Falling asleep while driving.

[Frazzle]

I keep falling asleep, and waking up literally seconds from hitting telephone poles or stop signs.

Its because of the place I work at and all the hours.

Is there a way that I can make myself wake up???

Energy drinks have no affect/effect on me. Nor does 5 hour engery or cold air.

I need help before I kill myself.

[MSG]

If you are dozing off that bad, you should try to pull over somewhere far enough from the road to take a 20 minute power nap.

It's better than crashing into a pole, right?

A friend of mine did mention chewing gum helps, but it's only temporary. He used to drive trucks & that was the only thing the worked for him.

I haven't verified his suggestion, but you should try it.

BTW......

• How long is your commute home after work?

• How many miles do you have to travel?

Once again, I highly recommend the 20 minute nap idea.

[TheCrabbyTabby]

Wow. You need help. If I were you, I would eliminate the source of the problem and ask for less hours. Its a matter of life and death, not just for you, but for other people on the road. No ands, ifs or buts about it.

[Frazzle]

That 20 min power nap sounds great!

My commute is only 22 miles away, and takes about half an hour.

Trust me... I would love to ask for less hours, but I work at Ingram Micro... and they make us work 12 hours without any notice. If I asked for less hours I would get laughed at.

[vilmarisv]

Do you drive back in the afternoon or after is dark out?
When I used to comute in the afternoons I would get terribly sleepy with the sun hitting my windows so I would go to a store and browse then get back in the car and drive the rest of the way.
For me loud music didn't work because I would wear myself even more by singing out loud. Do you have anyone who you can talk on the phone on your drive from work? That's what my sister does every night. I get phone calls from her at 10pm my time; it's not a terribly long time to keep someone on the phone. Good luck!

[dramaqueen]

If you talk on the phone make sure to use a hands free device so you can keep both hands on the steering wheel.

[finnfinnfriend]

Whoa! That sounds serious! Please try to be carefull! And I second the power nap idea. Thats the safest thing you could do.

[Silverfang]

is it only while driving you doze off? My mother started to fall asleep once, and she finds she has trouble. She was hypnotized almost by the road.

IF you have this dozing problem during other times, talk to your Dr, mention it on your next visit, it can't hurt to bring it up.

[Frazzle]

its at 10pm usually, and only when driving

[jeremywadejunior]

What is most often experienced as falling asleep while driving are called microsleeps (short periods of time where you loose consciousness). This is caused by sleep deprivation, so you are not getting enough sleep. It is your body's way of trying to get rest, so really it can happen anytime you are sleep deprived (so talking on the phone may not help; your brain can still make you go unconscious even then).
What you need is to adjust your sleep schedule, if you can't adjust your work schedule. Find a 7+ hour period before work sometime when you can get the sleep you miss during work hours. Sleep is extremely important for functioning and learning. It is never a good idea to drive while even remotely drowsy. I hope you keep yourself safe (and others on the road). Good luck