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Walking or cycling to work is better for our mental health than driving to work, according to a new study. 

The study by health economists at the University of East Anglia and the Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), revealed that people who stopped driving and started walking or cycling to work benefited from improved wellbeing. 

The benefits underscored in the new study is on top of the physical health benefits of walking and cycling that are already widely documented. 

Researchers also found that traveling on public transport is better for people's psychological wellbeing than driving. 

 "One surprising finding was that commuters reported feeling better when travelling by public transport, compared to driving. You might think that things like disruption to services or crowds of commuters might have been a cause of considerable stress. But as buses or trains also give people time to relax, read, socialise, and there is usually an associated walk to the bus stop or railway station, it appears to cheer people up," said lead researcher Adam Martin, from UEA's Norwich Medical School, in the press release. 

Researchers analyzed 18 years of data on almost 18,000 18-65-year-old commuters in Britain. It included multiple aspects of psychological health including feelings of worthlessness, unhappiness, sleepless nights and being unable to face problems. 

"Our study shows that the longer people spend commuting in cars, the worse their psychological wellbeing. And correspondingly, people feel better when they have a longer walk to work," Adam Martin added. 

"This research shows that if new projects such as London's proposed segregated cycleways, or public transport schemes such as Crossrail, were to encourage commuters to walk or cycle more regularly, then there could be noticeable mental health benefits."

The study has been published in the journal Preventive Medicine.