Nap before driving

Is there a perfect time to take a nap? It depends. Your personal situation will determine the best time for you to take a nap. There are three types of naps you can take; planned, emergency and habitual napping. Planned napping (also called preparatory napping) involves taking a nap to delay getting tired early or to help stay alert later than you normally would. Emergency napping occurs when you suddenly feel tired or fatigued and need to rest before completing a task which requires alertness. Habitual napping is when you take a nap the same time every day, for example, most children take habitual naps.

Respondents to our recent Web survey about napping found that up to 35% of respondents are too busy for either planned, emergency or habitual napping. 49% did admit to napping whenever they felt tired, while 8% take habitual naps and over 6% claim be more strategic and plan their napping.

It’s true that napping can help restore alertness, enhance performance, and reduce mistakes and accidents. In spite of these benefits, napping isn’t always the best option for everyone. For example, people having trouble sleeping through the night should avoid napping too close to bedtime because this could further cause sleeplessness. Learn more about naps and how they could benefit you.

If you become drowsy while driving, recognize that you are in danger of falling asleep and pull over. Coffee or another type of caffeine drink can promote short-term alertness, if needed. Just be aware that it takes about 30 minutes for caffeine to enter the bloodstream.

Caffeine is also available in soft drinks, chewing gum and tablets. Caffeine and a nap together offer short-term benefits. Keep in mind that caffeine won’t have much of an effect on people who consume it regularly.