*This is a collaborative post
Did you know there’s one simple health hack that’ll improve your life for the better?
Spend less time driving and your body will thank you.
Why does this improve your health? We’ll talk about that in just a moment, after which you’ll see some simple ways to cut down on your driving habits. It can seem like a big challenge, especially for mums who are used to driving everywhere. With a few changes, you’ll drastically improve your lifestyle.
Why is driving bad for your health?
Driving is bad because it keeps you in a sedentary position for extended periods. In essence, you spend too much time sitting down, not moving your body.
This can lead to:
- A reduction in energy expenditure, meaning you can gain weight
- Problems and pain relating to bad posture
- An increased risk of high blood pressure
- An increased risk of cardiovascular health problems
Put simply, you need to spend less time sitting down in your car and more time actively moving your body!
How to cut down on daily driving time
It’s all well and good telling you that driving is bad, but how do you stop doing it? Many of you will believe that there’s absolutely no way you can cut down on daily driving, but here are some ideas that will prove it’s possible:
Only drive when you absolutely have to
Realistically, there are only a few instances when driving is absolutely necessary:
- The journey takes a long time
- You have multiple passengers to take with you
- The weather is really bad
- You need to carry lots of items
In most other scenarios, you can find alternative ways of getting around. For instance, if you need to take your kids to school – and it’s only a 20-minute walk – walk them to school. It keeps yourself and your family more active.
If you’re going anywhere alone – and you don’t need to carry loads of items – you have no reason to drive. Even long journeys can be done via public transport. Sure, you’re sitting down, but at least you’ve walked to the station and back. Only drive when no other options are at your disposal.
Find a more active mode of transport
Secondly, you could find some other way of getting around that keeps you upright and active. This could be a bike or an e-scooter – either way, you have a different way of getting from A to B without sitting down in your car.
Why is this important? Because it brings more convenience to your life. Walking takes a long time, meaning a five-minute car journey could take 15 or 20 minutes. With a more active mode of transport, you can cut down the total journey time to closer than it would be in a car. So, if you’re worried about schedules, this should deal with that.
As you can see, it’s very easy to cut down on your total driving time every day. You don’t need to drive unless it’s a very specific scenario. The more active you are, the healthier you’ll be.
