Falling Asleep At The Wheel

Please reread the original post.

Chris K says he is a delivery driver for FedEx. I don't know of any delivery drivers that drive between the hours of 1AM to 5AM.

I may be wrong, but with medical studies and other issues, I see one day all night driving for commercial vehicles to stop.

Man is not a nocturnal creature by nature. By Nature. Some do like night driving and handle it very well. But most don't. And Medical research has found that trying to stay awake at night can be as dangerous as having a blood alcohol level of 0.1.

I totally agree on the point of being sleepy during those hours. I too can't stand to drive at night. Those are one of the reasons. Staying awake.

But that doesn't seem to be Chris' problem. He is making deliveries so he is driving during the daytime hours.

Keep it safe out here, the life you save might be your own. Joe S.

It may sound odd, but try lemonjuice and water mixed...The large amount of vitamins and minerals will refresh and reenergize your body, while possibly the taste will keeps your eyes open for sure! LOL I know this since I've pulled lots of overnights at my job, but not trucking. I wouldn't offer the advice if I didn't think it'd help on the road, though. It also has longterm health benefits for the bonus. Plus, many people say they've been able to give up coffee in the mornings with it, where it perks you up so well. Let me know if you try it.

I would like to add that you should try munching on baby carrots as you drive. It's a super healthy alternative to chips and the crunch wakes your brain up. Apples are also very good to eat, the natural sugars in apples help keep you energized through the night. I have no problem night driving as long as I get a decent amount of sleep. But before I night drive I make sure I have about 2 pounds of baby carrots with me and I'm good to go.

Avoid the high calorie snacks like chips, soda, etc. Just because you wash it down with water doesn't help you in any way. Stay hydrated throughout the night, soda actually dehydrates the body. Watch what you eat out here.

But like others have said, if you're losing the battle then just park it. Going off the road is much more dangerous in a semi and the load can always be rescheduled. Take a nap, go for a jog - revive yourself.

Absolutely if you're starting to nod off then pull over and either walk around for 5 minutes or talk a short power nap.

Overeating will most certainly make you sleepy also which was already suggested.

Having the temperature in the cab too warm will also make you sleepy. Keep it a little cooler in there.

Of course one of the best ways to stay awake is to have something that's interesting to you. With satellite radio there are a million stations to choose from. There's something for everyone. And once you get in a big rig you'll have the CB radio. I couldn't begin to count the number of times I would head off on an all-nighter, hook up with someone to run with, start shooting the breeze, and suddenly the sun is coming up! Some of the most interesting conversations I've ever had in my life were on those all-night runs and they passed the time like I was in a time capsule.

I will echo what Tinker G said at the end of the post. If you have to start doing tricks to stay wake then you are to tired to be driving. You need to park it and get a nap. There is absolutely no reason or excuse to drive tired. NEVER.

Well, folks, I've been on the road for 6 months now and lovin every bit of it. Get to see lots of cool places and people. Really love drivin through Canada. Their have been times when I would almost doze off and here's my tip: Get you some of that Diet Arizona Green Tea from Wal-mart or order it online. That stuff will keep you awake alll day long. Drink the whole thing if you have to. It only has 1 carb in it and 1 sugar, 10mg of sodium(won't make you hungry later) and no calories in it. Not to mention it has green tea in it which is supposed to be healthy. Don't drink too much tea though if you got kidney problems.