I keep falling alseep at the wheel when I'm driving...What is a good remedy to stop this from occurring??

Question

This usually happens after a day at work. The drive home is about 30-40mins long with traffic and I always drift off and my biggest fear is getting into an accident.

I am very concerned about this now because today I drifted off and bumped into someone's truck. I woke up in the nick of time and said "oh Sh!t" and braked!! Thankfully, They let it go but my car does have a small scrape and crack in the bumper now :-( but it could have been worse.

Are their any remedies I could do to stop this from happening??
My day usually consists of getting up at 6am, getting ready, eating small breakfeast, then leaving for work around 7:20am. It takes about 30mins to get to work. I get their usually about 7:50 or 8am. I start at 8:30am. I am a teacher so I am moving all day. Finally my day ends at 5:30pm. Sometimes I go over to my parents which is about 5mins away from work. Sometimes I catch a quick catnap and then I leave to head home at 630. I go to bed usually at 1130 or midnight.

For everyone that says try coffee...I hate Coffee, I do not drink it. Also I've tried the music really loud and the open windows too and neither one helps. Driving with someone is not possible. No one who lives out in my area works near me and vice versa. And I have to drive. I can not go without driving. I try to go to sleep earlier but usually that doesn't happen. Either I stay up way too late doing something work related or just watching TV.

I don't know if its heredity either because my dad falls asleep watching TV shows or anything on TV but never while driving.

Answer 1

Six hours sleep is not enough. Bottom line, you need to go to bed earlier. If you start to feel like you're going to nod off, pull over. You've had a warning, luckily no one was killed. Next time you might not be so lucky. Pull over and have a nap, get out and walk around. Leave your window open and the radio turned up. 30 - 45 minutes isn't a long drive, there might be some psychological reason about cars and sleepiness. Have your cars exhaust checked, you might be getting CO2 poisoning. You need to solve your problem, it's like driving drunk. Good luck.

Answer 2

Hello, you are a teacher. YOU should be able to figure this out. I am assuming that you are not an English teacher, you are using the wrong there in your question.

Our bodies need 8 hours of sleep a night. That is fifty six hours a week. By my calculations you are getting about 6 to 6 and 1/2 on school nights. That puts you behind more than one full night of sleep each week.

GO TO BED BY TEN. GET SOME REST.
I thought you had narcolepsy. BUT YOUR ARE JUST TIRED. Work out your evening activities so you are in bed by 10. No matter what.
Save lives of those on the highway that you are endangering.

Get some rest. and have Happy Holidays.

Answer 3

drink strong coffee (caffeine) before you leave work. And take either more coffee with you or cold soda.

There are studies for narcolepsy if you think you have that. Otherwise the lights at work could be too bright, there could be a glare or the lights are facing you instead of being at your back, or maybe they are causing you to get dizzy, or just simply tiring you out. Stress can make you tired as well. But so can the change of seasons and the time change during the year. Maybe you're trying to do too many things (accomplish too many things).

Are you wearing glasses with UV protection in it? You might want to start with these.

Answer 4

First off, you don't realize how many people come into the ER from falling asleep at the wheel and not to mention the people they have injured/killed.
I suggest you to have an overnight bag and stay at your parent's house when you are feeling tired.
You are not getting enough hours of sleep each night.
Don't eat a meal within 3hours before you go to bed/nor sugar/caffeine. Take a shower/bath to relax your body for sleep.
Why are you still at school at 530pm each day? If able, what can you do to get out of there earlier each day?
If you feel your eyes droop while driving...PULL over and rest.
On the weekends...also go to bed same time and wake up the same time. There's is no "make up" time for sleep. It doesn't help.
Driving with windows opened..cool air rushing in and the radio on be-boop music might help to keep you awake...also chewing gum.
Good LUCK!

Answer 5

Try going to bed at 10 instead of 11:30 or midnight, drink plenty of water or fluids before you leave the job and NO catnap before heading home from your parents. You might also need to see a doctor and see if nothing more serious than just being tired is going on.

Answer 6

You probably aren't getting enough sleep. Admit it, you are tired at the end of your day! Therefore your body requires more sleep.
This is especially true if you are not in great shape. So get some zzz's! That's the only thing that will stop your problem.
Try that first and if you are that tired, then STOP DRIVING, pull over at a safe place and sleep a bit! If getting more sleep doesn't help you might be narcoleptic. That is something a doctor has to treat.

Answer 7

You should go to the doctor you may have sleep apena. I have it, I like you fall asleep sometimes when driving. I try to get more sleep and I always take a drink and usually a snack when I drive . So when I fell I am begining to get a little sleppy I drink and snack as I drive home. It helps me.

Answer 8

1. Go to bed earlier.
2. Have u tried caffiene?
3. Roll down the windows, blast of cold air might help.
4. Blast the radio (never works for me though).
5. Don't drive...although this may be a last resort...; )

Answer 9

Get more sleep. Go to bed at 10 or 10:30.

Answer 10

Jesus..you could die...if the catnap at your parents house works..and you get home safe and awake...do that...maybe even just put your head down at your desk and nod off for a few minutes...or in your car...set your cell phone alarm...15-20 minute power naps help