Highway trips are a great way to refresh our mood and get some clean air while enjoying the scenic countryside view of infinite farmlands and roadside establishments. Most of us would have traveled at some point in life alone or with loved ones. While all of these may seem pleasing, we need to be aware of a condition or state of mind known as ‘Highway Hypnosis’. This condition may affect any of us while driving on highways or long stretches within the city, no matter what age and gender.
Highway Hypnosis also means an ‘altered state of consciousness’ or a ‘trance-like state’ wherein the driver’s mind goes into automatic response mode. The important part is that the person facing this condition may not even realize unless and until interrupted by an external stimulus. To make it easier, let us go through a few signs that may help us to determine whether we have faced this earlier during any of our long trips:
1. Feeling dull and drowsy
2. Lack of focus and brain fog
3. A feeling of heaviness in eyes along with fast blinking
4. Drifting of the vehicle in another lane or driving on alert strips.
5. Visualizing while awake.
It is a condition that takes over the driver’s mind gradually after a short time spent on monotonous driving that can range from a few minutes to an hour. A lot of factors may lead to this condition when combined like straight roads with less traffic, signs, and turns, comfortable posture, pre-existing fatigue, etc.
The Good news is that we can avoid Highway Hypnosis to a great extent by following six easy tips:
1. Be uncomfortable:
While it sounds a bit rude, but might work to some extent. Being warm and comfortable in any situation makes you feel relaxed and less attentive and contribute to Hypnosis. Simply turning off a car’s compressor or fan and rolling the windows down for ventilation can help by making you a bit uncomfortable and counter this situation.
2. Have a conversation with someone:
Talking keeps the mind engaged and attentive. If someone is accompanying the driver, then it is good else hands-free devices may help in connecting with a friend or loved one. Even singing and talking to yourself can solve the purpose.
3. Adequate sleep is the key:
Complete rest the night before is an ideal way to start a journey towards any destination. It also makes the driver alert and prepared for any situation. One more tip is to begin the trip early in the day when energy levels are high to get the maximum out of the journey.
4. Turn on car audio volume and change sound-tracks:
Listening to the radio or different songs while driving keeps the driver engaged and makes the journey joyful. One should ensure that the sound volume is adequate and keep changing tracks to remain hooked to their consciousness.
5. Avoid heavy meals:
Have a quick bite or light meal, and pack a couple of snacks for the street. Keep in mind the choice of food while preparing for a journey. One option is to have a light meal with good fiber and protein content and to avoid high sugar foods.
6. Have breaks more often along with caffeinated drinks:
Taking small breaks along the journey keeps the driver attentive and in full consciousness.
Long journeys are often tedious due to the absence of distractions like a street crowd, greeneries, and roadside establishments. Having caffeinated drinks along with short leisure time in between may work wonders in reducing fatigue and maintaining alertness. Just make sure to regulate the amount of caffeine or consume a small amount at a time.
Highway hypnosis can be very dangerous if not tackled within time, because once the mind loses some part of consciousness, accidents and injuries may happen. However, following the above tips can very well reduce the risk and may even avoid this condition during long journeys.
You must be logged in to post a comment.