Perhaps one of the worst things that causes accidents while driving is being too tired. Sleeplessness isn t just an issue behind the wheel of a car though; it s a general problem that affects the vast majority of Americans. Especially in this day and age where most of us wake up not knowing whether or not we will have a job that day, it is extremely stressful and as we know all too well, stress can lead to a lack of sleep. So, what can we do about it?
From pills to warm milk, whatever your method for falling asleep, getting adequate sleep is that important. When we are sleep deprived, we are often restless, moody, irritable and distracted. These are all things that we do not want to be when we are behind the wheel of a vehicle and sharing a road with so many other unsuspecting drivers and pedestrians. I ll never forget this one incident in which I was driving back from the beach. On the opposite side of the highway, I saw an older man drive as calmly as could be right off the side of the road. Luckily for him, there was hardly any traffic on his side of the road. Additionally, he didn t hit anything. So, what was wrong? He fell asleep at the wheel! In another incident, when I was in high school, our assistant track coach spent a week in the hospital recovering from a horrific car accident. The problem? She fell asleep at the wheel of her car while driving back from a friend s house late at night. She still claims that she is lucky to be alive today.
It is dangerous to be on the roads when other people haven t been getting sufficient sleep. And I m all too sure that if each of knew the true number of people who are out there driving around while nodding off at the wheel, we d never want to go for a ride again! That being said, get to the root of what is causing you to lose sleep at night. Did you have a bad breakup with a boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse? Are you worried about an exam or a loved one? Figure out what it is that is causing you stress. Perhaps it s your sleep environment. Is it too hot or too cold? Is it too noisy or too bright? Most sleeping problems can be remedied once you get to the bottom of the issue at hand. If noise is a problem because you live with a night owl, gently bring it up in discussion and figure out ways that you can both compromise. Get ear plugs and an eye mask if you have to. Play gentle music or soothing sounds from nature to help lull you to sleep. Free your bedroom of clutter and design it in such a way that you ll want to do nothing but fall asleep as you walk into your bedroom. Remember that the more sleep you get, the more alert you ll be, which is never a bad thing to be when you re driving!
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