Study: Cramped Quarters Worsen Sleep — but not as Much as Long Commutes

Scientists in Japan have linked long commutes and small homes to poorer sleep, with long commutes accounting for a stronger impact on sleep quality.

A team of researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University compared reported insomnia and sleepiness to commute times and the size of homes. “Data analysis revealed that even after adjusting for covariates, longer commutes predicted insomnia and daytime sleepiness, while smaller housing size predicted insomnia.” 

For daily commute times of 100 minutes or more, the risk of insomnia and daytime sleepiness was 60% and 70% higher, respectively. After adjusting for education, marital status, and household income, over 50 minutes of commute time was associated with a 22-35% increased risk of insomnia and daytime sleepiness.

According to the researchers, “Long-distance commuters are more likely to exercise less, be overweight, have high blood pressure, and experience poor sleep. These individuals frequently feel more tired, stressed, and less satisfied with their lives, in addition to being more likely to experience digestive disorders, musculoskeletal pain, and overall lower levels of wellbeing.”

However, living closer to work often means living in a dense, crowded city with little access to green space, quiet, and clean air. For those living in cramped apartments, this can also impact sleep quality. Larger houses allow residents to escape from city noise and air pollution, mitigating the effects of urban noise and pollution for city dwellers.