Long Commutes and Small Homes Are Wrecking Sleep copy

You Should Know: It’s a tradeoff many of us have weighed: is it better to live close to work or opt for a longer commute to get more living space? A new study out of Japan suggests that either extreme could be messing with your sleep.

The Study: Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University, writing in the Journal of Transport and Health, studied Tokyo workers who often face a choice between compact city apartments and long train rides. They found that smaller homes were linked to poorer sleep, while commutes longer than about 52 minutes led to more insomnia and daytime sleepiness. In other words, a shorter commute helps sleep only if you’re not trading away all your living space.

The Takeaway: The sweet spot for lowering the risk of insomnia is pairing a shorter-than-average commute time with a residence that exceeds the average square footage. That combo correlated with better sleep and less daytime grogginess.

Keep in Mind:  Because smaller apartments are often in crowded urban areas, noise, light, and air pollution could also be contributing to these sleepless nights. And since the study only included adults ages 40 to 59, the pattern may look different for younger workers.