In this blog, we will take you through some ways how to stay awake while driving.
Sleep is the primary thing our body needs to function. Sleep is a rest period for the body to revive, replenish and re-energize. When the body is at work, even without doing much at all, the body is constantly at work internally.
So when we pull all-nighters at work, at home, or when on the commute, it may seem easy to talk about, but to do is a daunting task. The body that time desperately needs rest, but if that’s not a possibility, especially if you’re driving, here’s how to stay awake while driving.
Table of Contents
Let’s Consider The Numbers First
Before moving to the ways on how to stay awake while driving, let’s first consider the number of accidents that take place due to falling asleep at the wheel.
This phenomenon is graciously called Drowsy driving and is just as bad as drunken driving since it caused 91,000 crashes in 2017, with 50,000 injuries and almost 800 deaths. In 2020 alone, there have been 633 deaths, according to reports. However underestimated, over 6000 cases in a year take place in a year due to drowsy driving.
How To Stay Awake While Driving?
Staying Awake And Alert
Get Your 8-Hour Sleep In
An early nap means sleeping for the incoming amount of hours you’d be awake ahead of time.
You’d need to sleep really early during the day to get the required 8 hours of sleep to stay awake and avoid chances of drowsy driving. Skipping the nap would naturally lead to drowsiness and sleepiness kicking in on the drive. This could be avoided by pinching or hitting yourself. Still, according to a study by sleep medicine specialist Nancy Foldvart Schaefer, DO, MS, we humans have not adapted to severe sleepiness under sleep-deprived situations.
Grab A Travel Buddy
Conversations can last a while or even all night when you pick the right person to travel with. A person who can stay up as long as the road goes on.
They can help as a talking alarm clock to keep you alert or even take turns on the wheel while you take a quick break in case you get tired.
Put Some Music On
If you have a radio or MP3 player in your car, it is a good idea to keep yourself jamming to your favorite tunes. Crank the volume up to at least 90 decibels, which should be loud enough to keep you awake while driving. Plus, you can practice your vocals while you’re at it.
Put Down The Windows
In case you start feeling drowsy or sleepy, put the windows down. The cold air blowing you should distract you enough to stay awake longer. While cooling you down, it can create a good amount of background noise to keep the drowsiness at bay.
A Pit Stop
Driving for a long time can really get on your nerves and is lethargic as well. 5he best thing to do in this scenario is to take a quick pit stop, get out, and get the blood flowing with a little walk or try moving a limb while driving to maintain blood flow to the limbs.
Consumables To Keep You Awake
Coffee Is All-Nighter Buddy
A cup of coffee is your best friend for all-nighters. At this point in time, everyone is already familiar with coffee and how helpful it is to pull all-nighters. Caffeine-based drinks like energy drinks with less or zero sugar, like Monster, Gatorade, Redbull, and more, should help boost caffeine intake and stimulate the nervous system to stay awake.
Any caffeine-based candies, if available, should also be helpful in all-nighter situations, especially driving all night on road trips.
A 100-Calorie Meal
The calorie count is gradually gaining popularity among the health-conscious. Sadly, not many are aware of the benefits of being aware of calories and calorie counts while consuming certain meals during particular times of the day.
Make sure to have at most 100 calories, as this will lead you to feel drowsy and tired, which could be dangerous before a long night drive.
While on the drive, watch the portion size of any snack you have picked up on the way. Have half of the snack in one interval. And have the other half on the next interval when you get hungry.
Choose fruits, veggies, whole grains, and proteins instead of junk food or fast food.
Vitamins May Help
In case you weren’t aware, particular vitamins can help give you the required energy to stay awake all night. If you are looking for vitamins that can help, vitamins B and C are good stimulants that help you stay awake while driving. You should have them after a healthy meal and speak to the doctor before taking any action so the vitamins don’t disrupt the working of any current ongoing medications.
Chew Gum
Your brain can work itself out without you doing anything. It does a lot, from thinking to regulating oxygen blood flow, releasing hormones, sending signals to body parts, and much more.
While driving, the brain has to alert itself to everything in the given situation, from maintaining a safe distance between cars, driving at a constant speed, and being alert for incoming vehicles from every direction.
In any case, if you feel tired, opt for chewing a piece of gum, which will keep your mind distracted from the drowsiness and tired feeling.
Signs You Are Getting Sleepy
It is a good idea to take notes of signs and actions that direct you to getting sleepy or drowsy besides the obvious tired feeling. Without taking note of the following symptoms and signs, driving drowsy would be a serious matter, which could lead to an accident.
The following are some symptoms you are getting sleepy:
- Yawning and eye rubbing frequently
- Loss of memory of the last few miles or past distance traveled.
- Dozing off or eyes getting heavy
- Missing important traffic signs or driving past a turn you meant to take.
- Drifting in and out of lane
Conclusion
It is always a good idea to prepare for a big task like pulling all-nighters on the road. Doing anything on the road is a sign of disaster, so take good note of situations you will encounter and apply the above tips and advice to stay awake while driving.
Nevertheless, those were the ways how to stay awake while driving. And remember to drive safely, much depends on you at the wheel.
