Best way to not fall a sleep behind the wheel

Get a full "night's" sleep before you start driving. If you are tired very soon after you start driving you probably have undiagnosed sleep apnea, or you parked beside a reefer.

 

NEVER stop on shoulder of the highway unless the issue you are trying to solve is a life or death emergency. Have you seen the crashes when one vehicle at highway speed runs into the back of a stopped vehicle. You take a nap at rest stops, truck stops (real parking space not the fuel pumps like a worthless lump of poo) or MAYBE an on-ramp if it's legal in that state.

 

Special Forces training says to take a 15 to 20 minute nap if possible. Do not exceed more then 30 minutes or you will wake up even more tired.

 

Say what you guys want,.. haters are going to hate. But this is why I stay on paper logs, drive and work at my own pace. I sleep when I am tired,.. I drive when I feel rested and alert.

I feel for you guys who are forced to run 10 - 11 hours straight, especially after picks/drops,.. tarping or what have you. After 5 - 6 hours I'm looking for a spot to park for a few hours. Then run again after I'm rested. Been doing it like this for a long while now. It works for me. HOS rules do not work for someone like me.

Hurst

 

The majority of us would never cut it for special forces. So trying to get regular/normal people to incorporate something that men capable of much more than average men can do is not always advisable. Especially old fat fudders like me.

Hurst

 

Take your 10's n 2's... at least 10 mins out of the truck, and at least 2 laps around the truck. Get your blood pumping. If that doesn't work, you need a nap. Do NOT nap at the wheel. Your body should never get comfortable with sleeping at the wheel..

 

The training is based on the science of sleep. A power nap is 15 to 20 tops, break the 25 to 30 min mark and you hit rem, then disrupt it. Bad deal.

 

To the OP.

My best advise is to recognize your limits. If/when you feel tired,.. pull over. The verbal lashing,.. or even getting fired will be of little consequence if you wreck your truck. Or worse,.. hit and kill someone. Its just not worth it.

Hurst

 

I must be abnormal,.. or maybe different science could be applied for me. My power naps are usually 3 - 4 hours. Even when home or taking a weekend off somewhere,.. I physically wont sleep for more than 4 - 6 hours no matter how tired I am. A traumatic event from when I was still in my teens triggered this in me. I havent slept 'normal' in years.

Hurst

 

Your brain has programed itself for that set up, for the average person, 15 to 20 and your good for another 3 hours clean.