i noticed a similar benefit to my mental state regarding the rat race. i'd been living in city/urban areas pretty much my whole life ~40 years. when i moved to a rural area and could travel 25 miles in 20 minutes instead of 10 miles in 45 minutes, the difference was indescribable. like 3 traffic lights instead of 12, people know what driving etiquette is, no road rage, etc.

now, even when i occasionally approach the nearest "city," which is tiny by city standards, i feel the stress and irritability level rising right when i start to see more tail lights than road. it's insane. and people do this all day every day. fuck. all. that.