How a regular sleep routine can help prevent drowsy driving

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- When the sun goes down and it's time to get ready for bed, doctors say our body releases melatonin which helps us go to sleep.

"In a 24 hour period we normally say seven to eights hours should we sleep," said Dr. Summit Patel, a Sleep and Pulmonary Specialist, Mercy Medical Center. "So one- third of our lives we are sleeping."

While the recent time change creates an extra hour of sleep in theory, that may not be the reality for many people still trying to adjust.
Dr. Patel says the change in our sleep cycle can affect how we function.

"If you are not in alignment, then it can affect your whole body," said Dr. Patel. "So you can feel tired or sleepy at wrong times."

It can also increase our health risks. That includes when we get behind the wheel. CHP officers say they're keeping an eye out for those drowsy drivers out on the roads.

"We are definitely out there in force, looking for those elements that spark, our interest to maybe make that enforcement stop," said Officer Mike Salas with CHP Fresno. "Just to check and see whether they are either impaired or sleeping."

The CHP reports in 2023 there were more than 4000 crashes in the state that involved a drowsy driver. That's why officers say if you're starting to feel tired, pull over.

"You need to move off of that roadway where it's safe," said Salas. "A lot of times it'd be a gas station, a big parking lot of a supermarket. Just something off of the main road off of the freeway."

The agency adds grabbing a snack or drink for the road can help you stay alert. Dr. Patel also says having a regular sleep routine is key.

"The most important thing is proper sleep hygiene," said Dr. Patel. "Getting adequate duration of sleep. When I say sleep hygiene, it's a regular sleep cycle going to bed at a real time, getting up at a regular time.'

Both the CHP and Dr. Patel say getting the right amount of sleep can help reduce your risk on the road while also protecting others.

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