New German research found that heart attack victims are three times more likely to have been in heavy traffic within an hour before having the attack. This holds true even for those who rode bicycles or took public transportation.
Interestingly, females were five times more likely than men to suffer a heart attack within an hour after exposure to traffic.
Subjects in the study who had the highest risk of susceptibility to traffic were those in otherwise high risk groups, such as those with a history of angina, were unemployed or were elderly males.
The reasons for this connection have not yet been studied. It could be due to pollution from traffic fumes, or it could be the result of increased stress of driving in heavy traffic. It’s possible the link with traffic is just a coincidence.
But here’s what I know for sure: in all of my Stress Resilience workshops, people point to traffic as a daily source of stress. We don’t need research to tell us that getting all worked up about someone cutting into the lane in front of you causes unnecessary stress and upset.
So here’s my advice: adopt a Zen-like approach to traffic. I have personally adopted this approach several years ago and it’s made a huge difference to my life. Why not try it too?
