The simple trick that will make your work day 40% less stressful.

Image via iStock.

There are certain aspects of public transport that really irk me. Like wondering when the hell your tram/train/bus is actually going to arrive — and when it finally does arrive, trying to squeeze your way in between hordes of smelly people, all the while gripping your bag for dear life.

It was all too much. So I bought a bicycle, and I’ve been riding to work ever since.

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While the road may not seem like the most relaxing place, especially in our capital cities, riding your bike to work is actually the key to a calmer, less stressful day. And I’m not just saying that to support my decision.

According to a recent study cycling to work, rather than driving or commuting via public transport, will make you 40 per cent less stressed by the time you reach your destination.

The research, from Stanford Calming Technology Lab, analysed data produced by 1,000 commuters over 20,000 commutes. Using a monitor, they tracked the participants' heart rates and the depth of their breaths throughout the working day.

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Workers who commuted by motorised transport displayed shallower breathing an hour after arriving at their workplace, compared to those who cycled. Shallow breathing and a raised heart rate are two signals of stress — however, the stress-busting benefits of cycling weren't only physical. (Post continues after gallery.)

"By biking to work we know that the physical nature of cycling and physical exertion will engender a more calm and focused state of mind. So while being good for us physically, we also see lots of psychological and emotional benefits," Neema Moraveji, head of the Calming Technology Lab, told BikeBiz.

"People normally think of stress as something that happens at work, and certainly it does, but commutes are interesting because it's a place where you're kind of in charge of your environment—you're usually on your own, in control, and you can set the tone of your day," Moraveji adds.

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This research echoes the findings of a major study published in the journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, which found bike riding, compared with motorised transport options, decreased fatigue throughout the day by 65 per cent.  The study subjects who pedalled at a low to moderate pace three times a week were able to fight fatigue most effectively.

You don't have to be a 'hardcore' cyclists to reap these benefits.

In my view, there are two types of bike riders in the world: those who wear lycra, and those who don't. I belong to the latter category. I like to cruise along at my own pace, and despite being overtaken by multiple cyclists along the way, I am still faster than the tram I would otherwise have to catch anyway.

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Since I took up cycling to the office, I feel far less stressed during my commute — but also throughout the day. So if your morning commute is stressing you out — and if you catch the tram I'm not surprised — it might be time to get on your bike.

Do you ride to work? What do you love about it?