To any "road warriors" why does this happen?

Got back from week 2 of an unknown "road assignment" at work. It is an enjoyable change of pace, But like all "road assignments" I come home very, very tired. I mean way more tired than a normal friday night. When I traveled on the road years ago the same thing happened.

To any other "road warriors" out there, why do you think this happens? Here's the deal. I leave monday almost the exact same time as I leave for work. 3 hour trip. I work until 5ish. Dinner break and sometimes an hour to 90 minutes of evening work, say 3 of the 4 nights I am there. While that seems like more time at work, realize that my "commute" in this town is effectively zero. I can and do work at my hotel or a coffee shop a 5 minute walk away. The courthouse, the only place I "need" to be at, is 10-15 mins away and the walk there is mostly part of the day as I rarely start or end there. So taking commute into account my time is fairly close, just more productive. Friday I leave and the trip home is about 2-3 more hours than normal.

That all being said, why after such a week does one feel like they had 7 days of work instead of 5 and so much more tired than usual? Probably not one right answer.

Start with sleep and dietary considerations.
Does the driving or "hotel living" involve altered sleep cycles as to either time or quality?
Are you eating meals at a different time table?
Is the exercise level modulated by the travel in any way? Strange town but no gym visit that you might normally make?
Is there altered water intake due to changed circumstances?
Would you get up and chat at the "local" courthouse but not do so at the "remote" courthouse? If so, it might be exercise levels.
Altered awakening? If you awaken at home, are you exposed to "the dawn" but if you awaken in a hotel room there will be a Night/Day transition that lacks the gradual dawning that your brain needs to re-entrain escaped circadian rhythms.

I have noted previously that I have enjoyed unemployment for years now, so this reply is based on old experience.

First, I agree with the assessment that altered sleep is an important factor. It takes me at least two nights to accept a new bed, which really wipes me out on trips when I move each night.

Second, when I was working away from home, I found I had a tendency to work more intensely than when I was working at my regular location and interacting casually with colleagues during the day. I don't know whether this applies to your work, but it could be an important factor.

The biggest problem for me is sleeping in unfamiliar beds. Even if it's only an hour or so less sleep than you get at home, that adds up over several days.

If you're making several trips to the same area, I would look for a hotel with a very comfortable bed and/or one where you can sleep well, and demand to only stay there. Tell your boss (probably honestly) it affects the quality of your work. More generally, find a hotel chain where the beds are consistent and comfortable. Personally anything in the Marriott family works well for me.

I would think the problem is mostly psychological. While most everybody (unlike me) works a standard 5-day work week, each of those days ends with the person going home. Home is the familiar place, and a family place for most, as well as the place of great rest. You get home, kick off your shoes, watch tv, eat dinner, sit on the toilet, climb into your familiar bed, etc, etc. There's a nice routine that exists for most people that ends their day, and prepares them for the next.

If you're traveling for the week, then you miss out on all the familiarity that comes with ending each day at your own home. No matter how nice the hotel room is, it's still not your home. No matter how great the bed is, it's still not *your* bed, not *your* sheets, not *your* pillow. If there is family or loved ones involved, there's the sense of missing out on being with them. Even if you can talk on the phone, or skype, or anything else, it's still not the same as being with the people.

As a slightly non-related example, most people know of the psychological studies that have shown that owning a pet is a great comfort, not only to the owners, but also the pets. The act of petting a dog has been shown to lower blood pressure of the owner, and the dog. While I've always known this, I only recently acquired a dog, but more importantly, after a particularly harrowing day at work, from which I came home entirely pissed off and angry about the world and everything in it, my dog comforted me. Just seeing his happy face and wagging tail calmed me immeasurably. And petting him did actually make me feel better, make me forget about the crappy day, and allowed me to sleep well and wake up the next morning not even caring about the previous bad day.

So, if that kind of comfort can be obtained by the mere presence of one animal, imagine if you have more pets, or your family, or just plain your own home. Again, it's the familiarity and the comfort, perhaps unknown, unseen, and unmeasured, that we really get from our own home. Thus, if you're gone for a week, you never really get that comfort feeling, at least not as good as you do when at home, and thus you arrive home from a business trip feeling a little worn out, or maybe, more accurately, not as comforted as you would during a normal week.

Stress. What you do on the road is different in some ways from home and it causes hormones to release... i.e. stress. Your body feels stress from the work difference, the environmental stress of a different bed, etc. The hormonal changes alter the quality of your sleep. You are more tired as a result. BTW, if your work at the Courthouse is trial-related, I think on a professional level I can confirm to you that no matter how comfortable we get in the courtroom with advancing age, the process remains highly stress-inducing.

BTW, I agree on the Dog thoughts!!

Quote: midwestgb

Stress. What you do on the road is different in some ways from home and it causes hormones to release... i.e. stress. Your body feels stress from the work difference, the environmental stress of a different bed, etc. The hormonal changes alter the quality of your sleep. You are more tired as a result. BTW, if your work at the Courthouse is trial-related, I think on a professional level I can confirm to you that no matter how comfortable we get in the courtroom with advancing age, the process remains highly stress-inducing.

BTW, I agree on the Dog thoughts!!

I'm guessing you're a field landman, rather than an attorney, but I could be wrong. I'd say that driving, even in optimal conditions, is more stressful on your body than most work you'd be doing at a hotel, coffee shop, or courthouse researching documents. As midwest stated, your hormone levels are going to be affected. Under stress, the body releases more cortisol/norepinephrine, etc., which I understand to wear the body down faster because it spends more time in fight-or-flight mode. Thus, in addition to the factors of adjusting to a different bed, different environment, being away from the known comforts of home/family, I wouldn't discount the driving factor as a major contributor

Quote: seviay

I'm guessing you're a field landman, rather than an attorney, but I could be wrong. I'd say that driving, even in optimal conditions, is more stressful on your body than most work you'd be doing at a hotel, coffee shop, or courthouse researching documents. As midwest stated, your hormone levels are going to be affected. Under stress, the body releases more cortisol/norepinephrine, etc., which I understand to wear the body down faster because it spends more time in fight-or-flight mode. Thus, in addition to the factors of adjusting to a different bed, different environment, being away from the known comforts of home/family, I wouldn't discount the driving factor as a major contributor

I am kind of between the landman and the attorneys, filling in the blanks. But not a bad guess. There is no driving once I get to the assignment-my car does not move for days at a time while there. The commute on Monday and Friday could be a factor though.

Keep the answers coming, I am waiting to reply to some until we get a few opinions.

Difference in humidity and elevation is my biggest enemy when traveling. I also hate hotel rooms with a passion.

I don't think the distances are that great, humidity may be a factor though. Most of the ills attributed to stewardesses breathing fumes and recycled pathogens are more likely due to the ultra-dry air caused by pilots who skimp on the bleed air from the compressor to save fuel. Driving in certain circumstances can be a source of dehydration too.

Its not just the unfamiliar surroundings of a hotel room. After all, thats what hotel bars are for. Its the heightened alertness required by unfamiliar situations. Happy Hour at home is different than Happy Hour on the road. At home you can heed the error message "Windows Can't Find That File, How About A Glass Of Wine Instead" whereas on the road in some unfamiliar surroundings you can't quite heed that error message because of the inherent need for a higher degree of vigilance. That bimbo two bar stools away might be a sharpie with her eyes on your wallet or her eyes on your drink.

I would still focus most on sleep patterns and the gradual dawning of the day rather than an abrupt transition to light via an alarm clock.

When you're away from home, your subconscious never really relaxes. You're always aware on certain levels that you're not at home protecting your family and your dwelling and it eventually exhausts you. This is especially hard on married soldiers in wartime.

Quote: EvenBob

When you're away from home, your subconscious never really relaxes. You're always aware on certain levels that you're not at home protecting your family and your dwelling and it eventually exhausts you. This is especially hard on married soldiers in wartime.

This makes quite a bit of sense. Along with the higher level of situational awareness. On the latter that includes having to think to do the more basic things. If you ever drove home and kind of don't relaize how you did it that is an example of low situational awareness. When you need to think just to get somewhere and such it is a higher level.

Keep this going, folks. Some of this I have thought of but some not.

Quote: AZDuffman

This makes quite a bit of sense. Along with the higher level of situational awareness.

I don't like doing a lot of traveling because I never feel quite right. I'm always aware of a different bed (even when I'm asleep) so my dreams are different. Everything you do is not your normal behavior and this takes its toll. I'm at home right now and am very relaxed. But I'm still aware of whats going on inside and outside my house, it a natural instinct to protect whats yours. I know all the escape routes in case of emergency. I'm in control here. When I'm away, not only am I not in control of my home, I'm not in control of the place where I'm staying. That means tension, and tension is exhausting. Ever notice the overwhelming feeling of relief you have when you get home sometimes? Its relief that everything is fine, even though you weren't there to make sure of it. Its relief that you can finally relax.

Quote: AZDuffman

I am kind of between the landman and the attorneys, filling in the blanks. But not a bad guess. There is no driving once I get to the assignment-my car does not move for days at a time while there. The commute on Monday and Friday could be a factor though.

Keep the answers coming, I am waiting to reply to some until we get a few opinions.

I have a family friend who has done O&G work (as a landman and broker) for over 10 years, and he has done the same thing: drive out 3.5 hours Monday, stay in a comfortable apartment, drive back to his wife and home Friday afternoon. Where he stays away from home is in a very nice apartment, nice area, comfortable bed, and everything around him is familiar. Despite this, he says he is always a zombie on Mondays and Fridays (after the drive). Having done similar things, including staying in a furnished apartment, I stick with my answer that the drive stresses the body out, even if it is a "relaxing" or "stress-free" drive. I don't have a wife or kids that I would subconsciously worry about, but I could definitely see how that might factor in.

Unfortunately, I don't think this family friend has ever figured out a way to overcome the extra tiredness. Try to eat well, drink plenty of water, get some exercise, and stick to a fairly regular sleeping schedule as much as possible -- and avoid the landman trappings of going to sleep with a few whiskeys every night. I know that sounds like your mother giving you advice, but I don't know what else to say. Keep grinding

I sense a pattern here ... Driving sucks. It is stressful as hell. Studies show that commuting by car is one of the most stressful things you can do and takes years off your life. I would do whatever you can to avoid the solitary motor commute -- carpool, take the bus, or bicycle/walk. Even leaving the car at home for one a day could improve your mood.

I actually like driving long distances -- I find it relaxing -- but short city driving is horrendous.

Quote: seviay

Unfortunately, I don't think this family friend has ever figured out a way to overcome the extra tiredness. Try to eat well, drink plenty of water, get some exercise, and stick to a fairly regular sleeping schedule as much as possible -- and avoid the landman trappings of going to sleep with a few whiskeys every night. I know that sounds like your mother giving you advice, but I don't know what else to say. Keep grinding

Now that it will be week 3, and a short week this week, I hope to get some walking in daily. At an old job I walked 4 miles or so before work daily. (taking a break from the hot or cold in a casino, but i digress) The thing is for the first time ever I really like what I am doing on the road, just wish I wasn't walking dead by thursday. Water has been an issue and I am working on that one. I need to buy a case of bottles as all hotel water sucks. The solstice will help me sleep in past 5:15 AM. Avoiding the whiskey on my own until my boss lets me expense some Johnnie Walker Blue Label...............

Out of curiosity, how did he like landman work?