That can't be very comfortable.
Better let your dad take the wheel. Younger men are more likely than older guys to become drowsy and dangerous behind the wheel after a poor night’s sleep, finds a new study in Biological Psychology.
British researchers recruited a few dozen men in their mid-20s and mid-60s. The researchers asked each group to complete a monotonous course in a driving simulator after either a full night’s sleep or just 5 hours of ZZZs.
While there was no difference between the groups after a normal night’s sleep, the younger drivers were four times more likely to drift completely out of their vehicle lane after an hour minutes on the road, according to the study. (Watch out for the 5 Biggest Driving Distractions.)
“It may be that sleep need declines with age,” explains study author Ashleigh Filtness, Ph.D., of Loughborough University, though she says the jury’s still out.
Sleep requirements vary, but Filtness says younger men need between 6 and 9 hours to feel awake and alert throughout the day. If you find yourself stuck behind the wheel after a poor night’s sleep, follow these steps to keep your car on the right side of the stripe.
Don’t trust caffeine: “It takes about 20 minutes for caffeine to start working,” Filtness explains. That means your sleep-addled defenses may still be down for a time even after you’ve knocked back a small energy drink. (Find out: Do Energy Drinks Really Work?)
Don’t over-nap: While 15 to 20 minutes of shut-eye is the best cure for the highway yawns, a longer nap will nudge you into a state of deep sleep from which your senses and reflexes can’t quickly recover, Filtness says. Pull into a parking lot, set a timer for 20 minutes, and catch a quick snooze.
Don’t forget your water bottle: A French study found that even slight dehydration reduces concentration and alertness. Drinking water—at least 8 ounces every hour—will help you stay awake, according to a recent University of Wales study.
Don’t reach for fast food: Fatty, sugar-rich foods will give you a brief shot of energy. But they’re also more difficult to digest, and will leave you feeling groggy once the initial high wears off, shows a Cardiff University study. Fiber-packed fruits such as apples are a good source of steady energy, finds Tufts University research.
Don’t drive in silence: A group of researchers at Israel’s Ben Gurion University exposed truck drivers to several types of stimuli designed to help them stay awake, including memory and trivia games. To the researchers surprise, listening to fast-tempo music provided the most benefit, the study says. Go ahead and pump up the jams—try one of The Best Road Trip Albums to get you through the night.
More from MensHealth.com: