feeling tired after a drive? you may be accelaroused
half of the drivers experienced peak stress levels moving through an intersection once a traffic light turned green.
3 minute read
if you're exhausted after a drive, it may be related to the anxiety of stop-and-go traffic.
does a long time behind the wheel leave you feeling gassed? you’re not alone, according to a new study that says some drivers suffer from a previously unknown phobia that picks up speed every time their vehicle does.
navigating busy streets can be a stressful experience at the best of times, but researchers at the university of houston’s computational physiological lab sought to determine why some people seem to be on cruise control behind the wheel while others white-knuckle their way to the finish line.
“we call the phenomenon ‘accelerousal.’ arousal being a psychology term that describes stress,” said ioannis pavlidis, one of the authors of the study and a professor at uh. “accelarousal is what we identify as stress provoked by acceleration events, even small ones. it may be partly due to genetic predisposition. it was a very consistent behaviour, which means, in all likelihood, this is an innate human characteristic.”
to explore the phenomenon, researchers recruited 11 volunteer drivers and monitored them for signs of “instantaneous physiological stress” during a 30-minute drive in a toyota sienna minivan. thermal imaging recorded the level of perinasal perspiration — an involuntary response triggered when the body encounters a fight-or-flight situation — as each driver navigated the same stretch of road at the same time of day in clear weather conditions.
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during the test, a device similar to an airplane’s black box kept track of the vehicle’s acceleration, speed, brake force and steering. when researchers combined the data back in their lab, they discovered about half of the drivers constantly experienced peak stress levels during normal periods of gradual acceleration, such as moving through an intersection once a traffic light turns green. there was no observable change during these moments amongst the other drivers.
“this has all the characteristics of long-term stressor, with all the health and other implications that this may entail,” pavlidis said. “the differences were significant, with ‘accelaroused’ participants logging nearly 50 per cent more stress than non-accelaroused ones. moreover, psychometric measurements taken through a standardized questionnaire given to every volunteer at the end of the drive revealed that acceleroused drivers felt more overloaded.”
“this was a clear indication that accelerousal was taking a toll on drivers, and that the drivers were not consciously aware of that.”
people in situations with no easy avenue of escape — such as being stuck in traffic — can be prone to panic, according to psychology today. this helpless feeling leads many to avoid taking certain routes or to stop driving altogether. to alleviate some of the symptoms, psychologists recommend focusing on the stretch of road immediately in view as opposed to any anxiety-inducing avenues around the corner. taking one turn at a time can shrink the size of the task and make it more manageable. focusing on sensory experiences, such as the grip of the steering wheel, can have a grounding effect that keeps a person’s mind from getting ahead of their vehicle.
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try not to avoid certain routes, no matter how stressful, because increased exposure to events that trigger anxiety calms the nervous system as opposed to reinforcing negative feelings of certain areas. don’t give in to unfounded fears — panic is not necessarily an indicator of impending doom, but more likely a false sense of alarm you can work through over time.
although the study’s small sample size presents some cause for concern, researchers said the findings illustrate the importance of technology in improving the driving experience and protecting the long-term health of the people behind the wheel.
“for instance, delivery drivers, which is an expanding class in the current gig economy, are exposed to stop-and-go events all the time,” pavlidis said. “therefore, delivery drivers who experience accelerousal — and for now, are unaware — could have a way to detect this condition in themselves and account for its long-term stress effects.”
as vehicles become more autonomous over time, there may be ample opportunity for technology to identify and relieve such stressors before they present themselves. in the meantime, pavlidis encourages drivers to pay attention to how they feel during and after a trip — particularly if it leaves them feeling like their tank is closer to empty compared to family and friends.
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“that could be a telltale sign of accelerousal,” he said.
dave yasvinski is a writer with healthing.ca
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