Tips for staying awake while driving a truck

How not stay awake while driving? How to keep attention on the road? How not to fall asleep from the monotony of the road? Tips from experienced truckers will help to keep vigilance.

• Refresh yourself

Washing with bracing cold water at the wheel is not possible and it is worth stopping a couple extra times at the gas station to wash. It is necessary to stock up in advance with wet napkins preferably with some mint or menthol. Wipe the face, neck, hands, and chest with napkins. It's refreshing, and the cool odor is bracing you.

• Change the position of the seat

Adjust the driver's seat in a different way than you used to sit. Unusual position for the body will make him tense, which will at least for a while strengthening the concentration of the brain. Once you adjust to the new position, you can again change the seat position. Of course, the position should provide good visibility through the windshield and the side mirrors, legs, and hands should reach the steering wheel and pedals.

• Add the lights

Turn on the interior lighting if you are driving at night, and do not let it bother you that it looks strange from the outside. By the way, this advice has a completely scientific explanation. Darkness does not just mentally tune to sleep, but it acts quite chemically. It provokes melatonin production in the body, and this hormone has the ability to cause drowsiness more than normal fatigue. It is important to turn on the interior lighting before you start to fall asleep because if melatonin has already "poisoned" the nervous system, it will be difficult to cheer up.

• Cheer up with the cold

The cold invigorates you, so some drivers recommend to open the window or stick your hand out. However, it is worthwhile to ensure that the wind does not dry the eyes from the window because this reduces visual acuity, especially if the driver wears contact lenses. And it should not be too cold in the salon because the body and the brain need warmth to function properly.

• Drink coffee

The advice to drink a coffee (with caffeine, and the effect will be at the level of intoxication from nonalcoholic beer) is obvious. But coffee is useful not only because of its invigorating effect. The point is that coffee is an excellent diuretic, and frequent forced stops with a walk in the fresh air are very refreshing. By the way, energy drinks have the same effect. They are known as one of the most efficient tips to stay awake. The main thing is to drink them in advance, and not when the reality is already beginning to flow smoothly into an interesting dream. Caffeine needs 30 minutes to absorb and act.

If to speak about best energy drink to stay awake while driving, you should choose it by yourself. The way to do it is too simple: try different energy drinks and see which one works.

• Suck the ice

Science does not know why, but ice cubes rolled in the mouth have a powerful effect against drowsiness. Apparently, the effect of cold on the body helps to cheer up.

• Irritate your tongue

The body is a single whole. So if you "anger" the tongue, then the whole body will cheer up. It is necessary to irritate the taste buds of the tongue, and it is recommended to eat something with a bright taste, preferably sour: apple, orange or lemon. But eating lemon is not a reason to be distracted from taxiing.

• Turn out the nasty music

If the lemon has already drawing of the mouth, then you can switch to the irritation of other feelings like emotions. When you start to sleep, you need to turn on the music louder. This music should annoy you. The fact that favorite music immerses the nervous system in the so-called "zone of happiness", and this leads to peace and harmony, while the body loses its vigilance and falls asleep. Most radio stations will gladly give you an unpleasant melody.

What you should NOT DO if you want to stay awake while driving

Many drivers feeling tired start smoking, however, nicotine causes drowsiness.

Avoid the sweet. People are not only getting fat but fall asleep eating sweet and flour. According to the experience of truckers, sweet food leads the body to a state of relaxation and obscures the mind. So say no to rolls, buns, cheesecakes, and donuts.

Never eat too much behind the wheel. The feeling of satiety easily provokes drowsiness.

Eat small portions. At night it is better to eat salty snacks, cookies, chips. This forces attention to a simple process, which in turn increases concentration, while not distracting from the road.

And don't forget one thing: it is very dangerous for you and for other drivers and people on the road if you fell asleep while driving a truck. When a driver feels that it is very hard to keep himself awake, it is better to stop and find some good place to sleep.