Lifesurance.info – Even though we have enough sleep, likely, we will easily get sleepy when in a car or other four-wheeled vehicle. This makes us fall asleep while traveling. What causes it to be easy for us to get sleepy when driving?
Reporting from the Daily Mail, Prof. Stephen Robinson from RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia said that the vibrations from car engines can make us sleepy. This drowsiness can appear when we have only been in the car for 15 minutes. Even though we have slept or rested enough, this drowsiness still appears.
“In just 15 minutes, we will immediately feel sleepy. Our ability to concentrate and alert us will also decrease, “said Prof. Robinson.
This interesting fact was discovered after Prof. Robinson and his friends analyzed 15 participants who used a virtual simulator that made us experience a sensation like riding a car. With this simulator, they are asked to drive on a two-way lane in just one hour. This simulator can also make us feel vibrations with different frequencies.
Participants then checked their heart rate conditions to determine their alertness and drowsiness. The result is, the gentle vibrations of the car engine can make the body more relaxed. Combined with a tired rider’s body condition, these vibrations can make us sleepy.
This research is expected to be a consideration for car manufacturers to reduce engine vibration or at least in the body of the car so that it can make the driver or occupant less drowsy. If not, maybe you can make a special chair design that doesn’t vibrate easily or prevents drowsiness.
