Shift workers, or those who work long hours at increased risk for drowsy driving. Drowsy driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents in the United States. However, it's more difficult to determine the exact prevalence due to the discretion of drowsy driving.
You may feel like you are stuck at a crossroad. You're tired, but you have to get home, right? Maybe you've worked over 24-hours if you work in a profession such as medicine. These crazy shifts may fall outside of your normal sleep hours, making it very hard to get enough rest before falling asleep. Continue reading to learn some tips for how to stay alert while driving home when you're tired.
Sleep when you're not working
If you are a shiftworker, then you have a higher chance of drowsy driving. Shift workers often work long nights, or hours that non-shift workers would be sleeping.
This can throw your sleeping pattern off, and lead you to getting less sleep when you're finally able to go to bed. Light exposure, or your natural circadian rhythm may cause you to wake up and have trouble falling back asleep. As these days add up, it could be harder to make that up.
When you are not working, it's important to try and make this time up by getting the sleep that you need. Even if you sleep longer than what is recommended (9-10 hours) on some of your off days, that could balance the days where you may be only getting 5-6 hours of sleep.
Now it's important to note that making up a sleep debt is a bit more complicated than hour-by-hour exchanges. So, it's best to try and regulate your sleep schedule as much as possible, and get enough hours of sleep each day of the week that you can.
Recognize when you're too tired to drive
As much as you'll want to hope behind the car and drive home after a long shift, sometimes it just might not be possible. And it's important to recognize that instead of trying to power through. It's dangerous to challenge yourself to drive and potentially fall asleep on the road. Therefore, there is nothing wrong with either taking a nap first, or asking someone to get you a ride home. This protects both you and other drivers on the road.
So, how do you know when you should take a pause versus when you are clear to get behind the wheel? Only you know your body and what it feels like to be extremely tired. But, here are some signs you could look out for that may clue you in to how tired you are:
- Yawning often
- Trouble keeping your eyes open
- Lapses in memory
- Missing exits or traffic signals
- Swerving into other lanes
- Hitting the rumble strip
If you experience any of these while driving, then it's important to pull over in a safe area and try to get a bit of rest, or caffeine to help you make it the rest of the way home.
It'll be even better if you can recognize how tired you are before you get behind the wheel. If you feel yourself glazing over during your shift, or falling asleep while at your desk, then you may be too tired to drive home. If you feel like you are going to collapse the second you get a chance, then you could also be too tired to drive home.
Take a survey of yourself before it's time to go, and it's always better to be safe than sorry.
How to sleep when you're finally off work
The best way to prevent drowsy driving is to get the sleep that you need after getting off work. It's possible to still get 7-8 hours of sleep, even if you have to sleep during the day. You might just have to be a bit more creative with your approach.
Install light blocking curtains to make sure that your room is as dark as possible. Light blocks the secretion of melatonin, which is the sleepy hormone released by your brain. If you normally sleep when the sun is out, then it's important to find ways to block as much light as possible from entering your eyes so you can sleep as long as you need to.
In addition to this, wear sunglasses if you leave work when the sun is up. Prevention of light entering your eyes is important from the moment you get off work, until it's time for you to go to sleep. You want melatonin to pump as long as possible, so by the time you're ready for bed, you can actually go to sleep.
Turn on a sound machine or wear earplugs. For optimal sleep, your room needs to be quiet so as not to activate any part of your brain. Therefore, the sounds from outside can be disturbing to your sleep as most people may be getting their days started as yours is just ending.
Eat at consistent mealtimes, even though your schedule is outside of the standard schedule. Eating at random times can throw your hormones out of whack, and can even lead to some gastrointestinal disturbances when you're trying to go to sleep if you eat too close to bedtime. According to a recent poll, those who ate at consistent times throughout the day had better sleep than those who ate at irregular times.
When you wake up is the time to get as much light exposure as possible. It may be tempting to walk around in the dark because you're not quite ready to wake up. But, as soon as it's time for you to get ready for work, it's important to expose yourself to as much light as possible. This stops the secretion of melatonin, and releases cortisol, a hormone responsible for jumpstarting the rest of the metabolic processes in your body. This can leave you feeling refreshed and ready to take on your next shift. Get natural light if you can, but if not, then turn on the lights in your home.
And last, but certainly not least, try to maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Even when you're off, don't revert to a different sleep schedule, as it just makes it that much harder to get back to sleep when you have to work. Even on your working days, set up a consistent routine that you do when you get home from work, and determine what time you need to go to bed in order to get enough sleep before your next shift.
If you are a shiftworker and continue to struggle with getting enough sleep, then please click the orange button below to take a free online sleep test and talk with one of our sleep health professionals.
https://www.thensf.org/staying-alert-on-the-road-after-work/