A friend recently marveled at how I can stay awake during long road trips. I spend a bit of time driving back and forth across the state of Michigan. And, this summer, with all this time on my hands, I decided it was the perfect time for a long-haul summer road trip — Detroit to Colorado Springs.
Staying awake is very difficult when you are on your own in the driver’s seat. Thankfully the summer days are long and that helps. The sun tells your body that it should be awake as long as it is.
Overall, you would think that it wouldn’t be that difficult to stay conscious. Really, you are just sitting there, not doing much but staring at miles and miles of road disappear under your tires. Miles and miles. And miles.
There are some serious sleeping disorders that are no joking matters, and drowsy driving is a serious cause of crashes and vehicular death. These are not the topics I am trying to address. I’m just writing about the drowsiness many drivers and passengers face on road trips. Whether its from boredom or monotony or a really long day… its something that can be combatted.
I have had some success with the following (especially when you are on your own behind the wheel):
- Be entertained by things around you. If you have a healthy sense of humor or sarcasm, long road trips are filled with oddities that can help keep you interested and conscious.When we were little, my siblings and I would compete to be the first to shout out the name of a creek or river we were passing. As I got older, I still took notice of the signs on the side of the bridges, but I got to wondering how in the world they got the name — like the Big Dark Skunk River. Is there a Small Dark Skunk River? Was there a giant skunk that took up residence on its banks back in the day? The names of places are strange too — Wahoo, Nebraska of course; but there is also What Cheer, Iowa and Hell, Michigan.
- Read billboards. Some of them are fascinating, some of them are gems of the written word, and some of them are just, well… odd. On this trip west, there was a billboard that said, “18 miles and then Wow!” The rule in advertising about billboards is that it has to be 10 words or less so that your message can be read by someone speeding by at 80 miles an hour. I got the words on this one, but the graphics was super busy with tiny type. I don’t know what was going to happen in 18 miles or if I would be wowed as it claimed. (This is one reason why co-pilots are good to have around. They can take photos or read the other half of the sign.)
- Bring snacks. I don’t mean just any snack, though any is better than none. But to help stay awake, I have found that small or chewy snacks are best. Think milk duds or gummy bears or popcorn. Things you can eat one by one. Chewing keeps the brain focused on a task. Nuts are good — I try to have a mixture of many different things in ziploc bags at the ready. Here are some others, in no particular order: Skittles or M&Ms, Pringles (the can conveniently fits in a cup holder) or Chex mix, corn puffs or mixed nuts. You get the idea.Now I realize that this is not the most diet-friendly tip. But you’re going on a road trip — this is not really the time to try and stick to a diet. Sure, you can make choices for fresh foods, but ehn, you’re on vacation.
- Make a sing-a-long play list. Singing and driving means you are multitasking and you need more brain power for multitasking. I would recommend your most favorite, upbeat songs on this playlist. The ones that you can’t help but sing into a hairbrush or beer bottle. The songs you ALWAYS choose on karaoke night. No ballads, unless they are so cheesy you have go over the top. Journey songs are good, so are Neil Diamond, The Supremes, Abba, Wham! ….
- Car calisthenics. This strategy is a twofer — keeps you awake and helps you work off those snacks. Behind the wheel for hours at a time, the muscles can start to ache. Feet can swell from inactivity, too. Aches lead to feeling tired and uncomfortable, and the cycle continues.
I do a series of reps for my arms and legs. Yes, all while sitting behind the wheel. I would recommend that you turn on the cruise control if you try this: maintaining your speed will make the other drivers less angry.First I work the right side — I curl my arms and move them front to back as if i were running, but in an exaggerated way. Then, still curled, I lift the elbow laterally. I do this 10 times, then roll my shoulders a few times. Last, I reach behind my head and grab the headrest for a stretch through the arm. I do have room to repeat this set on the left side. I finish up stretching my arms across my chest to get a stretch, too.
For the legs, I do a shuffle back and forth for a warm up. I flex my ankles which also flexes the calves. Then I try to do some circles with my ankles too. Then, I do some knee lifts. Usually these are in reps of 10 or 20, depending on the time between stops.
Do what might work for you, but remember you are a driver first. Keep your eyes on the road, and if you do get tired, frequent stops are the best medicine. You don’t have to wait for the 18 miles.
Christina's New Deal 