How Do I Stop Being Drowsy While Driving?

A drowsy driver is someone who drives while fatigued or excessively sleepy. A staggering 50 percent of  drivers in the US admit to regularly driving while feeling drowsy. Approximately 20 percent of drivers admit to falling asleep behind the wheel at some point in the past year, with 4 percent falling asleep at the wheel within the last month. Over 40 percent have admitted to this happening at least once in their driving careers, which should be treated as a serious public health concern.

Tips to feel more awake and aware when driving include:

– Never drink and drive
– If possible, do not drive long distances alone
– Get enough quality sleep each night
– Do not begin a trip late into the night where you would be driving when you usually sleep
– Be aware of your posture
– Take a break every 2 hours
– If you can have caffeine, drink one or two cups of a caffeinated beverage, like coffee or black tea

Many causes can contribute to drowsy driving, including:

– Sleep Deprivation — Adults who do not get between 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night are at higher risk of daytime drowsiness, which can occur while driving.
– Sleep Disorders — If a sleep disorder is undiagnosed and left untreated, it can cause daytime drowsiness, which can negatively affect the ability to drive.
– Alcohol — Consuming alcohol does not only promote sleepiness, it also impedes reaction time and decision-making.
– Medications — A wide number of medications cause sleepiness, even if sleepiness is just a side-effect.
– Time of Day — Auto accidents from drowsy driving occur most frequently in the mid-afternoon, and also between the hours of midnight and six a.m., which are two times when sleepiness peaks.

Every year, drowsy driving is responsible for over 91,000 car crashes, 50,000 injuries, and 800 deaths. While alcohol impairment is relatively simple to determine using blood alcohol measurements, sleep deprivation is tougher to resolve. As many people are reluctant to admit they were driving while drowsy, experts believe that drowsy driving accidents are often inaccurately attributed to other factors. Based on careful analysis, researchers believe the real number of annual fatalities caused by drowsy driving may be closer to 6,000, which would implicate drowsiness in approximately 21 percent of fatal crashes every year.

If you are experiencing daytime drowsiness and often feel tired while driving, come to Koala® Center For Sleep & TMJ Disorders. Our kind and compassionate professionals are experienced in treating daytime sleepiness, so you can be alert and aware when you are driving! Call one of our convenient locations to start improving your quality of sleep today! We have locations in: Bloomington IL, Peoria – Dunlap IL, Mishawaka IN, Kansas City MO, El Paso TX and Wausau WI. All of our clinics are open from Monday to Thursday, with several of them also open on Friday or Saturday. A better quality of sleep is only a phone call away! We look forward to serving you!