Besides turning on your favorite jam from the 70s, there are other great tips to follow to help you stay awake on the road. Trucker fatigue is a very real thing and can be an issue that not only puts your life in danger but others on the road with you. Know that safety is the number one tip and keeping yourself awake is essential when driving. Here are some other tips to help keep you rolling.
- Get a good night sleep. A good night’s sleep consists of getting 8 hours a night. If you have trouble falling asleep, prepare yourself an hour before you go to sleep by not watching tv or playing on your phone. Your brain needs to wind down so be sure to take break from activity before bed so that you are able to fall asleep with ease.
- Stretch. When you stop for a restroom break, do some light stretches to wake your body up such as touching your hands to your toes and above your head, jumping jacks and take a little stroll to get the legs moving.
- Avoid huge caffeine and sugar intake. Although you may think that it will help you stay awake, however, in reality your energy does not last and you will eventually come down from your caffeine and your body will crash. You can still enjoy caffeine and sugar but limit it throughout the day.
- Turn up the tunes. Music affects your alertness and mood, turning up the tunes can help keep you awake and maybe even turn you into the next pop star (not really) but it will keep you awake.
- Stay hydrated. Keeping hydrated will help your body keep energy.
- Crack a window. Crack the window and let the fresh air flow in to provide oxygen flow to give you a jolt of alertness.
At the end of the day, if you’re struggling to keep focused and to stay awake while on the road always pull over and take a rest. The number one rule on the road is to always be safe. Never feel that you have to push your body’s limit to the max. Remember to rest up and stay safe!
Looking to join an amazing team? Roeder Cartage Co. Inc. has a family atmosphere, offers great pay and regular training for all our drivers. If you’re interested in working for our team, check out our careers page today.