Stay Awake when Driving in the Winter
If you find yourself becoming tired while making trips in the wintertime, this technique could help keep you alert. Consider the following:
- Warm air from your car's heater can cause drowsiness by keeping your face too warm and drying your eyes.
- Letting huge amounts of only cold air in by putting your windows down will make your entire body cold causing your body to shiver to produce heat and reduce its metabolic rate to conserve energy causing fatigue.
Cold air on your face and warm air on your hands creates an interesting contrast for your body.
Steps
- Put on a winter coat.
- Wear a scarf to keep heat from leaving your coat.
- Put on a fleece or knit beanie to keep your head and ears warm.
- Set the temperature selector on your car's heating system to its maximum setting.
- Select a setting that will direct the heat to the vents at your feet and on the dash.
- Set the blower fan speed to its maximum setting.
- Close all dash vents except for the ones directly to the left and right of the steering wheel.
- Adjust those vents to point to where you normally position your hands on the steering wheel.
- Lower your driver side window until you have a constant stream of cold air blowing across your face.
- If possible, engage your mind to keep it active. (see "Tips" below)
Tips
- While it may seem that blowing air would dry your eyes, cold air tends to make your eyes water more readily which helps reduce feelings of fatigue.
- Try opening other windows in the car slightly to modify the way the cold air circulates in the car or blows across your face.
- Use your radio, CD or MP3 player to help you stay awake. Sing to the music to force your mind to stay active. Play lively music. Play annoying music or listen to a talk radio station you absolutely loathe--if you feel annoyed you're likely to stay awake.
- Wear clothing appropriate for the current outside temperature. This technique may take some experimentation, so at least bring a winter coat, a scarf, a winter hat, and gloves. Thin gloves can be useful with this technique as they can help insulate the hands but also allow heat from the vents to pass through.
- When your hands are warm or hot in a cold environment, your body will be more comfortable. Think about holding your hands over a heater or fire when you're cold and how the heat is absorbed and distributed through your body though it is originating mostly at your hands.
- Modify how much wind enters the car so that the heat from the vents is not overpowered and can keep your hands warm.
- If you have a passenger, keep a conversation going. You're more likely to stay awake if you're interacting with another person.
- When your face is cold, you'll be more alert. Compare it to a time when you tried to fall asleep in a cold house or while camping and your body was warm but your face was uncovered and cold.
- When driving on a road trip bring chewy foods like beef jerky to chew on and you will not fall asleep.
Warnings
- This technique may not be useful if rain, sleet, melting snow, and/or road mist is freezing on your windshield as you'll need to use your defrost setting to keep the windshield clear. In most vehicles, the heating system does not allow use of the defrost vents and dash vents simultaneously.
- Snow falling against the windshield can be hypnotic. If you find yourself feeling like you are "daydreaming" in these conditions, and your eyes are tired, it's often a good idea to stop for a few minutes and pull yourself together.
- Is this trip really necessary? Sleepy drivers are as dangerous as drunk drivers. If you are really sleepy, decide if you have other options other than to drive. It's better to stay home, or sleep on your friend's couch, or get a hotel room than to cause a serious accident.
Things You'll Need
- Functioning forced-air heating system in your car
- Winter coat
- Beanie / ski cap (recommended)
- Scarf (optional)
- Gloves (optional)
- Radio/CD Player/other music system (optional)
