Why am I tired after long car rides?

One of the primary reasons for feeling tired after a long drive is the physical inactivity that accompanies it. Sitting in the same position for an extended period can lead to muscle stiffness and decreased blood circulation. Lack of movement and exercise can cause fatigue as the body’s energy levels drop, leading to a feeling of tiredness. Driving requires mental alertness, concentration, and constant decision-making. The prolonged focus and heightened attention required during a long drive can lead to mental fatigue. The brain is constantly processing information from the road, navigating directions, monitoring traffic, and making split-second decisions. This mental strain can exhaust our cognitive resources, leaving us feeling drained and tired. The constant vibrations and motions experienced during a long drive can also play a role in causing fatigue. Preparing for a road trip often involves early mornings, late nights, and a disrupted sleep schedule, which can lead to sleep deprivation, impacting our energy levels and cognitive functioning. Feeling tired after a long drive is a common experience, resulting from a combination of physical inactivity, mental fatigue, monotony, vibrations, and reduced sleep quality.

Scientific research on this topic has shown that the conditions within a car whilst driving are enough to make even the liveliest of people drowsy. Experiments conducted by RMIT University in Australia has highlighted that seat vibrations could be the real source of our car tiredness. The results showed that it took just 15 minutes for volunteers on the vibrating seats to start feeling tired. By half an hour drowsiness was significant and continued to increase until peaking at the hour mark. Researchers think that the vibrations were activating the drivers’ parasympathetic nervous system which relaxes and slows the body down. There are other factors too that may contribute towards tiredness at the wheel. One of which is the white noise that we can hear such as the sound of the engine, tyres and passing cars. White noise has been proven to help sleep by relaxing and calming the mind. Another reason is that we are sedentary whilst in the car. Comfortable seating combined with cool temperatures helps us to relax and creates an environment suitable for sleep.