As the sun sets and the miles pass, fatigue becomes our shadow but never our friend. The pleasures of a riding vacation can melt into frustration if a rider pushes the day's miles beyond his or her abilities. This article discusses the elements of fatigue, how to recognize its subtle signs, and how to ride more safely.
This article sponsored by:
Fox Creek Leather - Made in the USA
High Quaility American Made Motorcycle Leathers
Excerpts from the full article by Don Arthur, M.D.
SLEEP RHYTHM
Each individual requires a specific, genetically set, amount of sleep. Most people require about 8 hours of sleep but the 'normal' range is somewhere between 6 and 10 hours. Einstein required 10 hours of sleep each night. Sleeping 2 hours less than required significantly decreases one's performance and alertness. These affects are cumulative - sleeping less each night eventually results in a sleep 'debt' which must be repaid to return the brain to baseline function. The good news is that the debt does not have to be paid in full hour-for-hour but it must eventually be paid by obtaining deep sleep, not multiple short naps. Unfortunately, one cannot 'bank' sleep - accumulate sleep in anticipation of the need.
Researchers have also documented a Drone Effect which describes individuals who become momentarily functionally incapacitated, also known as "microsleeps." These periods manifest as a few seconds of open-eyed sleep, paralysis, blurred vision, or other effects of which the victim might be unaware except for a vague feeling of having missed something - parts of a conversation or a section of highway. Traveling at 70mph (113kph), a rider covers 103 feet (31 meters) per second - that's the length of a football field in just 3 seconds.
FATIGUE EFFECTS
Our brains are marvelous computers but they grow weary of constant activity and must be refreshed. Much like an hourglass, our mental processing power slowly ebbs as the fatigue debt increases. The transition affects all performance functions and occurs in such an insidious, gradual manner that we are not usually aware of the decrement. This is especially true if we are engaged in a high skill or high tempo activity where the activity distracts attention from the growing fatigue debt.
Although responses to fatigue are individual, there are three common factors that seem to predicate one's functional decrement: (1) task skill level, (2) level of training, and (3) inherent biological factors. The more practiced and proficient one becomes in a given task and the more complex the task, the greater is the resistance to fatigue. Likewise, greater levels of training and experience seem to have protective effects. We cannot control genetically imprinted biological functions but we can certainly affect skill and training levels. In general, less experienced riders are at greater risk than those who have built up their experience level, giving more credence to the wisdom of slowly building one's riding limits.
Signs of Fatigue
- Slow reaction time
- Reduced awareness/vigilance
- Impaired memory
- Impaired decision-making
- Loss of situational awareness
- Performance decrement
Effective resting. There is no substitute for sleep in paying the fatigue debt. Once fatigued, functional ability must be refreshed by replenishing the brain's nutrients and restoring its very delicate chemical balance.
COUNTERMEASURES
It's amazing how the constant din of road noise can induce fatigue. Hearing protection significantly decreases this stress. Although not intuitive, most disposable hearing protection cuts out the background noise of the road while allowing conversation and other meaningful sounds to be heard more clearly. They will also decrease the long term hearing loss associated with exposure to constant environmental noise.
Some sleep is better than no sleep but merely resting is no substitute for sleep. Performance tests have shown improved mental and physical function even after very short naps regardless of whether a person notices the difference. Research has shown that any amount of sleep over 5 minutes is helpful and will have a cumulative effect. The more naps taken, the better. Waking from a nap longer than 45 minutes but less than 2 hours can cause "sleep inertia", a state of groggy disorientation which lasts 15-20 minutes. Thus, the most effective 'nap' is one which lasts at least 5 minutes but not longer than 45 minutes. Whenever naps are taken, you should seek a comfortable location which will allow uninterrupted sleep with minimal external stimulation.
You cannot overcome fatigue! You must learn to recognize it and take effective action - REST!
No ride is worth your life!
Dr. Don Arthur is a Navy physician who's been riding nearly 40 years with about a million lifetime miles. Before medical school, he was a mechanic for a H-D shop in New Jersey. His first bike was a 450 Honda which he owned for only a month before buying a full dress Harley-Davidson. Since then, he's owned a series of Harleys and BMWs.
Read the full article by Dr. Don Arthur - Fatigue and Motorcycle Touring here.
It contains much more detail on how to minimize fatigue as well as detailed signals that you are becoming too tired to ride safely. You may be surprised at some of these symptoms, so be sure to read the entire article.
Webmasters
