New York recovery syndrome

A strong feeling of exhaustion on the day after (or sometimes up to several days following) a day trip to a city several hours from home.

Akin to jet lag, symptoms appear because such a trip often requires waking up earlier than one is accustomed to, spending many hours of the day seated in a car, bus, or train, sometimes as the driver, and going to sleep later than one is accustomed to.

The symptoms include fatigue, weakness, laziness, and a lack of enthusiasm. The sufferer may not necessarily feel the need to sleep during the day, but won't feel very energetic either.

While the term can apply to such travel to and from anywhere, it is named by people who live in cities several hours from New York City from where there are direct highways and regular bus and train service (such as Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia, or Washington) who take day trips to New York for business or pleasure and return on the same day.