Most of us think that we can stay awake while driving, even when we are feeling the pull of drowsiness all over our mind and body. But did you know that sleep is a strong biological mechanism of our body that we cannot stop or overtake, especially for the drivers?
Doing tricks like pumping up the volume of the radio or simply opening up the windows for some fresh air just don’t help that much. So what are the important things to know in handling the drowsiness on the road to protect everyone’s safety? Let's with Philkotse.com find them out!
What are the important things to know in handling the drowsiness on the road to protect everyone’s safety
Driving is an exhausting task that most people don’t realize until they are in the driver’s seat. Another problem is that when you are on the driver’s seat per se, it is difficult to tell when you are extremely exhausted to drive.
- Trouble focusing, frequent squinting, or tired eyes
- Staring off into space; meandering/detached considerations
- Inconvenience recollecting the last couple of miles driven; missing ways out or activity signs
- Yawning more than once or rubbing your eyes
- Inconvenience keeping your head up
- Floating from your path, closely following, or hitting a shoulder roll strip
- Feeling anxious and touchy
You snooze? You lose!
Certainly, before a man really dozes off while driving, passes in attention and delayed response times make driving with drowsiness exceptionally perilous. Driving is an intricate activity that includes a lot of small yet vital judgments with each excruciating moment. Regardless of whether you're conscious, your mind isn't working ideally to deal with these choices. Studies demonstrate that excessive tiredness diminishes our judgment and expands hazards on the road.
There is no better preparation for a scheduled long drive but to plan ahead and get at least 8 hours of sleep so your mind and body can function and be in shape for driving. However, there are situations that we can’t avoid and leave us caught-by-surprise, so here are some tips to help you stay awake while driving on the road even with the small time of preparation.
1. Take a nap before hitting the road
A study showed that even a 10-minute power nap can realign and give an immediate recharge to your neurons for a day of full of activities. Same as to driving, taking a pre-drive power nap can prepare you for a long drive and can make up for the lack of good night’s sleep.
Even if you don't have enough time to spend on sleeping, taking a nap will be a big help
2. Pull-over in the middle of the trip to take a short nap
It is inevitable to feel drowsy when on the road, instead of pushing yourself too hard to finish the drive, why not pull over and take a power nap first? This way, you will reduce the risk of accidents brought about by drowsy driving and keep the safety of everyone. You may go out your car for a while and do some stretching to keep the blood flowing again to have an alert and functioning brain again.
Just remember to condition yourself when you wake up as you may feel a lot unsteady after waking up.
>>> Read more: Sleeping In Your Car, Safe or Not?
3. Drive with your buddy
Others prefer to have a human friend with them so as to take turns every 2 hours and switch roles and take the opportunity to nap while in the passenger seat. However, for me, it does not matter whether it is a human or a dog, as long as you have someone with you during your long drive to avoid falling asleep while driving. Some dogs love to sing along when their favorite song is playing on the radio.
Having someone to talk to or to keep yourself busy with will help in maintaining your attentiveness
4. Take your time in driving, no rush
Even though rushing increases our adrenaline, it is still better and a lot safer to drive at your normal pace. Rushing can trigger medical emergencies and can impede our brain to function at its best especially in times of road hazards.
I know you may be late for an important appointment, but not rushing is worth it than putting yourself in danger
5. Avoid drinking alcohol before driving at all cost
Driving after consuming even a very small amount of alcohol is very dangerous. This will enhance sleepiness which will impair your safety on the road. Did you know that the most common cause of road accidents is driving under the influence of alcohol? Remember, alcoholic beverages are considered to be downers; so even if you think you can, your mind will actually shut down by itself when influenced by alcohol.
Driving Under the Influence is a common violation among adventurous teenagers
6. Avoid driving past bedtime hours
According to a study, our normal biological activity is that our sleepiness is most extreme between midnight to 6:00 AM. This is for normal people who have day jobs and may be different for graveyard employees. But to be sure, know your body clock, especially the time when you feel sleepy the most, and do not drive during those times as much as possible.
Know your body clock and do not drive during those times as much as possible
7. Have a cup of coffee before driving
As we all know, caffeine remarkably increases our mental alertness in the first 10 minutes after taking it. Nonetheless, the peak concentration of caffeine in the blood happens after 45 minutes and can stay in your system for about four to six hours.
But for people who are strongly dependent on caffeine to stay awake while driving, their body may build a tolerance to its effects and may feel awake for a quite lesser time. So for these kinds of people, better to bring with you a Grande-sized coffee and consume it while you are on the road.
Try eating or drinking something that will help you hype yourself up
Final Say
There are numerous others, however, the most preferred solution is to dependably ensure you get your proper rest since you can't replace a genuine sleep with anything. In case you're worn sufficiently out that you really discover yourself falling asleep, at that point the most ideal approach to stay awake while driving is to simply locate a good place and pull-over for some time. It may not sound charming, but rather it truly is the most secure conceivable move you can make.
Stop at a truck stop or roadside burger joint for some espresso on the off chance that you should, or simply give in and take a short nap. Truth be told, booking a break every 100 miles or two hours amid long excursions is really useful, regardless of whether you're worn out or not. You may have the capacity to prop yourself up with caffeine pills or caffeinated drinks, however, recall that when your caffeine level crashes, your auto may as well.
