Lifestyle

This Is The Best Playlist For Your Stressful Morning Commute

by Rosey Baker

Music is the greatest thing in the world.

Why?

Because if it weren't for my morning playlist, I would have pushed hundreds of commuters in front of the M train by now. Music has probably also saved my own life a number of times from those who wanted to do the same thing to me.

Our morning commutes can be both mentally and physically stressful, especially if you live in a place like New York City, where the average commute is 6 hours and 18 minutes per week, longer than workers in any of the nation's other 29 largest cities.

These daily trips to and from the office take such a toll on our bodies that they can remove years off our lives.

A 2004 study of commuters taking the train from New Jersey to Manhattan found that the longer a test subject's journey was, the higher the levels of cortisol (the primary stress hormone) were in their saliva.

The participants with longer commutes also found it more difficult to focus on tasks at the end of their journeys.

A follow-up paper on the study proved that invasion of personal space was a cause for an additional and significant rise in the stress hormone.

Outside of New York City, though, about 86 percent of workers on a national scale commute to work by car, and a recent study linked the time spent driving during a morning commute to an increased risk of cardiovascular death.

Researchers also found long commutes heightened the risk of developing anxiety, depression and social isolation.

But, music can fight off the life-sucking effects of your morning commute by lowering the body's stress response and cortisol levels.

In an article from Psychology Today, athlete Christopher Bergland wrote about how music is one of the most powerful neurobiological tools we have to make positive shifts in our mindsets and improve our motivation.

Bergland also explained that putting your songs on shuffle or listening to a new playlist can boost your mood, as randomness in song selection has been linked to increased dopamine levels.

Aside from all that science garbage, music is just the best, and it needs to be shared.

Because you've probably been listening to the same rotation of songs since you started your soul-sucking office job, we've come up with a morning playlist filled with new power anthems.

These songs will give you the hope of a golden retriever, improve your commute and prevent you from suffering a premature death.

You're welcome.