How to Stay Awake While Driving from Long Haul Truckers
Let’s face it long hauls are boring following about the initial 10 or 20 miles! Your tires make that humming sound against the road, which does not exactly add to whatever music you are playing. Most of the scenery on long hauls is the exact same, particularly if you have driven the haul before – you have noticed all there is to see. These two potentially deadly combinations, the “white noise” of the tires and absolutely nothing visually thrilling to keep your attention (unless you like road kill, and if you do, don’t tell me), contribute to road fatigue, which is what causes the eyelids to droop.
“No problem,” you believe. “I’ll pull over and grab something to assist me stay awake!” And, sure enough, when you walk into your favorite truck stop there are all sorts of energy and sugary goods promising they offer the best way to stay awake whilst driving. But time and testing have shown that these quick fixes not only pose a health danger but also make you even much more tired than you were before as soon as the effects put on off. Come on! You know what I’m talking about. We’ve all downed a big bag of M&Ms attempting to keep alert behind the wheel, only to crash and burn as soon as we’re over the sugar higher.
So, what do you do? You’ve got a lengthy haul assignment – nice! – and you know you’re going to get tired. Some experienced truckers have some attempted-and-true techniques to stay alert while you’re traveling thousands of miles for hours on finish. These suggestions to remain awake while driving) have helped truckers maintain it secure, simply because aside from the poor weather, driving when you’re sleepy is just about the subsequent very best way to cause an accident.
Cat-nap prior to obtaining on the road. Studies have shown that even if you sleep for much less than an hour, your physique receives crucial rest it needs to help you remain awake into the night. Pull over and take 20-minute energy-naps whilst en route when you need them as well. Do not try and fight your fatigue to save time you might end up hurting other people and yourself.
Consume a wholesome meal following your pre-route nap. I know, I know! Grabbing that fast meals when hitting the road is handy, but the fat, salt and sugar makes you tired. Power meals consist of complicated carbohydrates and protein, which will give you lengthy-lasting stamina. Eat whole grains – one hundred % ones, not the “contains whole grains” issues – lean meats, fruits, veggies … the good stuff! These foods will assist keep you awake on your route.
Listen to your mom and take your vitamins. Particular trucker vitamins, like B’s and C’s, give you power. Just make certain to take them with your healthy meal, or your body will not absorb them and you will not realize their complete advantages.
Move when you get tired. Pull over, get out of your cab and stretch your legs. You’re sitting for extended periods of time and you need to move about to maintain your blood flowing this keeps your energy up. Heck! Keep the authorities happy at the exact same time by using a fast truck and trailer inspection as your excuse to stop driving for a second. A stroll about your rig should perk you up.
Crank up the volume of your music if necessary. Music affects your mood which, in turn, impacts your fatigue level. If you are feeling a small sleepy or even down, listen to some lively music that you can sing along with. Who cares if you cannot carry a tune? Only you and your rig can hear you!
Maintain snacking even although you ate a meal your mom would be proud of before you hit the road. Make certain your snacks are healthy, although. Remember the M&Ms? Certain, they taste much better than a piece of fruit, but you do not want to ride that sugar rollercoaster when driving lengthy haul. Snack on something wholesome instead, like a bag of almonds.
Listen to an audiobook – just do not make it War and Peace! Maintaining your thoughts occupied will help you remain awake. Perhaps you like to pump your adrenaline with a scary novel, or suspense is your gig. Whatever you’re into, as soon as you get tired of singing, pop in an audio book and listen to somebody else’s voice for a whilst.
Do annoying things to yourself. Okay, I know, you’re considering, “are you severe?” Yes, I am. Rub the roof of your mouth with your tongue, pinch your earlobes or your arm or leg, smack or tickle yourself, whatever it requires to chase away the sleepiness. Do not hurt yourself, of course. Just do some thing that will irritate you out of your sleepy state.
Open your windows and let the oxygen flow! This functions especially well if it is toasty warm in your cab and cold outside. Like diving into cold water, cold air provides your system a temporary jolt, shocking your sense into alertness. Careful, although, this – and irritating yourself – only functions temporarily, so you want to pull over at your next rest quit and take that energy-nap.
10 Ideas from Long Haul Truckers: Staying Awake While Driving
Maintain yourself hydrated and steer clear of caffeine. Once more, I know you’re considering, “are you severe?” Yes, if you drink tons of water you’ll have to quit every 10 seconds to pee – I get that. However, you can’t let yourself dehydrate, either. Dehydration is an instant fatigue-causer, and do not load up on coffee. Not only will the caffeine in coffee wear off, but caffeine is also a diuretic, which will make you pee much more than the water you ought to be drinking and increase your dehydration.
These are plenty more than just 10 ways to remain awake while driving. There are numerous other people, but the best answer is to usually make sure you get your correct winks because you can’t replace your need for actual sleep.
The feds – you know ’em – the Federal Motor Carrier Security Administration has some pretty strict guidelines on how a lot you can drive in a day to avoid driver’s fatigue and accidents. Certain, you know you can deal with more, but maintain in mind security is worth 1 heck of a lot more than pushing yourself just to make good time. After all, if you get into an accident, you’ll face losing the load you were tasked to shield, hearing it from your boss – ugh! – and, well I do not even want to say it, but possibly something worse like your license or your life. Keep it secure, my buddies, and avoid fatigue when you are on the long haul.
