- Travel can wear us out for a number of reasons, including stress, jet lag and changes in routine.
- Bathroom habits can also be affected by travel.
- There are things you can do to help make travel less tiring, including adjusting your light exposure and activity schedule before you travel.
Travel days are exhausting. Whether you’re crossing multiple time zones 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.
Why travel wears us out
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…
