# Tips for not falling asleep at the wheel **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 3, 2009, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-not-falling-asleep-at-the-wheel/488182 "2009-03-03T19:26:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-not-falling-asleep-at-the-wheel/488182/1 "2009-03-03T19:26:10Z")
I do quite a bit of driving these days, so I no longer encounter this problem. But most people who have driven long distances probably are familiar with the feeling of not being able to keep your eyes open. No matter what you do, your eyes just start closing and then your system shocks you back to life or the rumble strip wakes you up or something worse happens. Its one of the worst feelings. The only thing that seemed to work reasonably well was taking continuous sips of water. Does anyone have any other tips? ---
**Author:** ![gang\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f07891/32.png) [@gang\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gang_green)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-not-falling-asleep-at-the-wheel/488182/2 "2009-03-03T19:28:43Z")
Gum. Chewing or bubble. Or eating - chips, whatever. Keeping your mouth moving can help quite a bit. My brother tends to turn the AC very very cold, as well. Not my thing, but it works for him. ---
**Author:** ![filling\_pages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9bd4f/32.png) [@filling\_pages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filling_pages)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-not-falling-asleep-at-the-wheel/488182/3 "2009-03-03T19:32:37Z")
I’m not a cigarette smoker, so when I get highway hypnosis I find that smoking a black and mild or some other nasty, cheap little cigar gives me the boost I need to keep alert. Makes me want to brush my teeth and shower, though. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-not-falling-asleep-at-the-wheel/488182/4 "2009-03-03T19:33:35Z")
Well, caffeine. But other than that, listening to favorite, high-energy songs is good (especially if you’re driving alone and can sing along at top volume). Sometimes, cold wind in the face can help. (But I figure it goes without saying that when one is feeling like that, one should not be driving unless absolutely necessary.) ---
**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-not-falling-asleep-at-the-wheel/488182/5 "2009-03-03T19:38:21Z")
Stop and take a nap if you are actually tired or stop and walk around if you are just bored. Get more sleep in general if this is a daily problem. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-not-falling-asleep-at-the-wheel/488182/6 "2009-03-03T19:46:19Z")
Cold air and loud music usually work for me, and when that plan fails, I drink a pint of water. Needing to pee can keep me awake for an hour. If the drive’s longer than that, I stop and nap. Wherever I’m going is probably not worth my life, or worse, someone else’s. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-not-falling-asleep-at-the-wheel/488182/7 "2009-03-03T19:46:27Z")
Best not to be in the situation at all, stop and rest. But otherwise, loud music, opening a window, and caffeine help. ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-not-falling-asleep-at-the-wheel/488182/8 "2009-03-03T19:53:59Z")
Sunflower seeds. One at a time or a mouthful, with the window down or an old coffe cup to spit the shells into. Wakes me up everytime I’m on a road trip. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-not-falling-asleep-at-the-wheel/488182/9 "2009-03-03T20:00:34Z")
One of the few situations where power napping works for me. I set my cell alarm for 30 minutes past when I set my head down – a powernap’s supposed to be shorter than that but it takes me a couple minutes to get to sleep. If I sleep for more than that I am too loagy and might as well sleep for a couple more hours. If I’m not tired enough to sleep or it is in the middle of the night where they don’t want you sleeping at a rest stop, I stop at every rest stop and run to the rest room and back to keep my metabolism up. I might try running a bit more than that, maybe a lap around the parking lot of the rest area, to see if that works even more. Re: caffiene. It works better if you don’t use it till you absolutely need it. Not having any caffiene at all is better than having 3 cups worth near the beginning of the trip and trying two more at 5 am. I’m more tired when I do that than having almost nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-not-falling-asleep-at-the-wheel/488182/10 "2009-03-03T20:01:10Z")
Cold air (windows down, night breeze blowing hard), lotsa caffeine pills, energy bar / sugar (but not TOO much food), loud music, singing, and good conversation – preferably all at once. Especially the loud music and conversation part. Nothing keeps you as awake as trying to scream the same thing to your friend for the fifth time at the top of your lungs. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-not-falling-asleep-at-the-wheel/488182/11 "2009-03-03T20:02:14Z")
Regarding power napping, I would really feel sort of weird sleeping at a rest stop. But for those of you with tinted back windows on your vehicle, I bet parking away from everyone else and sleeping in the back would work. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-not-falling-asleep-at-the-wheel/488182/12 "2009-03-03T20:04:22Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > Regarding power napping, I would really feel sort of weird sleeping at a rest stop. But for those of you with tinted back windows on your vehicle, I bet parking away from everyone else and sleeping in the back would work. I’ve done this many, many times… parking in the back (or among a crowd of cars) works fine. Nobody cares. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-not-falling-asleep-at-the-wheel/488182/13 "2009-03-03T20:07:11Z")
Drive really fast so you Have to stay alert. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-not-falling-asleep-at-the-wheel/488182/14 "2009-03-03T20:19:29Z")
The US National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has a study and recommendations on this topic: [Drowsy Driving](http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/drowsy_driving1/Drowsy.html) I’m somewhat startled to see that although the NHTSA panel _seems_ to agree with the conclusion I’ve heard most often, that the only real prevention is adequate sleep, the report doesn’t clearly emphasize that in plain language, and talks about caffeine and the like (under “Countermeasures”). ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-not-falling-asleep-at-the-wheel/488182/15 "2009-03-03T20:19:57Z")
I find celery really works well. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-not-falling-asleep-at-the-wheel/488182/16 "2009-03-03T20:23:11Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I find celery really works well. Um, where do you stick it? ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-not-falling-asleep-at-the-wheel/488182/17 "2009-03-03T20:30:34Z")
Is that peanut butter in your pants…? ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-not-falling-asleep-at-the-wheel/488182/18 "2009-03-03T20:37:42Z")
Or Cheezwhiz? ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-not-falling-asleep-at-the-wheel/488182/19 "2009-03-03T21:00:48Z")
A quick sugar fix wakes me up. I have a supply of tic tacs (or similar) whenever I am about to be in the car for more than a couple of hours. One or two is enough to wake me up. And it works immediately. Two summers ago, I drove 1300 miles from Missori to Vermont. None of my stops lasted for more than 15 minutes. (Gas, burgers, restrooms, and brief walks) Left at 4 am cdt and got there 1 am edt the next morning. (20 hrs) ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-not-falling-asleep-at-the-wheel/488182/20 "2009-03-03T21:05:59Z")
Crunchy, salty foods. The act of rummaging in the bag with my right hand, bringing a chip (I prefer Fritos or tortilla chips) to my face, and munching on it is surprisingly good at helping keep up the alertness level. With the added side benefit of reducing the number of needed pee breaks (because of the sodium overconsumption). Singing along to the radio / CD player is good too. I find showtunes useful for that (To DREEEEEEAM the imPOSSSSSSible DREEEEEEEEEEEEAMMM!!!). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-not-falling-asleep-at-the-wheel/488182.md?page=2)