How To Stay Awake While Driving


Here's the worst consequence of not sleeping well at night? Going on a long drive the next morning with family or friends and feeling drowsy. Now a long drive sounds fun when you are pepped up and full or energy.

However, if your eyes are barely opening and you are behind the wheels, your long drive doubles up as the world's worst hangover.

It could be dogs barking at night or children throwing their midnight tantrums that could prevent you from sleeping well. The one odd horror movie that you watch can also drive your sleep away. But you can't afford to recuperate for that loss of sleep behind the wheels. Better, learn how to stay awake while driving.

7 Tips To Stay Awake And Energized Behind The Wheels


If you cannot get out of the long drive and you are expected to drive as well, then thankfully there are a few things that you could do to ensure that the journey is not that bad. One of the things that no one wants is your lack of energy that is rubbing off on everyone and the trip being ruined even before it started.

Here are a few things that you could try doing just before you begin your journey. You should note that these are not foolproof methods and results may vary for different individuals.

01) Take A Coffee Nap Before You Hit The Road

Power naps are a common thing at the workplace. Some people find it extremely beneficial, and others just consider it to be an excuse to catch a few winks. The truth is that a power nap is better than popping an energy drink. Even better, opt for a coffee nap to supercharge yourself. Not a lot of people try this and cans of cans of the cliched energy drink is gulped down.

If you are about to embark on a long journey and are still sleepy, then taking a power nap for about an hour before the trip will be extremely helpful and healthy. A power nap is very much like a reboot of your entire system. Extra RAM from your body is freed up, and you feel a lot more energized.

02) Don't Overeat

It is customary to have a healthy breakfast in the morning before leaving for the trip. However, the healthy meal should not include the diet of ten people.

When you eat too much, it leads to nothing but drowsiness and laziness. Moreover, if you take some medicine before you start, check the warning label if it causes drowsiness or not.

03) Take Multivitamins

Vitamins are extremely underrated when it comes to the health of your body. While popping a multivitamin just before you drive will not make you fly, it will give you sufficient energy to through the journey.

As a habit, you should pop one multivitamin a day. It will not only help improve your overall health, but it will also keep you away from unhealthy methods of staying awake and energized.

04) Stop When You Feel Tired

It is something that you need to bear in mind mainly because people just want to get to places as fast as they can and this often leads to a disaster. When you're traveling long distance especially at night, you need to make sure that you take breaks now and then so you can reset your brain.

Stop, get out of the vehicle and stretch a little. Walk around for a few minutes, so you feel fresh again before hitting the road. Remember, when you feel tired there's a high chance you'll fall asleep, and that's not going to end well. If you need a quick 10 minutes nap, keep a compact travel pillow in your luggage.

05) Listen To Some Music

Yup, this is an excellent way to drive sleep away as long as you pick the right music. Don't play a lullaby or you'll head straight for the snooze zone. Carry some loud, lively music that would make you want to get up and dance. It is the kind of music that energizes your brain and will keep you awake on the road. Here's what I am talking about:

06) Keep The Windows Open

Unless it’s raining where rolling your windows open would be an incredibly bad decision, try to keep your windows down or half down the rest of the time especially at night.

One of the main reasons why you should keep your windows down is so that you get natural oxygen that helps to keep the brain active. As opposed to the air conditioning that might make you feel cozy and sleepy, keeping the windows rolled down to make you feel positive and you don’t tend to fall asleep as often.

07) Drink Plenty Of Water

One of the things you must have heard since you were young is drunk lots of water. That adage holds true irrespective of how old you are.

Some people drink water proportionately and stay hydrated through the day, and there are others that make excuses for not gulping down sufficient water. Drinking water before a long trip will help your blood to circulate and prevents your body from cramping up.

Must Read: Before You Go

Irrespective of what you may have heard or what you may believe, driving without proper sleep can be fatal to you and the others on the road as well. Driving with your eyes half closed is only as safe as driving under the influence.

While buckling up and checking the vehicle before the trip is a mandate, refueling your system through sleep is mandatory.

About the Author Jessica Larsen


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