New Research: If You Do This on the Way To Work, It Could Be Affecting Your Health

Reproductive health researchers found a rarely discussed "pathway" between the effect and its unexpected cause.

Last week marked the return-to-work mandate for many federal workers under the U.S. presidential administration’s initiatives purportedly tackling efficiencies—but no matter who employs you, many professionals find that what’s not efficient about working is the commute when being in the office is inessential to your job. The U.S. Career Institute cited data in 2024 suggesting that “75 million employees in the U.S., or 56% of the non-self-employed workforce, could work from home.” This was said to save an average of 55 minutes each day, and 40% of workers-from-home said they spent that near-hour completing work.

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As it turns out, people who regularly sit in traffic may have one more reason to lament the commute: A 2025 study has linked sitting in traffic to depression, and possibly not for the reason you’re guessing.

The study, published in the journal Menopause, found that exposure to traffic-related air pollution (which, incidentally, the researchers abbreviated as “TRAP”) was correlated with depressive symptoms in women. This could mean that women who are regularly exposed to car exhaust may be more likely to experience feelings of sadness, hopelessness, loss of interest in activities, irritability, trouble focusing, weight changes, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and more.

The research team of four public health and women’s reproductive health experts analyzed data from 668 healthy pre-menopausal women who had participated in a women’s aging study. In particular, the team assessed depressive symptoms against four major variables:

• demographics (age, race or ethnicity)
• socioeconomic status
• general health and lifestyle (smoking, body mass index)
• reproductive health (age at first period, contraceptive use, menstrual cycle characteristics, and other components)

The researchers report: “Findings showed that exposure to [traffic-related air pollution] is associated with depression … and that reproductive health may be a pathway through which traffic-related air pollution relates to depression.”

They also found that socioeconomic status was a prominent factor among commuting women that led to depression—possibly because it can feel a bit like a trap when an individual can perform their job from home but doesn’t have that choice.

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On the point of pollution and depression, past research had begun to find a connection between air pollution exposure and mental health outcomes. One prior study had reported that “ozone and particulate matter exposures predicted depression” and that short-term exposure to these pollutants “predicted depression-related emergency department visits and hospitalizations.” These researchers believed the evidence showed “women are more vulnerable to the psychiatric effects of [traffic-related air pollution] exposures than men.”

People living in close proximity to high-volume roadways were also more likely to report depressive symptoms than those who did not.

If you are concerned about your exposure to traffic-related air pollution, you can help reduce the overall output of pollutants by carpooling, maintain your vehicle well, avoiding unnecessary idling, and driving more fuel-efficient cars or electric vehicles when making new car purchases. And, if you notice an uptick in feeling down, speak with your doctor or a mental health professional. Mental health is key to your wellness.