increased blinking; longer blink duration; slower eye movement; swerving; slowed reaction time; and poor decision-making.
Falling asleep while stopped in traffic or at a traffic light are dead giveaways that you’re too tired to drive.
“Recognizing the signs is the first step in prevention,” McManus said. Next, you can try a few different tactics to help stay awake, he suggested.
These include stopping and taking a nap; drinking a caffeinated beverage; or boosting alertness by adjusting the radio, opening a window, or talking with passengers.
Although these actions can help, they aren’t necessarily perfect solutions, McManus noted.
“Ceasing driving to take a nap may be the best of these commonly implemented countermeasures, as naps have been shown to reduce driving impairment in such situations,” McManus said. “Research tells us that, as a supplement to sleep, naps can be effective for maintaining sustained attention, learning and memory.”
According to McManus, research shows that a