Travel days are exhausting. Whether you’re in a plane or just driving a few hours to visit a relative, chances are you’ll be sleepy when you get to your destination. As someone who is ready to take a nap whenever the opportunity presents itself, I always assumed my travel fatigue was personality-related.
However, it turns out it happens to just about everyone. But why? What is it about going from place to place that wears us all down so much? And what can people do to make their trips easier? I spoke to Dr. Charlene Gamaldo at the Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep and Wellness, and a professor of neurology and vice provost at Johns Hopkins University.
She said every body (and every brain) is different, but there are a few universal techniques to make travel easier on yourself. I travel a lot, but no matter how often I do it, I find myself drowsy when I first get to where I’m going. Gamaldo told me that’s totally normal.
“From a circadian rhythm standpoint, depending on what direction you’re traveling and how many time zones you’re traveling across, that can certainly contribute to you feeling tired,” she said. Traveling also takes people out of their usual routine, and stress can wear us all out, too. “There are things that are unrelated to sleep that add to it in terms of the angst about getting your flight, making sure flights aren’t canceled,” Gamaldo said.
It makes sense. I always feel hyper-aware when I’m in an airport, making sure I’m going to the.
