i've experienced microsleep: PLEASE PULL OVER WHEN YOU ARE SLEEPY

I gave up eating "lunch" on night runs.

Dr said, that for me its the equivalent of a midnight snack and going back to bed.

I also keep the cab neutral temp. Too hot or cold can mess with you...

 

Like the man said, if you're tired, to the point of eye drop, I'm sure everyone's experienced it, pull over. No load, no matter how valuable is worth dying, or worse killing or even hurting someone else. That's all I have to say about that.

 

One of my biggest and most useful tricks for sleeping is:

Screen shot is a wide shoulder of US 322 near US 15 duncannon PA viewing SE along the Junitia River.

Setting up a spot far from any urban area. Minimum 20 miles to 100 miles away. That way you don't have people coming up to you *KNOCKNOCKNOC<KNOC need a LUMPER!? at o dark early a hour before your customers gates are supposed to open. Particuarly in places like the Dallas Produce. I'll set her down in the East European truck park or Carls Corner or some such before I go into Dallas in the early morning for appt time.

 

Look into modafinil aka provigil. Your doctor can prescribe it to you for irregular shift disorder. It will keep you awake and alert when you need to be. It is not cheap but can be a life saver if you are in a situation when you know you will be tired. It was originally created for narcolepsy but people use it as a noortropic to increase focus and it alledgedly gives you a temporary boost of 10 Iq points. I take half a pill with some coffee when I have to change from a day shift to a night shift on short notice, usually only once a month or so for me. It is not an anphetamine and won’t show up on any drug tests. It is an older drug and not very common so do your research and ask your doctor. He may not have heard of it and may need to look it up to see if it is safe for you but I can tell you it can make a huge difference if used properly. Don’t take it more than 2 days in a row and only take it when you will need it. Pharmacies will charge like 20 bucks a pill but you can order it from online pharmacies if you have a prescription from your doctor and it will be 5 to 10 bucks a pill but you only need half a pill unless you are a big dude. I always keep half a pill on me in case I have to switch from a day shift to a night shift on short notice or if I am doing day shifts and suddenly get that dreaded 3 am delivery appointment. Don’t take my word for it do some research, but I’m telling you it can be a lifesaver. The generic name is modafinil and the brand name is provigil.

 

I am driving my honda civic from chicago to dallas. Wife is in the passaenger seat dozing. 2 AM. I am on some interstate highway. Feel myself getting real tired so I decide the next exit I see with civilization I am going to take it and find a place to park.

All of a sudden the next thing I know....

I am stopped in the left hand turn lane waiting on a green arrow to turn into the parking lot of a motel. No idea what town I was in or what even happened between those two parts of the story.

Was that micro sleep?

 

Good work staying alive Rabbit.
For a bit more of a fun time try trucking after being given antibiotics you do not know you are allergic to.
Wondering everyday why you are so tired 4 hours after taking your antibiotics 3 times daily until bottle is gone.
And yet also wondering why your body is getting hives all over.
Fast forward a few years and realize you almost took the medication until your body suffererd (Steven Johnson's syndrome).

 

are you sure you had steven johnson syndrome???

 

Nearly but just severe hives all over my center body, and eyes almost swollen shut. But no necrosis.

 

A coworker and I had to drive from our magazine location in Montana to Twin Falls, ID one morning while loaded with 1.1D explosives. We had to be at the quarry by 08:00, so we left about 03:00. Our normal starting time was 07:00, so we were both well out of our normal sleep patterns (customers and management don’t seem to care about that). I was driving while the other guy slept (in an F450 which isn’t great for sleeping), and about 2 hours into it I was doing the one eye open driving thing to try to keep going. Finally I said no more, and pulled us off the road for a quick nap. Yeah I know you can’t do that with 1.1, but it was that or crash (also can’t legally use to restroom while loaded with it, but who can avoid that when 90% of your driving is done alone?). 45 minutes later I woke up, and felt like a new man. We were late, but I couldn’t care less. The whole blast only took about 3 hours to do, so there was zero reason to be there so early.

Now being an O/O I don’t push it like that. No earlier than 07:00. My body clock likes waking up about 09:00, and it’s difficult to be asleep before midnight. I’ve been like that my whole life. If I get up too early, such as 05:00, I get a bad gut ache for awhile. No idea why, but it’s happened all my life.

 

Its called "Falling asleep at the wheel"



It is not when you put your head down and close your eyes. You eyes are wide open.

Examples:
You have gaps in your memory

Drive a distance and don't know how you got where you presently are.

See things that are not in front of you.

Find a place to pull over safely and sleep.

Don't push it it will end up bad for you and some one else.

Drive smarter not harder