Learn about why deadhead logs so rare and valuable, people actually risk their lives looking for them, from author and TV host Kevin O’Connor. Then, we’ll answer a listener question about why you feel tired after you take a long trip. Additional resources from This Old House host Kevin O’Connor: From This Old House, Clearstory is a podcast that sheds light on the surprising stories behind our homes — https://www.thisoldhouse.com/clearstory More about This Old House — https://www.thisoldhouse.com/ Follow @KevinOConnorTOH on Twitter — https://twitter.com/KevinOConnorTOH Follow @ThisOldHouse on Twitter — https://twitter.com/ThisOldHouse This Old House on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/user/thisoldhouse Why Traveling Makes You Tired by Ashley Hamer (Listener question from Samuel in London) University of Tsukuba. "Why do we fall asleep when bored?." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 29 September 2017. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/09/170929093400.htm Snooze mobiles: how vibrations in cars make drivers sleepy | RMIT University https://www.rmit.edu.au/news/all-news/2018/jul/vibrations-cars-drivers-sleepy Lawrence E. Armstrong, Matthew S. Ganio, Douglas J. Casa, Elaine C. Lee, Brendon P. McDermott, Jennifer F. Klau, Liliana Jimenez, Laurent Le Bellego, Emmanuel Chevillotte, Harris R. Lieberman, Mild Dehydration Affects Mood in Healthy Young Women, The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 142, Issue 2, February 2012, Pages 382–388, https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.111.142000 Subscribe to Curiosity Daily to learn something new every day with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer. You can also listen to our podcast as part of your Alexa Flash Briefing; Amazon smart speakers users, click/tap “enable” here: https://curiosity.im/podcast-flash-briefing
Learn about why deadhead logs so rare and valuable, people actually risk their lives looking for them, from author and TV host Kevin O’Connor. Then, we’ll answer a listener question about why you feel tired after you take a long trip.
Additional resources from This Old House host Kevin O’Connor:
Why Traveling Makes You Tired by Ashley Hamer (Listener question from Samuel in London)
Subscribe to Curiosity Daily to learn something new every day with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer. You can also listen to our podcast as part of your Alexa Flash Briefing; Amazon smart speakers users, click/tap “enable” here: https://curiosity.im/podcast-flash-briefing
Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/why-deadhead-logs-are-so-rare-and-valuable-w-kevin-oconnor-and-why-traveling-makes-you-tired
CODY: Hi! You’re about to get smarter in just a few minutes with Curiosity Daily from curiosity-dot-com. I’m Cody Gough.
ASHLEY: And I’m Ashley Hamer. Today, you’ll learn about a type of log that’s so rare and valuable, people actually risk their lives looking for them, from author and TV host Kevin O’Connor. Then, we’ll answer a listener question about why you feel tired after you take a long trip.
CODY: Let’s satisfy some curiosity.
When you think about buried treasure, you probably don’t think about trees and lumber. And yet! Deadhead logs are sought-after and could make you rich… if you’re willing to risk your life for them. Today to share the story is Kevin O’Connor, host of the Emmy-winning home-improvement series “This Old House.” He just wrapped the first season of his new podcast, Clearstory, which sheds light on the surprising stories behind our homes. And today Kevin joins us with a brief history of deadhead logs — starting with what happened when European colonists first arrived in America hundreds of years ago.
[CLIP 2:45]
Okay, so WHAT makes this stuff so valuable? Depends on who you ask.
[CLIP 1:38]
CODY: Again, that was Kevin O’Connor. His new podcast is called “Clearstory,” and all 10 episodes of the first season are available for you to listen to right now! Find Clearstory wherever you listen to podcasts, or look for a link in today’s show notes.
ASHLEY: We got a listener question from Samuel in London, who asks: "Why do I get super tired after extremely long car trips or train rides? Most of the time I'm just sitting down doing nothing or sleeping, but I still always become super tired. Can you please explain why?" Great question, Samuel!
As someone who falls asleep almost immediately on any long trip, I definitely know where you’re coming from, Samuel. There are a lot of elements at play when you travel that can add up to that sleepy feeling. The biggest, though, is boredom. I mean, whether you’re in a plane, train, or automobile, there’s not a whole lot to keep you occupied on a long trip. A study in 2017 found that the same part of the brain that’s responsible for motivation can also produce sleep — so when there’s nothing particularly motivating around, we tend to get sleepy. That part of the brain is called the nucleus accumbens, and it’s packed with receptors for a tiredness-triggering molecule called adenosine. Both caffeine and motivating stimuli can interfere with these receptors and keep you from getting sleepy — but without either of those, it’s a one-way ticket to snoozeville.
Studies have also found that the gentle vibrations of a vehicle are also really good at lulling us to sleep, though scientists aren’t totally sure why. A 2018 study from Australia had people drive in a virtual simulator that was set up on a vibration platform. It only took 15 minutes on a low vibration for the participants to show signs of drowsiness — and by 30 minutes in, staying alert took significant effort. When it comes to staying awake en route, the relaxing hum of the engine isn’t doing you any favors.
And of course, there are all the little things: on travel days, you probably wake up earlier than normal, eat less-than-nourishing food, and generally send your normal routines out of whack. You also may be dehydrated, whether from recirculated air in a plane or just forgetting to drink water in general, and studies suggest that can make you sluggish. So what should you do about it? Honestly, take a nap! But if you’d rather stay alert, here are a few things to try: Talk to your travel buddies to keep your mind active. Drink caffeine to fool your adenosine receptors — just make sure to follow it with lots and lots of water. And try your best to eat healthy meals so you don’t have a food coma or sugar crash to make things even worse. Thanks for your question, Samuel, and good luck! If you have a question, send it in to podcast at curiosity dot com.
CODY: Before we recap what we learned today, here’s a sneak peek at what you’ll hear next week on Curiosity Daily.
ASHLEY: Next week, you’ll learn about
Why your next relationship will probably be like your last one;
How researchers could deliver life-saving drugs more effectively by tweaking your body’s red blood cells;
Surprising things that happen to a woman’s body during pregnancy;
Where scientists found the oldest material on Earth;
And more! Okay, so now, let’s recap what we learned today.
[ad lib optional]
CODY: Today’s listener question was written by Ashley Hamer, who’s the managing editor for Curiosity Daily.
ASHLEY: Today’s episode ws produced and edited today’s
CODY: Have a great weekend, and join us again Monday to learn something new in just a few minutes.
ASHLEY: And until then, stay curious!