Getting tired while driving? I can relate. My first car was a 1999 Nissan Pulsar, and I bought it from my cousin, who had just got his truck drivers licence and was going to start on regular long haul trips. I was so excited when I picked it up from Wellington and drove it straight home to Auckland, a ten hour drive: start to finish.
I had work down in the Waikato the next day, and set out early in the morning so I could make it there by 8am, spending a couple hours on the road.
Heading out past the Bombays, I started to notice myself drifting off into a short microsleep. When I quickly came to my senses, it was only due to the sound of the side of the car rubbing up against a motorway partition.
Within 24 hours of owning The Silver Pulse, as it had been named, I’d managed to give it an unintended scratch-job right down the side of the body thanks to fatigue. I tried to tell myself it looked like racing stripes. Yeah, right. Safe to say, I was not happy, but I considered myself lucky to be alive.
Just goes to show, you don’t need to be on an epic road trip to start feeling tired behind the wheel.
It might be a big day at work, lots going on at home, a few big nights in a row — whatever it is — a microsleep can happen 10 metres or 1,000kms from home.
Now, a microsleep isn’t a power nap. It’s a 30 second episode of sleep, the kind that hits when you’re watching TV on the couch and start to doze off. They can happen at any time, and you definitely don’t want them to happen while you’re driving a car
So, here are our top 5 ways to reduce driver’s fatigue:
- Breathe deep! Fresh air is key to staying awake and alert, so keep a window open with a cool draft, or take the air conditioning off of the recirculate function, so you’re bringing fresh oxygen in through the car.
- Stretch it, shake it! If you need to, a good way to fight fatigue and stay alert is through a bit of simple exercise. I have been known to jog around the car in each direction a few times, bust out a downward dog, or just swing my arms around uncontrollably.
- Stay hydrated. It goes without saying, but staying hydrated is essential to staying awake, especially on those long-haul trips. The other upside is that it’s impossible to sleep with a full bladder! Water is good, I don’t recommend going crazy on the energy drinks, it’s not much fun once the caffeine wears off.
- Avoid truckstop foods. Choosing the right food is key if you’re going to arrive at your destination in good shape. Try to avoid the heavier foods like breads and pasta, and go for energy-enhancing foods like fruit and fresh veg. Carrots are great, and will last a while without getting soft.
- Turn that music and sing! If you’re feeling drowsy, don’t let your passengers fall asleep, turn the music up and get those road trip vibes buzzing. Being surrounded by sleepy people isn’t good for staying awake and alert on the road!
If you’re on your own, and you’ve already sung your way through your favourite Spotify playlist, I seriously recommend giving a friend a call. I’ve done this for a couple of friends, and you can tell it really makes a difference — you can hear it in their voice!
If the worst comes to worst, and you just can’t shake the drowsiness, please don’t continue to drive! Find a local motel where you can spend the night, or if you really need to, catch a bit of shut-eye in the car.
It’s better you get home safe, than not at all. Don’t let driver fatigue get you. Eyes up, music up, pull those windows down!