Fighting Fatigue?

[DaveB]

For those of you commuting daily and/or putting in long hours, how do you combat the inevitable tiredness? I am back to commuting (via car) and want to try to avoid falling asleep on the M6.

Stimulants such as coffee are an obvious choice, but do you change what/how you eat, or your lifestyle, to accommodate the hours lost getting up early and driving long distances?

I've been doing 60 miles each way on the M1 for almost 2 years now and I'm starting to feel it. Things that have got me this far are:

Make sure you get to bed at a sensible time (10pm here).
Have a decent breakfast, not just half a cup of coffee on the way out of the door.
Dont eat late in the evening,
Stay off the booze on week nights,
Try and avoid coffee and tea in the afternoons, go for water or herbal teas instead.
Try and vary your route occasionally ( no effort needed for me on this one as the M1 is regularly snarled up anyway ).
Negotiate working from home one day a week if you can. The 'lie in' really makes a differance.

[Boudica]

Not to be recommended. Cost me a lot of money and a divorce...

[BlasterBates]

I do a lot of driving so often I'm tired on Friday. I wait until I get really tired, then I pull over and have a nap, after 10 minutes feel great and arrive home full of beans. When you're dropping asleep at the wheel you really don't need to sleep very long.

[Paddy]

I do a lot of driving so often I'm tired on Friday. I wait until I get really tired, then I pull over in the dogging layby, after 10 minutes feel great and arrive home full of beans. When you're dropping asleep at the wheel you really don't need to sleep very long.

FTFY

[SupremeSpod]

What?

[Zippy]

It's tough for the first few weeks but you do get used to it. I endorse what someone said about getting all your stuff prepared the night before so you can get ready in the minimum time.
You just need to change your routine a bit.
Make sure you get a few early nights until you've played yourself in and do have the odd glass of wine and watch the telly/read for a while, as it is a form of 'me' time.

[Boudica]

What?

it's okay, i was swotting you for having an affair which is none of my business and maybe your ex was a proper cow...

[lightng]

Watching your diet is key for maintaining energy levels. I follow this one for my sport. Takes a few days to get used to but you end up feeling alert and awake all day. Also, the excess pounds just drop off ...

http://www.crosleygracie.com/downloa...racie-Diet.pdf

Also look out for 80/10/10 diet. Some stuff on you-tube about this, its a bit extreme for me though. FoodnSport | Home of The 80/10/10 Diet & Dr. Douglas Graham

[Spacecadet]

if the commute is so long that it's making you feel fatigued then try and stay over 1 or 2 nights a week.

work from home when you can

if it's the early start that's the problem then simply start and finish work later. i for one can never sleep early, so a 6am start is something i avoid at all costs.

generally, make work fit round your habits, we're not factory shift workers!

[MaryPoppins]

Some really helpful advice there.

I have done worse commutes (length wise) than this; I think it's feeling like a huge shock to the system as it's the first commute I've had to do since my little boy popped out.

I'm still glad I made the fairly tough decision to take the role, as it's shaping up to be fantastic. I'm focused on the fact that I'm working towards a better future for us both - despite how hard it's going to be, and whatever people may think.

I am determined to be incredibly organised, and like Paddy said, do everything I can the night before to ensure mornings getting us both ready are as pain free as possible. I have taken the unprecedented step of washing my hair the night before, which has saved me over 30 mins in the morning. Fantastic! I should have done it donks ago, either that or had it all cut off.

Food is a bit of an issue as I seem to not be able to get time to eat.

Apologies for that confessional there, but - thanks all, nice to have a moan to people who actually geddit.