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Sometimes we focus so much on our problems that we forget the place where we are present. In short, we are physically present at our place but mentally somewhere else. This situation is not dangerous if we are home, but can be risky if it happens while driving on a highway. It is not only risky for the driver and the passengers travelling with him but also for others. Scientifically this situation is known as Highway Hypnosis. It is a trance-like situation that is faced by many drivers while driving.

 

What is Highway Hypnosis?  In simple words, this can be defined as a situation where a person is out of the zone while driving, and doesn’t clearly remember what happened a few seconds back. Let us for example assume that you are driving on a highway without any excessive traffic and interruption. The road is monotonous and you are listening to repetitive music regularly. As the time passes due to regular driving, you move into the situation of trance. After a few seconds, when you come out of the situation, although you had driven a few kilometres you don’t remember what had happened during those few seconds or minutes.  

 

 

Reasons Behind Highyway Hypnosis: Before understanding the reasons responsible for highway hypnosis, let us assume two situations. In the first situation, you have left your home for an office, before that you had breakfast, and also had a tea or coffee. While driving to the office you are listening to your favourite music with hundreds of thoughts going into your mind regarding your work schedule. In short, your mind is buzzing with a flood of multiple activities.

 

Well, let us now consider the second situation in which you are driving at night, and going out of your town on a highway. You are trying to reach your destination at the earliest and are willing to sleep without wasting much of your time. There are not any activities on road, you are driving constantly at the same speed without even changing the gears. You start feeling monotonous due to continuous driving, this tends to deactivate your brain.

 

Due to less activity in the brain, it tends to drift but we keep on driving without any concern about things happening near us. At the same moment if a truck or any other vehicle overtakes our vehicle by blowing the horn we come out of the trance. As soon as your mind gets active and you notice the things happening on the road. All this is due to highway hypnosis during which you drive without any consciousness, going out of memory.

 

Let us now compare both the examples mentioned above. In the first case when you were driving to the office your mind was active and communicating well with the other organs of your body. At that time you were in active mode. In the second case where highway hypnosis happened your mind was not active and not responding to other organs. You were driving on an automatic mode and driving without consciousness.

 

How to combat the problem of highway hypnosis?  The situation of highway hypnosis is risky and can lead to an accident. To combat this problem follow the following tips:

 

 

Highway hypnosis is a risky situation and can even happen during the daytime, especially if you are moving through a monotonous road. To don’t let this situation happen to you, keep the tips mentioned above and reach your destination safely.