Are you thinking of embarking on a journey using the bus? Then, it’s imperative you understand why the seats can be so uncomfortable — so you can figure out a remedy. Have you asked the question — Why Are Bus Seats So Uncomfortable? — and you’re so keen to get a response? This article is for you.

Let’s proceed.

Why Are Bus Seats So Uncomfortable?

Buses are designed to accommodate much weight on their axles, which means that it’s necessary they have very stiff springs in their suspension. This is responsible for a very harsh, bouncy, and uncomfortable ride — which can be fatiguing for a driver who must deal with it for as long as the journey lasts.

How To Stay Comfortable When Traveling By Bus

Traveling in a bus means you’ll be locked in, in an enclosed space, for a couple of hours with other persons, so it’s advised you be in the know of these travel tips. Before you begin the journey, ensure you learn the necessary things — which include:

1. Packing Drinks & Foods

• Carry water bottles along

Depending on your trip’s distance, you wouldn’t want to fail to carry with you two bottles of water — at least 2. There’s a size of bottle that fits perfectly into a backpack or purse: it’s the 16oz.

– Ensure those bottles of yours have replaceable lids. The one tagged as the best is the “screen-on” kind.

– There are bottles that have small-mounted openings — carry them along. The nature of bus rides is, they’re quite bumpy, so if you take with you bottles with wide-mounted openings, you’re most likely to get soaked.

• Get a pack of healthy snacks from home

Since you’re, to a large extent, not likely to be able to purchase healthy foods at the various bus stops, it’d be best to, from home, pack foods that are nutritious. Snacks such as fruits, nuts, sandwiches, and boiled are healthy and easily transportable.

• Bring snacks which are made for travel

There are a couple of amazing travel food companions, a few of which are cookies, crackers, prepackaged granola bars, candy, chips, and gum. Since they’re made in such a way that every individual will get an equal share, when you begin the journey, they’re a perfect choice for snacking.

2. Entertaining Yourself

• Make sure you do not forget your iPod

If you eventually choose to travel to your desired destination by bus for whichever time interval, you’ll probably need something that’d divert your attention from the distance of the journey — entertainment. Carry along varieties of your favorite songs and ensure you don’t leave behind your headphones or earbuds.

• Bring a Kindle or a book

In the repetition of what we mentioned above, you’ll need entertainment. You can only begin a discussion with your seatmate, talking about her several ailments for a long period of time. Is there a book you’ve always wanted to read? Take it along with you. Also, you can use that time to meet up with the new episodes of your favorite seasons.

• Get to work

On your iPad or even your laptop, before the journey begins, make sure it contains rough drafts or outlines for articles, reports, or memos on which you can invest your time while embarking on the trip. Do you have jobs you’ve been lazy to attend to? That’d be an amazing time to get them done, hence passing time.

• Take note about the trip

As you take a look out the window of the bus, search for possible inspiration. Write down, or type, every moment involved in your travel experience. Write a song, create a poem, or even a story. As an option, you can also work on a blog post or simply convert your feelings or thoughts into words.

• Download a GPS app

Before you get inside the bus to begin your journey, ensure that a reliable GPS app has been downloaded. There are areas around which you may not have the ability to get reliable WiFi, so it’ll be quite important to install a handy navigation app. It is as well an amazing way to pass time as you get your eyes glued to your screen, watching the miles approach your destination.

3. Maintaining & Stretching Good Posture

• As much as you can, move around

It’s a cumbersome activity to move around the bus, especially when you want to avoid annoying other passengers on the bus. Ensure you don’t forget that moving your spine is an ideal thing to do — because sitting in a single position for quite a long period of time has a way of making your back muscles stiff.

• While sitting still, stretch

Sitting can give rise to the various kinds of stiffness and tension in your body, but there are times that standing up to stretch can’t be regarded as an alternative. Give a few of these stretches a try while you’re still in your seated position.

– While sitting, you can find a way to freely stretch your hamstrings. What you have to do is, sit at your seat’s edge and, in front of you, ensure one leg is straightened having the heel placed on the floor. Sit straight up. After that, go ahead and arch your back — do it without leaning your body’s trunk forward. Hold for up to 30 minutes and, for each leg, repeat about 3 times.

– Locate the flexor muscles of your hip and stretch them; do this while sitting. Sit on your seat’s edge, make sure you’re leaned forward, then place one of your legs behind you (maybe under your seat) as much as you can while anchoring your toe right on the floor. The next thing to do would be to sit up straight while ensuring that your leg is placed behind you. For up to 30 seconds, hold the position — then make sure the whole process is repeated with the other leg.

• Check your posture often

It’s no news that sitting for a long period of time can negatively affect your low back. When you sit with a very poor posture, your spine experiences more strain. Check yourself regularly so you would know when to self-regulate your sitting position.

– You have to ensure that your back is nicely aligned against the rear of your seat when you’re in a sitting position.

– Try adjusting your headrest until it’s able to support the middle of the back of your head.

– At all times, try to keep your shoulders straight. Also, do anything possible to avoid hunching forward.

– Look for the footrest and make sure that your feet are placed and resting on it, while sitting. Alternatively, you can rest your feet on the floor — the one in front of you.

• Wear comfortable, layered clothes

Having comfortable clothes on has a way of allowing you to rest more easily and move easily. Make sure before you board a bus, you’re dressed in layers, because inside the bus, you have no control over the temperature therein. Let your base be a tee or a tank and then try wearing a sweatshirt or a long-sleeve shirt over it.

– If you have a scarf — a large, thin scarf — don’t forget to bring it along. Aside from using your scarf for fashion and warmth, you can also use a scarf for the purpose of coverage if you discover that there’s no available bathroom. If you want to sleep, you can make use of a scarf to cover your eyes. It could also be used as a makeshift pillow, if you roll it up.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why Do Bus Seats Have Weird Patterns?

It is actually to cover spillages, germs, and stains on the seat. The more bold and bright a seat cover, the trickier it is to see all the stains. The illusion allows our eyes to focus on the pattern instead of any strange marks on the seats.

Are Buses Comfortable?

As safe and tranquil as traveling via motorcoach is, passengers can make their trip even more pleasant with a little extra planning. Here are seven tips to ensure your time spent touring by bus is the ultimate in comfort. Most motorcoaches have comfy seats that recline slightly and a climate-controlled environment.