Can my commute really affect my health and happiness?
Yes, and more than you think. The evidence on painful commuting is ugly. Sitting in heavy city traffic day after day raises your cortisol, wears on your systems, and there is even research suggesting it can shorten your lifespan. It is not the sitting that hurts you, it is the stress of being stuck with no control. Now I am not saying every drive is bad. A quiet country road alone can be genuinely pleasant and good for you. The damage comes from grinding through congestion you cannot escape. So treat your commute as a real health variable, not background noise. If you can move closer, shift your hours, or change your route to cut the worst of the traffic, do it. This is a fixable problem hiding in plain sight, and most dentists never touch it.
If the answers you are finding here resonate with you, my team and I work with a small group of clients each year. The next step is a complimentary Discovery Consultation and Practice Review with Dr. McAnally.