Simple and Effective Ways of Dealing with Highway Hypnosis
Driving for long hours and seeing monotonous road patterns can lead you into a trance-like state called highway hypnosis. Under this mental state, you will experience to drive a car in great distances, efficiently responding to external events in the expected manner but without any recollection of doing it consciously.
Highway hypnosis is a common driving experience with little reported risk. However, if it is left unchecked, it can result to some serious accidents. For one thing, it can delay your response when you are suddenly faced with an obstacle on the road, making you a threat not only to yourself but also to other motorists. To help you avoid this, the following are some things that you can do while driving.
When you start feeling the hypnotic sleepiness, the first thing that you must do is to get some ventilation in the car. You can wind down your window to let in some fresh air or turn on the air conditioner to make the atmosphere a bit cooler. If this does not work, try to look around when driving. Avoid fixing your attention on the lane lines. Even if shrubs and flat lands are all there is to see, take a look at them for some seconds. Alternatively, you can constantly check your gas gauge and window mirror to keep your eyes active.
And if the hypnotic effect is pulling you into a deep sleep, stop driving. Pull over on the side of the road and take a short nap or do some stretching exercises. The key to avoiding the trance is to give your eyes and your mind frequent breaks. This will help you avoid feeling so relaxed, which can minimise your mental reactions and awareness.
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