30th June - Why Travel is Tiring

As somebody who spends large chunks of time on the road - or train tracks - I'm always somewhat dumbfounded by the way travelling around always seems to strip my body of energy. I often feel guilty that despite not actually doing anything particularly physically strenuous, I can feel fatigued by the time I reach my destination. I researched into this and the main reason is a lack of mental stimulation.

When you’re traveling, you’ll likely find yourself feeling bored. When our brains lack mental stimulation, they can send us to sleep. As a result, when sitting in the same seat for hours on a train, bus, or plane, your body will become tired as your mind loses interest in your surroundings. Another huge factor is the change in speed. If you’re traveling by road, speed changes can significantly affect your energy levels. Cars, vans, and buses are all used to accelerate as needed to go with the traffic flow. The constant shift between speeding up and slowing down can cause fatigue in your body. This is because as the vehicle’s speed changes, your muscles contract and relaxes to keep you upright and in position. This also happens when the car you’re traveling in makes a sharp turn as it causes your body to sway.

All of these movements lead to bodily stress, which is why you’ll typically feel stiff after a long car journey. Your brain and body will both be fatigued as both need to be engaged to ensure that you remain upright and in position. You’re unlikely to be tired by changes in speed when you travel by rail or airplane because trains and planes tend to remain constant for most of the journey, and most speed changes happen gradually. As a result, you won’t feel the same physical and mental fatigue. Fascinating, huh? So at least next time you won't feel quite so guilty when sitting on a train causes you to snooze...

... That's why travel is tiring.