When I drive I feel very sleepy. what can I do?!

When I drive I feel very sleepy. what can I do?

I feel sleepy especially on the motorway. I usually sing along to the radio & eat sweets to stay awake. I also stop regularly, sometimes taking power naps. I drink tea sometimes but I don't like coffee

Fear not, this is a common problem.

I drive approximately 1,000 miles a week on mixed roads, M-ways, A-roads, B-roads and unclassified roads and sometimes this problem rears it's ugly head, especially when I'm on the long road home on the M-way.

Only through experience have I discovered the following;
*Long journeys at a constant speed make me drowsy due to the constant 'drone' of the engine.
*Boredom makes me lose concentration.
*Empty roads make me take risks.

To counteract a tendency to 'micro-sleep' at the wheel, try the following;

If on a long journey, spend time prior to setting out to plan and look out for landmarks along the way.
Write down an abbrevatiated route map and place somewhere it can be easily glanced at.
Travel in the middle of the day, when the traffic is moderate, without being overwhelming.
If mostly on M-ways, vary your speed. Have points in the journey where you will speed up or drive slower.
Play music that stimulates you, at a moderate level.
Mentally commentate to yourself what the traffic is doing around you.
Show great courtesy to other road users and ALWAYS acknowledge a courtesy paid to you.
Dont get irate when someone makes a mistake- we all make them!
Stop. And stretch your legs. Have a drink (non alchoholic, of course), a browse in the shop. Take your mind off the driving for a period.
Take the greatest of pride in your driving skills.
Arrive safely!

These are, but a few things. I'm sure many others will come up with other useful tips.

Happy driving.x x