Yesterday, as I rode the 4 train home from work, I noticed that no less than half the people on my train had their eyes closed. Occasionally I would see a head start to bob back and forth or a jaw start to loosen as a mouth opens just a smidge. All the while I sat listening to Pearl Jam's No Code on my iPod, wondering the cause of all this sleepiness (and the reason for my unearthing of No Code).
Sadly, I could come to no real conclusion. My girlfriend helped me come close to one, as she pointed out that most of New York is overworked, stressed out and stays up way past its bedtime. I agree with this, but it certainly doesn't effect everyone. There are well rested, stress free, jobless people who still seem to nod off when the train starts moving.
So, I bring this to you faithful reader. Why is New York so sleepy? Better yet, why is the world living in this half-awake, half-asleep fog from 9am on Monday through 5pm on Friday?
01/14/04 2:02 PM
Perhaps it is the movement of the train that makes some people sleepy. For me, riding as a passenger of a car, train, boat or plane makes me very tired. And this isn't a characteristic unique to me. Lots of parents take their sleepless kids for rides in the car to get them to fall asleep.
01/14/04 2:10 PM
Though I don't live in NYC, I can understand why people are tired throughout the day. My cycle runs like this: saturday and sunday I sleep late and thus go to bed late and so monday mornings are very tough to wake up to. Sometimes I'll take a nap after work on mondays which causes me to be up late and be very tired on tuesdays. Lather, rinse, repeat. Also, I think every body moves in cycles throughout the day. While you are at work, you know that you must expend energy to focus and concentrate and pay attention. Then when you finally don't have to do that anymore (like on a train ride home) your body slips into a valley of rest and relaxation. Just my theory.
01/15/04 1:30 AM
SF is the same way-I sleep on the bus as do many others on my bus. We suck too.
01/15/04 10:03 AM
People may close their eyes on the train to avoid eye contact with other straphangers. Not much to look at on a train except ads.
01/22/04 5:22 PM
My theories:
-- Carbon monoxide in the subway tunnels.
-- Allergic reaction to the old-lady perfume worn by the girl in the faux-fur shortie jacket. Eyes are swollen shut.
-- Only way to avoid staring at the boobs on the cute Latina in the Budweiser ad.
-- They don't like the look of you.
-- Their eyes are only closed when other people are watching them.
-- The springy bouncy motion of the train at a certain speed is a perfect replica of a rocking cradle.
-- Savoring the memory of late-afternoon sex in the supply closet.