Post Range Session Fatigue (Due to Repetitive Concussion?)

[Doc_Glock]

This is a pretty random question. I have noticed a pattern that on the days I have a longer range session, firing 2-300 rounds, later that night I can hardly keep my eyes open, and have incredible fatigue and basically pass out in bed an hour earlier than usual.

The only other time I remember feeling similar fatigue is in the evening following a bunch of heavy deadlift sets. In fact, the fatigue feels nearly exactly the same. Whatever it is, it is pretty dramatic as I am usually pretty energetic, and I feel positively drugged.

I shoot at an indoor range and double up on the hearing protection. There are eight lanes so I am experiencing other's shots as well as mine. I only shoot 9mm.

Questions:

Does anyone else notice this?

What do you think the cause is?

Am I nuts to think that the cause is lots of mini blasts rocking the brain around? I have certainly seen immense fatigue in patients post concussion.

[GJM]

I notice feeling what I call "brain dead" after shooting lots of Garcia dots, and repetitive eight inch steel at 25-50 yards. I have also noticed it at Rogers on high round count days. I associate it with the concentration required to shoot lots of demanding targets. I try to take a 5-10 minute nap after shooting, when this happens, and it seems to help a lot.

[Totem Polar]

I think you're on to something, @Enel. I get pretty fatigued after each range session, myself. The busier it is, the worse it is. Also, the more goal-oriented (e.g. anything with a timer, dot torture), the more fatiguing. @GJM is also on to something: a nap. 15 min does take the edge off of "range fog."

Ever since my right eye went south, computer work has a similar effect, and practicing on my instrument (at the level and intensity I do it) wipes me out too, and a 15-min nap is great, assuming I can carve out the time during a work day.

You might be dealing with sensory fatigue, or it might just be how hard you drive yourself in practice (concentration, per George). Some time, see if you can get outdoors with a .22 and just plink around at cans for the hell of it. I bet you experience way less fatigue, even going though hundreds of rounds...

[Josh Runkle]

Yes. I have experienced this lots of times, but usually only on the rare very heavy shooting days like 750+ rounds in a day (maybe a handful of times in the last 5 years). I also have noticed it on very long shooting days, like an 8 hour class day.

When I am uncommonly tired after an 8 hour class day, I am usually surprised. I normally work at least 12 hours per shift at work, and I am usually moving around and doing energetic things at work, so, why am I tired after 8 hours?

Well, several things need to be accounted for: on a class day, I am usually on my feet for the whole 8 hours, usually in direct sunlight. While I replace my electrolytes, the sun and standing probably take more out of me than I realize, and I pay little attention to them, because I am so focused in on the activities on the range.

So, in your case, you might be standing on concrete for a much longer time than normal, for example.

AFTER you have considered the other common possibilities, I do think that the concussion from sound waves does have a serious effect. I learned this 3 separate ways:

1). I don't get as tired with over the ear protection as when I have in the ear protection only. I have heard that the area on the skull behind your ear is very sensitive, but I'm not a doctor, and have zero idea besides anecdotal evidence.
2). Using rifles in a shoot house, especially hallway areas has a HUGE effect on me. Now, I would never do this without a suppressor (for the concussion, not the sound).
3). I've gotten super tired like that on the explosives range, where I've been in the shade most of the day, and been off my feet for good portions riding the bus back and forth to the bunker.

While all of this is totally subjective, I'm a believer. I try to avoid shooting in enclosed spaces for extended periods without a suppressor and a good reason (does it benefit training?). I try to wear over the ear hearing protection to protect the back of my ear during extended shooting sessions. I try to keep my head out of the side wall areas of an indoor lane during extended shooting sessions, and shoot outdoors whenever possible.


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[GJM]

I would be very interested if your fatigue was the same, after shooting an equivalent amount outside.

[LSP552]

For me personally, it's more mental drain making me tired if I'm working challenging drills. I shoot a lot on an indoor range now and have previously spent a metric ton of time in shoothouses with pistols, MP5s, M4s and 14" 870s. The indoor aspect never seemed an issue. The focus necessary to do hard stuff always was, indoor or not.

[txdpd]

What you're probably experiencing is directed attention fatigue, it can manifest itself in many of the same ways as exercise induced fatigue.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5126404/

You're not getting many "mini-concussions", and worrying about is just another stressor. That's not to say that exposure to loud sounds can't have their own effects. If you're worried about that, you don't want to know what deadlifting does to your blood pressure.

Shoot in the morning when your brain is still fresh and hasn't been stressed on a computer or smart phone. See your optometrist, make sure your eyes and/or glasses are set up for focusing on the distance of your front sight. Medications like Statins, diphenhydramine, and sleeping aids can make it worse. Shorten your range sessions and take more breaks while shooting. 3-5 grams of L-glutamine before and after shooting might help. Eat healthy, sleep a lot, drink water, and all that other hippy nonsense too.

[Peally]

Interesting, usually the reason I'm leaving the range after 300 rounds is because I only brought 300 :P

200 rounds is a moderately sized match. That's a crazy ass amount of fatigue for just shooting for an hour.

[Doc_Glock]

Going hypothesis: my brain gets tired focusing on this new task. Wants sleep now.


I think you all nailed it. When I shoot I tend to be highly focused during that hour or so. I am still pretty new to the sport so it is hard to be both focused and relaxed like a higher level performer can be.

Not worried about it, just wondered. Thanks for the replies.

[LittleLebowski]

I think it's fatigue from concentrating so much. Brain fatigue if you will.