Highway hypnosis reveals about our mind’s ability to focus attention internally on our thoughts yet still maintain an external awareness of driving conditions in order to still drive safely . The fact that we can process and respond to information on multiple levels simultaneously represent sophisticated aspects of human consciousness and is the subject of neuroscientific research. The monotony of the road slows down your brain, leaving you less alert and functioning on autopilot. ‘Road hypnotism.' was first coined in an article in 1921 The term 'highway hypnosis' was coined by G. W. Williams in 1963.

1. by
Col Mukteshwar Prasad(Retd),
MTech(IITD),CE(I),FIE(I),FIETE,FISLE,FInstOD,AMCSI
Contact -9007224278, e-mail –muktesh_prasad@yahoo.co.in
for book ”Decoding Services Selection Board-A Career in Armed Foces
As An Officer” and SSB guidance and training at
Shivnandani Edu and Defence Academy
High Way Hypnosis

2. What is hypnosis?
 Hypnosis is a highly focused, absorbed state of attention
where you become more receptive to new ideas and
perspectives.
 Hypnosis is known as an amplified learning state and
can help you learn skills both consciously and
unconsciously (automatically) more easily.
 Given how much of improving your health and well-being
is based on learning new skills and perspectives, the
focus and comfort of hypnosis to facilitate such learning
is an especially helpful tool.
 The merits of hypnosis to enhance treatments for anxiety,
depression, chronic pain, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
and many other conditions is well documented in the
scientific literature.

3. High Way Hypnosis
 Most of us do not remember the details of drive specially on a lone monotonous
road with little variation in signs and scenes unless something different like flat tyres
, cow blocking the main road etc. This is a phenomenon that has come to be called
highway hypnosis.
 While driving through town and coming to a halt at a red light, you realize you can’t
recall the last several minutes of your drive. Did you use your turn signal? Stop at
stop signs? Follow the speed limit? You have no idea.
 Highway hypnosis naturally occurs when our attention is occupied with things
other than driving. It may be Song on the radio,Review of something significant
,Child prank waiting at home or Wife ‘s birthday etc
 Highway hypnosis reveals about our mind’s ability to focus attention
internally on our thoughts yet still maintain an external awareness of driving
conditions in order to still drive safely .
 The fact that we can process and respond to information on multiple levels
simultaneously represent sophisticated aspects of human consciousness and is the
subject of neuroscientific research.
 The monotony of the road slows down your brain, leaving you less alert and
functioning on autopilot.
 ‘Road hypnotism.' was first coined in an article in 1921
 The term 'highway hypnosis' was coined by G. W. Williams in 1963.
 At first, it was thought that highway hypnosis might be the cause of
unaccountable motor vehicle crashes.
 However, researchers now understand that highway hypnosis isn’t the chief
concern; rather, drowsy driving is the greater concern, especially so in these

4. Driving Safely on Automatic
 The old metaphor of consciousness being the visible tip of
the iceberg and the unconscious being everything beneath
the surface has been modified to describe consciousness as
a snowball on top of the tip of the iceberg.
 We have learned more about non-conscious information
processing.
 Many studies have highlighted that people can absorb and
respond to information and environment cues without really
being aware of it called “Priming”.
 Priming gives rise to so-called “automatic” or non-conscious
responses.
 This is what makes it possible to drive a car safely even when
preoccupied with other things.
 This is a different process than what occurs when someone is too
fatigued to drive safely
 According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,
drowsy driving contributes to over 100,000 crashes and 6,500
deaths a year in the US .

5. Automaticity is a Gift
 We do lots of things in our life automatically, mostly things we
have significant experience and practice with.
 Ride our bikes without thinking about maintaining balance,
 Talk to a friend while walking,
 Read words fluidly or
 Speak without planning each word ahead.
 The more we relegate routine actions to automatic behavior,
the more we free our awareness up to pay attention to things
that are more novel or complex.
 It is an advantage evolutionarily to expand the number of things we
can do on automatic if we are to continue to evolve higher and
higher order capacities.
 One can be on automatic for as long as conditions remain
stable.
 In terms of highway hypnosis, you can be assured that as soon
as your attention is needed because the car in front of you hit
the brakes or an animal ran in front of your car, your moments
of reverie will be over and you’ll respond readily.

6. What it feels like
 You may not always realize when highway hypnosis takes over — at
least, not until you’ve snapped out of it.
 Some warning signs you might notice include:
 Sleepiness
 Loss of concentration or mental fogginess
 Wandering thoughts
 A dull or dazed feeling
 Slow reaction time
 Heavy eyelids or frequent blinking
 Other telltale signs include catching yourself drifting into the next lane
 Another person in the car with you might also notice you have a blank
expression or glassy-eyed stare.

7. Why it happens
 1.Tired drivers and fatigue may be one reason
 2.Monotonous roads
 Monotony plays a significant part in this phenomenon.
 A 2003 study used a driving simulator to study the effects of road monotony on
56 experienced male drivers. The participants “drove” on two different
simulated roads (One with only one type scenery and other with multiple
visulals elements like trees farms etc) for 40 minutes at a time.
 Researchers found that the drivers tended to show more fatigue while driving
on the more monotonous road.
 Fatigue peaked after approximately 20 minutes of driving.
 This suggests highway hypnosis may happen very quickly on
monotonous stretches of road, not only after long periods of driving.
 3.Brain inattention
 Our oculomotor system, or the system that controls eye movements, also
plays a part
 While driving on well known road or staring at unchanging road for a long
period of time, your brain begins to depend less on retinal feedback, or
what you actually see.
 Instead, brain begins to depend more on mental prediction of what you’ll

8. Why it happens…..
 Sleepiness
 The likelihood of experiencing highway hypnosis does go up when
you’re tired.
 Like monotony of the road Fatigue can lower brain alertness.
 Processing by brain of what you see is slower than usual and relies
on mental predictability and autopilot instead.
 Other factors like road monotony, the blurring white lines, and trees
stretching endlessly toward the horizon, can combine with drowsiness
to lull you into a trance-like state.
 Fatigue can also get worse if you keep driving.
 Longer time spent driving can increase your chances of experiencing
highway hypnosis and even make it more likely you will fall asleep.

9. How to handle it
 If you start to notice the warning signs of highway hypnosis, try these tips
to increase your alertness.
 Take a break
 The longer you spend on a monotonous task, the more likely your brain will
switch to autopilot mode.
 When planning a driving trip, make sure you allow enough time for a stop
every hour or two.
 Get out of your car and move around as much as possible.
 Go for a brisk walk, or run in place.
 If you feel tired but need to keep driving, a short nap can help you recharge.
 Have some caffeine
 If you feel sleepy while driving, caffeine can help boost alertness
 Taking sips of a drink or having a snack can help break up the monotony of
driving.
 Talk or sing
 Talking to someone can help keep your brain engaged.
 Get off the road as soon as you can, and then connect the call.
 It’s also totally fine to talk to yourself.

10. How to handle it….
 Make some environmental changes
 Put on loud, upbeat music or engaging talk radio.
 Avoid anything that could make you feel sleepy or less attentive,
such as soft, slow music.
 Roll down/up the window. Depending on weather condition rollup or
down to keep you awake
 Drive with an upright seat. Putting your seat up straight before you
leave can help you maintain good posture and prevent being over
relaxed.

11. Preventing it
 Preparing yourself with these strategies can help you avoid highway
hypnosis.
 Try a new road or alternate highway route
 Eat lightly
 Have a light meal and pack a few snacks for the road.
 Make an all-new playlist
 Paying attention to new content may help keep you more alert than listening to
the same things you usually listen to (even if you really love them).
 Get enough sleep
 Highway hypnosis is more common in tired drivers. Making sure you get
enough sleep before hitting the road
 Driving at night may increase the likelihood of experiencing highway
hypnosis or falling asleep behind the wheel, so try to drive during the day
whenever possible.
 The bottom line
 Highway hypnosis leaves you less than fully alert with serious
consequences.
 Lower your risk by taking steps ahead of time to keep yourself more