How to Stay Alert Driving at Night
Get a good night’s sleep before departure., Eat a healthy, hydrating meal., Avoid heavy, rich foods., Take a driving buddy., Check your medications.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Get a good night’s sleep before departure.
Studies have shown that getting quality rest before departure serves as a much better countermeasure to drowsy driving than any steps you can take while already on the road.Make sure you’re on a good sleep schedule before you’ll be night driving and, if possible, grab an additional nap before you get behind the wheel.
This way you can stop the problem before it starts. -
Step 2: Eat a healthy
Eating a meal rich in whole grains, vegetables, and lean protein before you leave will help to get your trip off on the right track.
Foods with lots of water in them are also good components, as hydration has been shown to help keep the body and brain awake.You can also pack some healthy snacks such as carrots, fruit, and nuts to take with you.
These will provide natural doses of energy, and the act of chewing and the sensations on your tastebuds will also help combat drowsiness and tedium.
Though salty and sweet snacks such as chips and candy can be tempting, try to avoid them.
The sugar high and salty satisfaction they offer are short-lived and can lead to an energy crash., There’s no reason you have to starve while driving at night, but be selective about the types of foods you consume while behind the wheel.
Rich foods in large quantities such as fast food hamburgers or jumbo French fries present a shock to your body and require it to invest considerable energy into digesting it.
This investment comes at the cost of the rest of your bodily and brain function, diverting energy it could be using to keep you alert into processing that heavy sandwich or milkshake.Some foods—for example, cheese, eggs, and turkey—also contain high doses of the soporific amino acid tryptophan, so be sure you know what’s in your food before you get behind the wheel! , Sometimes you have no choice but to drive alone at night, but you should recruit a ride-along buddy whenever possible.
Recruiting a passenger won’t just give you someone to help with directions: it will also give you someone with whom to chat, laugh, and make observations and thus provide invaluable assistance in staying alert and engaged.Your car-bound co-pilot can also monitor your driving and help you decide if you need to pull over to rest or switch drivers. , Studies have shown that depressants—alcohol and other drugs which slow your heart rate and function—affect safe driving more than any other factor.
You might think this is obvious, but you also might not be aware that the medication your doctor has prescribed predisposes you to drowsiness.
To be safe, check the ingredients and counter indications of your meds before you try driving at night.You should ask your doctor to verify, but a good rule of thumb is that any blood pressure medications, benzodiazepines—for example, alprazolam, diazepam, and clonazepam—and antihistamines are likely to cause or exacerbate fatigue. -
Step 3: hydrating meal.
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Step 4: Avoid heavy
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Step 5: rich foods.
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Step 6: Take a driving buddy.
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Step 7: Check your medications.
Detailed Guide
Studies have shown that getting quality rest before departure serves as a much better countermeasure to drowsy driving than any steps you can take while already on the road.Make sure you’re on a good sleep schedule before you’ll be night driving and, if possible, grab an additional nap before you get behind the wheel.
This way you can stop the problem before it starts.
Eating a meal rich in whole grains, vegetables, and lean protein before you leave will help to get your trip off on the right track.
Foods with lots of water in them are also good components, as hydration has been shown to help keep the body and brain awake.You can also pack some healthy snacks such as carrots, fruit, and nuts to take with you.
These will provide natural doses of energy, and the act of chewing and the sensations on your tastebuds will also help combat drowsiness and tedium.
Though salty and sweet snacks such as chips and candy can be tempting, try to avoid them.
The sugar high and salty satisfaction they offer are short-lived and can lead to an energy crash., There’s no reason you have to starve while driving at night, but be selective about the types of foods you consume while behind the wheel.
Rich foods in large quantities such as fast food hamburgers or jumbo French fries present a shock to your body and require it to invest considerable energy into digesting it.
This investment comes at the cost of the rest of your bodily and brain function, diverting energy it could be using to keep you alert into processing that heavy sandwich or milkshake.Some foods—for example, cheese, eggs, and turkey—also contain high doses of the soporific amino acid tryptophan, so be sure you know what’s in your food before you get behind the wheel! , Sometimes you have no choice but to drive alone at night, but you should recruit a ride-along buddy whenever possible.
Recruiting a passenger won’t just give you someone to help with directions: it will also give you someone with whom to chat, laugh, and make observations and thus provide invaluable assistance in staying alert and engaged.Your car-bound co-pilot can also monitor your driving and help you decide if you need to pull over to rest or switch drivers. , Studies have shown that depressants—alcohol and other drugs which slow your heart rate and function—affect safe driving more than any other factor.
You might think this is obvious, but you also might not be aware that the medication your doctor has prescribed predisposes you to drowsiness.
To be safe, check the ingredients and counter indications of your meds before you try driving at night.You should ask your doctor to verify, but a good rule of thumb is that any blood pressure medications, benzodiazepines—for example, alprazolam, diazepam, and clonazepam—and antihistamines are likely to cause or exacerbate fatigue.
About the Author
Patricia Murray
Creates helpful guides on cooking to inspire and educate readers.
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