![]() Have you yawned more times then you can count between finishing work and getting to your car?.I want to give you a set of questions you need to ask yourself before and also during your trip home which will tell you if you’re too tired to drive. “Getting adequate sleep on a daily basis is the only true way to protect yourself against the risks of driving when you’re drowsy.” Source: ( 3) I just can’t watch another news story like this. Another accident caused by somebody falling asleep while driving. I don’t say this to be the fun police, but the honest truth is I don’t want you to become another statistic. Listening to the heaviest, rock, rap, punk, or whatever sort of annoying music I can find as loud as it can possibly go without blowing the speakers.Īre you really safe behind the wheel after your shift? Is Sleep the Only Answer to Driving Home Safely After Night Shift?.Here is a list of “tricks” which I have tested and tried over the last 10+ years of nursing, that I’m honestly sad to say, none of which really worked for a sustainable time. “Being awake for 18 hours straight makes you drive like you have a blood alcohol level of. So we are often forced to take matters into our own hands and do the best we can when traveling home. Most of us, except for a few lucky ducks I read about online, don’t have the luxury of having a work minibus or taxi service paid for by our employer to get home or even a place we can sleep for a while after finishing. I seem to always give myself excuses for the 45 + minute commute home that driving is the BEST way to be in bed the quickest, but is it necessarily the safest? Definitely not. My feet hurt, my brain is dead and physically I just, can’t. No, not because my driving is below average as Dan would joke about, which it isn’t by the way, but because I am utterly and completely stuffed. Well, at least not for a sustained period of time anyway.Īs an Emergency nurse on a rotating roster, working a crazy combination of days, swing and nights shifts, I know the feeling all too well of being downright terrified behind the wheel of a car. I hate to break this to you, but no, they won’t. Night Shift Driving “Tricks” – Are They Effective? If you’d prefer to watch rather than read, this video sums up the blog post nicely. Too many times I have driven home white-knuckled, leaning forward with all the windows down trying to win the sleep fatigue battle. But enjoying a coffee nap, carpooling, using the bathroom before you drive, skipping the morning drinks and listening to something interesting can improve awareness and help you stay alert while driving. Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet to staying awake when driving after nights besides actually sleeping. Unfortunately, driving “tricks” to stay alert are not very effective, as I have found out, so what else can we do to get home safely after working the 3rd shift? I’m sure getting into the driver’s seat after working a night shift shouldn’t feel like this… scary, nerve-racking and downright dangerous. Please read our disclosure and privacy statement for more info. Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links, meaning we receive a commission if you decide to make a purchase through our links, but this is at no additional cost to you.
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