Why are long haul trips like airplane rides and bus rides so exhausting, even though all we do is sit?
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One important consideration is the constant body position. Sitting around the house when you’re relaxing, you’ll be shifting positions periodically, leaning forward, leaning back, bearing more weight on your hipbones or your thighs, lifting or crossing or uncrossing your legs, etc.
A long car or plane ride doesn’t give you nearly as much freedom to do that. The sitting position is pretty rigid, and you might be able to lean the seat further back or more upright, but that’s typically about all the freedom you get. Add to this the fact that you’re actively balancing even as you sit, if there is any wobbling, bumpiness or G-forces on the ride. You can’t fully relax in a car because muscles in your back and abdomen are constantly responding to the little lateral forces produced by handling the car. Depending on the size of the plane and the air conditions, the same might be true on a flight.
Finally, the sensory input can be mentally exhausting. Highway driving is noisy, and can expose you to pretty fast-moving visual scenery which, even if you’re not really paying attention to it, your brain might be noticing and spending some energy on. Planes in flight are also very loud places to be. That can wear you down and push you toward mental fatigue.
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