Does anyone have any tips of how to avoid getting sleepy when driving?
60Hi Zsuzsy,
I can't say I have the answer, I can only tell you what happens to me when I find myself so tired I cannot keep my eyes open. I certainly try the common things, opening the windows or blasting the radio, sometimes it works. When it doesn't, and I realize, oh dear, this is really bad, then I have to pull over, whether to just rest for a while, or get out of the car and walk around. Or, stop and get a coffee somewhere, and stay there and drink it. I had one scary time when I actually closed my eyes for what I thought was an instant, only to see myself heading straight for a schoolbus. I also know there are pills out there, but I don't recommend that, and I don't say this from personal experience cause I don't take pills, but they have been known to work, supposedly you can ask any trucker.
I hope you find what works for you, other than making sure you don't drive when you are so tired, or, conversely, get so tired from driving.
Patty
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Hi Jason,
This is something I never considered, or tried. I'll certainly keep it in mind, and pass it along to my daughter as well, she tends to get very sleepy when driving for an hour or more at a time.
Thanks for the tips!
Patty
Thanks Patty & Jason. It's very odd I'm an insomnia under normal conditions. 4-5 hours a night is the most I manage. Put me in a car whether I'm driving or not and I get sleepy within the first hour. Audio books work well but only if they're ones I haven't listened to (read) before. I was hoping someone might know of a magic herb tied under my nose that might work...hehehe
Thanks again regards Zsuzsy
You're welcome Zsuzsy, sorry I couldn't be of more help. My daughter is the same way, could have even had a good night's sleep, but put her in a car and driving any more than an hour and she wants to go to sleep. In fact, when she was a toddler and wouldn't take a nap, we would just put her in the car and go for a ride, it was magic LOL,,,
take care,
Patty
Drink a lot of Red Bull.
Jason Stanley says:
2 years ago
This may sound a bit compulsive, but it has worked when necessary.
It only takes about one minute total to stop the car walk around it once or twice then get back in and resume you speed. Set a timer, do it every 10 minutes. Do it even if you are not yet sleepy from the last time you did it. It will keep you awake and not allow sleep to sneak up on you.
The cost? At 60 mph you travel on mile a minute. So in one hour you will lose 6 miles - not much when you think about it. If you are in a real jam and have to be somewhere and are driving through the night, then you will lose about 30 or 40 miles total for an all nighter. That will only mean an additional drive time of 30 or 40 minutes - and a safe arrival.
Of course the best thing is, sleep through the night and drive when rested - but of course real life doesn't always play by the rules.