I keep getting drowsy

I would guess you aren't really getting enough rest. Being stressed out it can be hard to get quality sleep.

 

You are tired... your trainer is tired.... get more sleep.. If you suspect the truck is causing it through a co leak you need to find it during your pretrip.. If you are dot'd and they find it points and tickets will be issued.. If it is in multiple trucks though.............you need to get more rest.. If it is the truck doing it be glad you have Power Steering and air ride.. The ole days springs and non power steering was worse.. You will get it... and yeah most people don't last chewing sunflower seeds or chewing gum.. They turn to cigs or cheetos and either get hypertension or cancer... good luck... though

 

Well you are supposed to check the exhaust during your pre trip for that reason.It takes a little time to get used to trucking for long distances getting some entertainment besides what's on the standard radio stations helps me I have Pandora tune in and old time radio apps on my phone to listen to I dont drive tired and it surprises me that you have had trainers drive tired that's a no no . It might take a few months to get used to it as well .

 

It is not the truck...diesel engines don't give off enough CO to do you any harm at all.

Can you get carbon monoxide poisoning from a diesel engine?
This is possible, but unlikely. Diesel engines detonate fuel using pressure and temperature, rather than with an artificial spark. This process operates with excessive oxygen, ensuring a much more complete combustion than what is typical in a gasoline engine.

 

I drive for about 4 hours take a nap 15 to 30 minutes and I am good for 8 hours. The power naps works better for me than anything else. DO NOT DRIVE even if you think your DROWSE. Watch your diet try to eat a good balanced diet, carbs put you to sleep, sugars will make you crash 30 minutes later, eat balanced..... To many veggies will cause other problems.

 

You're probably just not used to the daily grind of doing it and you need more sleep. And like you said, the stress can wear you out as well. Once you get more comfortable with driving that will probably go away some.

There are some simple things you can do to keep yourself awake and alert though. Keep your eyes up and looking out and check your mirros often. This is what a safe driver should be doing anyways, but when you start getting tired your vision starts dropping to a lower point and then you start fixating. That will make you even more tired. Fruits are great food for sustained energy, the sugar content is not too high or low. Don't eat large amounts of food at once, you get tired from digestion. Drink water instead of caffeine. Stimulants wear you down eventually and most drinks with caffeine are not good for hydration which your body needs. Try to find audio wise what helps keep you awake. For some it's listening to music, for others it's shutting off all music. For me, audiobooks keep me awake. Experiment with it.

 

Perhaps you should consider reading up on sleep apnea. Here are some of the main symptoms;

Excessive daytime sleepiness (hypersomnia)
Loud snoring, which is usually more prominent in obstructive sleep apnea
Episodes of breathing cessation during sleep witnessed by another person
Abrupt awakenings accompanied by shortness of breath, which more likely indicates central sleep apnea
Awakening with a dry mouth or sore throat

Here is a link you may wish to review
http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleep_apnea.htm


Sleep apnea can affect anyone, regardless of their weight.

 

no turkey before your shift....................... (everyone else already said all the good stuff)

 

I never heard of that before????? Please explain.

There's a few things that can make you sleepy. Stress, inadequate rest, not use to changing up your circadian rhythm, boredom of long stretches of highway or letting your eyes get fatigued which will make you tired. Avoid looking at lights as much as you can. Dim your dashboard at night. The bright lights close your pupils putting a strain on them.

Chewing on ice or gum helps.