Falling Asleep while driving?

[Billydude]

I started noticing a couple of years ago that I would fall asleep for a second while driving.  It escalated to a point that on a weekly long trip I needed to take that I would start falling asleep at the wheel many times and have had many close calls.    I finally had to give up on driving this trip and had to hire someone to drive me.   I don't believe I have sleep apnea as I sleep well, don't snore and get a full nights sleep.   This falling asleep at the wheel can happen at any time of the day.
Is there a medical reason for this?    I also have severe neck degeneration.  Could sometime be cutting off oxygen to my brain when I'm in this position?    I don't fall asleep at other times.  Just while I am driving.

[clingan]

Sounds like narcolepsy to me. (I'm narcoleptic, have been all my life, also have hallucinations, and can see and hear what is happening while i'm asleep. Tried driving for a couple of years when I was in early 30's, but crashed every day - as I was living on a farm, luckily it was usually into a log or a fence or a ditch or a gate, never killed anyone...) After writing two cars off (terrible hallucinations, then rolled the car) - told to stop driving. Had tests, told I was a severe narcoleptic. Haven't driven since. Life is severely curtailed - can't go anywhere much, can't hold down a job, can't maintain a relationship etc etc......

[Teenie75]

I am experiencing this now. It is very scary... I drive my children to school 45-55 minutes one way and fight all I have to make my eyes stay open. I end up pulling over for 45 minutes (setting the alarm on my phone) because I am afraid I won't be able to drive back home. I am scheduled for a sleep study next month. Have you found anything out with the issue that we both share?

[sleepygrl]

As others have said, it's refreshing to see I'm not alone.  I've been falling asleep during the day for years, but I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea.  I had bilateral jaw and chin advancement a few years ago and my sleep has vastly improved.  I now wake up rested and awake rather than still sleeping and needing to stay in bed.  I do, however, still fall asleep if I'm sitting still and not engaged (in a meeting, someone talking to me, and of course, driving).  People ask me if its scaring falling asleep when I drive.  I tell them not at all, it's actually peaceful.  The waking up while driving, that's the scary part!  I usually feel my head falling back to the headrest and my foot falls back off the gas and I'm going at a snail's pace on a busy highway.  Not good.  There have been rare occasions where I've accelerated and woke up in time to brake before hitting the car right in front of me.  Worse.  I do have some of the symptoms outlined by MeLeea; the carpal tunnel, depression, weight gain, laziness, poor wound healing, low libido, weird menstrual cycle, etc. Guess it's time to be a guinea pig for the doctors again.  Took a bunch of tests years ago before they found the sleep apnea.  At that time my thyroid was okay, guess we'll see now.  Glad to have found this thread.  Good luck to all.

[Rmarinehilo]

I read your comments , I am a MARINE WITH 33yds in ... I fall asleep here In United States in Houston went driving my Dad an Mam... afternoon!    The one thing I know  is the food! went in Philippines never fall asleep with little sleep same goes for Iraq, Japan, Russia, name it I been there, so I had the VA  , lab check the food I was eating , like the eggs , bread , steak , even the vegetables an fruits .  etc.   it took a lot of arm twisting ,because of my rank E*8..... one common denominator was  the slat an some ingredient    call carboengic lab did not want to help in spelling also   made by MAN;   its found in all the thing s we eat an drink .. the only purpose that I question to the Doc an Lab why,, to keep are food to last as long as possible an kill bacteria which is the good bacteria that keeps us heatedly, so I try to eat what man does not make , no sugars at all eat a lemon before I drive here, I grow my own or no some that does  an my parent live in the middle of Houston with chickens an etc. I don't want the one that are making a profit on ME ,,  

[Hunter49705]

Hello everyone, I am 48 yrs old and have been fighting this problem since I started driving. I now take prescription drugs for ADHD when I drive to keep me alive, I fight sleep after 15 minutes of driving, if I switch with my girlfriend I am wide awake in passenger seat. It really pisses me off. I have been tested for sleep apnea, mild. Neurological tests all normal. I have quit looking for the answer and just take my meds, however, after taking meds for some time they no longer work as well, and now the doctors say the rules have changed and I need to be evaluated before refilling, this is a problem. I drive 3 hours a day commute, if I don't have any meds after reevaluation I am going to wreck my car and possibly hurt someone or die, I have a really good paying job and there is no poss of this closer to my home and I cannot just move, what will happen, don't know.

[Abesnake]

I sympathize with your situation. It sounds much like me. I have only found one thing that is helpful other than pulling over and doing 5 minutes or so of Transcendental Meditation, which actually revives me for several hours. However, I am time bound in my driving and can't usually afford to stop even though I should just quit driving. What does help, though, is pain. If I feel myself nodding off I grab a soft piece of skin or muscle and drive one of my finger nails in for a hard long pinch. Usually, I do it on my thigh or behind my knee, so I have my driving arm free. That along with actively telling my brain to stay awake, that I know what you're up too, helps me stay awake for up to an hour of driving. I don't recommend it for everyone, but it works for me...especially the meditation when I can get off the road. It's amazing.  

[FlippinFrack]

I agree with the pain thing.  I've tried screaming singing talking yelling and the only thing that helps is intense flossing. I use those little flosser picks and the pain to my gums snaps me out of it.