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Need help staying awake/falling asleep:

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by Powell-Peralta, May 14, 2009.

Page 3 of 4
  1. May 23, 2009 #21
    FriedTater

    FriedTater Keeper of The Snakes

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    Not wise ?
    I have no problem calling 411 for a Companies number to report such drivers.
    Just like I have no problem hitting the left side train horn on 4 wheelers reading a book or newspaper:biggrin_25516:

     
    FriedTater, May 23, 2009
    FriedTater, May 23, 2009
    #21
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  3. May 23, 2009 #22
    FriedTater

    FriedTater Keeper of The Snakes

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    United State of Texas
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    Rarely do I,but the OPTION is mine no doubt !
    Big Ole Scary Dispatchers FEAR ME !!

    My loads are NEVER Late,they get there the same time I do!

     
    FriedTater, May 23, 2009
    FriedTater, May 23, 2009
    #22
  4. May 23, 2009 #23
    Roadmedic

    Roadmedic Road Train Member

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    I watched in rush hour in Sacramento traffic, a four wheeler watching the tv news on the way home in the rain.
     
    Roadmedic, May 23, 2009
    Roadmedic, May 23, 2009
    #23
  5. May 24, 2009 #24
    Duckf00t

    Duckf00t Bobtail Member

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    May 12, 2009
    Rahway, NJ
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    Tell me where you're driving Elvenhome- so I can be far away from you.
    Hope a cop doesnt see your screen, that'd be a hefty ticket.

    Many times I do my whole shift with no music, no coffee, and no CB. Here is what I do. Avoid heavy foods before your shift. Snacks like trail mix, or peel some fruit, in a cup. I also take B complex vitamins just as I start out.
    I have found I can blast out 500 miles without stopping. I'll stop, have a lunch/bathroom brake. Finish out the shift, no problems at all. If I have had a bad day trying to sleep a quick 30 minute nap, good to go. Give the B complex a try, you'll find you have more energy, and the miles will fly by.
     
    Duckf00t, May 24, 2009
    Duckf00t, May 24, 2009
    #24
  7. May 24, 2009 #25
    Red Fox

    Red Fox Road Train Member

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    Jan 26, 2009
    Acworth, Ga.
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    I'd not thought of the B complex - I use them for workouts too.
    I was just remembering a guy I saw years back in a cabover...sitting on the doghouse, steering with his knee and playing a guitar. TV would be just as bad.
     
    Red Fox, May 24, 2009
    Red Fox, May 24, 2009
    #25
  8. May 25, 2009 #26
    Duckf00t

    Duckf00t Bobtail Member

    39
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    May 12, 2009
    Rahway, NJ
    0
    The B-complex works great. I am the night driver, I'm not a night person. I let her take te day shift, basically because she wears contact lenses thy get really bothersome to her at night. I always end up reverting back to my day shift when we go home.

    Another trick I use is melatonin, great sleep aid that is safe to use will not become addictive. Anyone having trouble sleeping I advize this. My son has been using it for his insomnia for years. I have found the hormone actually has allowed me to function on 4-5 hours sleep a day. Allows me to quickly change my circadian rhythm, quickly.

    Give it a try
     
    Duckf00t, May 25, 2009
    Duckf00t, May 25, 2009
    #26
  9. May 25, 2009 #27
    Powell-Peralta

    Powell-Peralta Road Train Member

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    1) wHERE Can i get this melatonin?

    2) What has happened is i did my runs for the past week 10pm to 11am ish next day, got totally physically and mentally trashed--actually had difficulty walking and thus felt as though i got run over by, say, a steamroller, and actually had to get a floater to take my run on friday. This was not a major problem with dispatch as i think she needed the money.

    What then happened is i almost immediately reverted back to nighttime sleeping and daytime normal functioning. Automatic---just like when you dunk a scoop of ice cream into your rootbeer, it floats right to the top! i thought it would take a few days, but no!

    a) i thought it would be interesting to be "upside-down" as far as sceduling---start the day at 8pm rather than 8am because i had never really done it long-term and i thought it would be interesting/educational/enlightening etc.

    But maybe i'm not the type that can "get used" to nighttime shift?

    i will, hopefully, be switching to daytime or at least 1st and 2nd shift driving only so the problem will probably be elliviated. At any rate, this cannot go on much longer.

    3) Good songs to help stay awake with:
    i had only 5 songs loaded on my ipod shuffle (shuffle can't hold that much--will start using my regular ipod but the link wire broke--haven't had time/money to get a new one, but actually the fact that i only had 5 songs is important because: )

    Well, first of all, this is not about praising/putting down certain musicians. Nor is it about discussing the technical merits of a song--or lack of--discussing what songs "suck." Just because a person, such as Celine Dion does not have a million tattoos and play loud distorted guitar does not mean her music can't be good. But that's actually beside the point too----the main thing is to stay awake. So, it doesn't matter who is singing; If Mylie Cyrus has a good song i would suggest it.

    The two celine dion songs were very good not just musically but it helped my stay awake; They required quite a bit of air to sing along with.

    i also loaded three Journey songs. i am not a big journey fan, although yes they are/were awesome:
    a) Dont stop beliving 12" version
    b) Mother, father very intense, try singing along with it.
    c) Anyway you want it

    All five songs required quite a bit of air to sing, which, probably, physiologically helps you stay awake somehow---the extra adrenaline it brings to your head or something like that?

    Normally, i can get most of it all on pitch, but by wednesday night i was so tired i couldn't. But i sang along anyways and it still helped me stay awake.

    The main thing is to get songs that require alot of air---think of yourself as a hyenia or something.

    d) Therfore: Songs that probably aren't as good (although any singing is better than none)
    Louie, Louie by whoever did that song.
    Reunited by peaches and herb
    Other songs that are probably not good are: Techno, electronic, and trance---anything with a hypnotic beat is probably not good due to the hypnotic effect.

    In closing, i would like to continue this "list" of music. Feel free to contribute.
    Also, i feel that Sex Machine by James brown would be good, not nessesarily for the singing, but psychologically the lyrics imply endurance. And that could make all the difference. Really anything by James Brown could be good due to the intense groove.
     
    Powell-Peralta, May 25, 2009
    Powell-Peralta, May 25, 2009
    #27
  10. May 25, 2009 #28
    Flyer

    Flyer Light Load Member

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    Jan 20, 2008
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    Wrong Post. Sorry
     
    Flyer, May 25, 2009
    Flyer, May 25, 2009
    #28
  11. May 25, 2009 #29
    PharmPhail

    PharmPhail Road Train Member

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    NC
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    Journey's new singer Arnel Pineda is unbelievable. I would say he "channels" Steve Perry, except that Perry isn't dead that I'm aware of.

    Lots of good youtube vids with Arnel. If you had lousy seats at a concert you wouldn't even have to close your eyes to imagine it's him... they're sort of similar from a distance.
     
    PharmPhail, May 25, 2009
    PharmPhail, May 25, 2009
    #29
  12. May 25, 2009 #30
    ziggystyles

    ziggystyles Road Train Member

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    Jul 11, 2007
    Somewhere in the Mind of God.
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    As far as energy drinks...I just don't know how healthy they are for one, long term. I know many of them (if not, all) get your heart going faster. Thats why I have a thicker heart is because my heart is working faster, working more, getting thicker; actually on drugs to slow the thing down. Caffeine really gets it going.

    Basically you need to train yourself for sleeping. Don't go to bed if you aren't tired...try to take a walk or something. If you can't fall asleep after a while, get up and do something. You don't want to train your body into that bed being a place where you don't sleep....if that makes sense.

    Alot of the times, our mind is still going pretty good after a long day. Try to do something to calm you down a bit, settle you down. Listen to softer music, maybe meditation if you are into that sort of thing. (also, no coffee, pop...anything like that for a few hours before sleepy time)

    Actually...Im thinking that some foods might be helpful too, or at least...staying away from some foods will help you go to sleep...can't remember off hand. Try not to eat before bed either as this could lead to weight gain, heartburn...etc.
     
    ziggystyles, May 25, 2009
    ziggystyles, May 25, 2009
    #30
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