Excessive sleep when driving is one of the most dangerous situations that any motorist can experience. By falling asleep at wheel, you have many possibilities of causing traffic accidents that might finish in a tragedy for you, your passengers, other motorists and pedestrians.
In today’s ride, we are going to tell you about the danger of falling asleep when driving, as how to avoid it and other tips. Take notes, but, above all, rest before going out.
Excessive sleep when driving, why this occurs?
The excessive sleep when driving can be caused by many factors. Even though this problem is related with the lack of rest and the consumption of alcoholic drinks, these aren’t the cause of this phenomenon; even though, not for that, are not one of the main factors.
Sometimes the risk of falling asleep while driving is due routine factors, such as driving itself.
Automatic pilot
Do you remember when you learned to drive? Maybe you were pretty nervous and make dumb movements, right? You will also remember that the first time you drive, your senses were at the 100% and you were alert of everything and everyone that surrounds you; it was so much like that, that the simple fact of listening to the radio or having a conversation with your passenger was extremely difficult.
Well, over time, and as you perfected your driving, your brain learned to perform all the steps until driving, from mirroring* to the order to press pedals automatically. And nowadays, it isn’t necessary to think in these movements, you simply and easily perform them.
In short, you drive in automatic pilot mode, as saying something. This isn’t bad, but danger happens when this automatic driving exhorts you in your thoughts, make you being lost.
In addition, the stable vibrations at low frequency are present when driving, generating a similar state to lullaby, for that, even though you are not tired, you can be in a somnolent state.
It’s weird that the previous leads you to fall sleep, but can make you loss the concentration. You should always be alert even though you are an experimented driver.
The car, a rocking chair
Besides the already mentioned information, exist other factors within car that can make you fall asleep.
One of them is to have a bad ventilation or having a high temperature within the car. The hot weather, in addition to increase fatigue, incite to sleep. You should always allow air to circle within a car when a case like this is present.
Another inner factor can be lighting during night. If the lights of your board or auxiliar lamps within your car provide a bad lighting, you will generate a scenario that will make you fall sleep easily, mostly, if you drive tired.
Even though listening to relaxing or classic music is not bad, try to not do it, due could lull you without noticing. Another tip is to don’t adopt a posture extremely relaxing at wheel; of course you can drive without worrying about it, but this shouldn’t be taken lightly neither.
If you have conditioned air, direct it to your arms and body, but not to your eyes. This will help you to be awake.
The early bird not always gets the worm
When going out or trying your best for getting early to work, is normal to want to drive during night, or in all case, before sun shines.
Yes, is recommended to avoid morning traffic, you must know that the most dangerous hours to drive are between 3 and 5 of morning, such as 2 and 4 pm.
In the first, your brain doesn’t awake completely, mostly if you don’t have a correct rest; in the second, present a called day time sleepiness, that occurs when you have an energy slump, besides crossing it with the mealtime, for that, if you eat in excess, sleep might invade you.
A great breakfast
Even though we know a cup of coffee can be your loyal and inseparable mate during morning or night, don’t exceed with this stimulating. Even though can help to mitigate excessive sleep when driving, don’t forget that only masks the fatigue during one moment, for that, it can detonate at any moment and with more intensity; don’t exceed so much if you have a long ride to cover.
Of course, is evident, but talking about drinks, we can’t stop reminding you to don’t drink alcohol while driving. Besides hindering your reaction times when taking decisions, can also relax you more than you should have when driving.
Relax
In extremely long projects, is recommendable that every two hours stop your car and stretch your legs. Give some steps around and stretch out. Your limbs will thank you, and you will drive the somnolence away. In general, rest 15 minutes before continuing with your road.
Rest and drive safe
Traffic safety begins from home, and sometimes, from an intimate space as your bedroom. Try to avoid fatigue, sleep early when you have an important ride by highway and rest.
Avoid any activity and drink beverages that affect directly your ability of attention. Remember, sleep at wheel might be eternal if we don’t take the correct cautions.
