This might well have been covered on here before but I’d like to try and understand why it is that even after a good night’s sleep I still feel drowsy if I drive for about 3 hours…bear in mind its only a pick-up and I always change drivers or pull in as soon as it starts to creep up on me. I heard that certain types of food are to blame - high carbohydrates? I try not to drink too much coffee, as the net result is that I can’t sleep and the blood press. will go up. Then someone else said its because of excessive concentration, I do get stiffness in the shoulders, like as if I’m holding the wheel too tight - driving is not my professional occupation, just a means to get from a to b once in a while - normally I sit at an office desk and don’t get affected, likewise at home on our farm I can drive a tractor all day ploughing and not even feel the signs of it…is it a mix of boredom (motorway or long straight road) and concentrating on the road too heavily? Maybe I just don’t do enough driving and so not used to it.
Maybe I just don’t do enough driving and so not used to it.
I suspect that’s your answer.
eat plenty of fruit on the road 
chocolate etc actually drains you after its intial burst of energy
Was just going to say that myself…
Don’t eat high sugar foods or drinks. They’ll perk you up for a bit but your blood sugar levels will crash badly afterwards.
Drink loads of water. I go through 2 liters every day. I find personally that it does help and keeps hunger pangs away too.
Apples pears and bananas are perfect for snack foods.
Keep the heater at a low level too. Nothing makes me more drowsy than a warm stuffy cab.
If you need to snooze no more than twenty mins.
Also to stave off boredom I find listening to talk radio keeps my brain ticking over. TalkSport and the like work for me… The World Service is good on a night run. Think its Radio 4 from 01:00am to 05:30am.
A good story CD/tape does the trick as well 
I find usually on a friday, near the weekend but still that last shift to go getting engrossed in a good book keeps me awake no problem 
Our local library has hundred of books on tape/cd, well worth joining up!
It’s 'cos your in poor shape. You need to work-out a bit. Get the blood flowing. Do some exercises in the cab. Pull/push on the steering wheel, tense your muscles, all of them.
Get a job with a stand up walk around cab with cruise and go for a jog. 
berewic:
It’s 'cos your in poor shape. You need to work-out a bit. Get the blood flowing. Do some exercises in the cab. Pull/push on the steering wheel, tense your muscles, all of them.Get a job with a stand up walk around cab with cruise and go for a jog.
There is a bloke from Eastern Europe who has done a work out video for truckers on the move
I always find cocaine does the trick nicely
thanks for all the replies!
Have to say that I’m not really a fruit lover, however that’s not to say I won’t change. Usually I take sandwiches with either cheese & tomato sauce or egg & cheese and wash it down with water, it’s bad news to venture in to the services because sure as the world is flat I’ll walk out with a bag of sweets to munch on.
switchlogic:
I always find cocaine does the trick nicely
its has the reverse effect of me, Eric Clapton always sends me to sleep.
Lots of our american friends are relying on a new smart drug called Modafinil - helicopter pilots use it to keep awake during long missions. You don’t get jittery like coffee you’re just totally alert and not sleepy. You can get over the internet.
I wouldn’t bother. I was offered it as it’s prescribed to deal with fatigue in MS, but so far has proven unpopular amongst those who’ve tried it so I turned it down. Basically, whilst it doesn’t give the jitters, it DOES give you far worse sleep problems than caffiene, the result being burnout - particularly dangerous with this drug in so far as you are unable to tell it is creeping up on you. The awake time gained is soon outweighed by the recovery time, which ultimately defeats the object. Have a look on some of the MS boards for the horse’s mouth version.
To Richardjw1.
Hear what you are saying here with fatigue.I used to have an ionizer on the dash,it was used to filter the negative and positive charge in the atomosphere,in affect leaving you refreshed and air pollutants were removed from the cab.Resonance(Noise pollution) from the air pocket contact with the tyres and tarmac,made me tired,so wearing foam ear plugs helped a lot.Saw on BBC that there are plans to change how tyres are made to reduce noise.Fumes from the engine dont help,as they enter the cab,and get drowsy.
JeffA:
‘…smart drug called Modafinil - helicopter pilots use it to keep awake during long missions…’
Hmm, interesting: As ex RAF - being rocked on one particular helicopter type caused me drowsiness very quickly as rear/passenger/transiting technical crew with its particularly rhythmic ‘wokka-wokka’ - but compared to other types & inter-continental fixed-wing stuff, I lack awareness that rotary chaps did ‘…long missions…’
Good water hydration (with dratted pee-stops) works well for me but for safety’s sake, be very wary of unsubstantiated & unprescribed ‘medical’ stimulants…!
Dehydration is a common cause of tiredness and drowsiness. Drink plenty of water (I don’t think flavoured ones are any worse for you in reality) which unfortunately means plenty of pee stops 
If you have to stop, make a point of having a walk around as well (not at the same time though ) as this also seems to work.
I have recently had some pain in my shoulders, and discovered that turning the “bounce” off on the seat improves it drastically. Because of the bouncing effect on the our well maintained roads you end up hanging on to the steering wheel and the tension passes all the way up the arm.