work but keep putting it off. You know it can help you save money. You know it has long-term health benefits. You know if can help your mental health.
Despite all of these reasons, you still haven’t donned the helmet or the sneakers and made the cycling plunge. How about one more reason to take the leap?
A new study, led by a team from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, has found people who commute by bicycle tend to take fewer sick days and have a reduced risk of long-term absences due to illness.
“There is already research evidence on the health and environmental benefits of active commuting, but its connection to the risk of long sickness absences, for example, has not been studied at all before,” said Essi Kalliolahti, a public health scientist with the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and Ph.D. researcher at the University of Eastern Finland.
“Now it is known that regular commuting by bicycle can reduce the risk of long periods of sickness absence and thus reduce the overall number of sickness absences,” Kalliolahti added.
The study analyzed self-reported data from over 28,000 government workers across the course of a year with follow-ups with many for a second year. According to safetyandhealthmagazine.com, the Finnish researchers analyzed active commuting to work – which also included walking – and compared it to self-reported and employer-provided data on employee sick days.
The study found that compared with workers who drove or used public transportation for their commute, the people who “most actively” biked to work were 8% to 12% less likely to call in sick. They also averaged 4.5 fewer sick days a year and had an 18% lower risk of experiencing long-term sick-related absences (at least 10 days).
Those who biked more than 18 miles a week saw a greater benefit than those biking or walking shorter distances.
“The results of the study provide additional reasons to encourage and invest in an active commuting style, and especially commuting by bike,” said Jenni Ervasti, chief researcher for the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.
Learn more about using active transportation as part of your daily commute.
