Lengthy Drives/Chases and Sleep Deprivation

[Matt Magiera]

I was curious as to how others manage their sleep while out chasing, and some of the better methods of handling driving on little sleep. Guzzle down cups of coffee? Energy drinks? Rest stop naps? I often find myself chasing solo, so on my longer drives I usually end up either guzzling down caffeine and/or stopping at a rest stop for a power nap. There have got to be some better methods. This year I will have more freedom come May and June to go longer distances more often, rather than chasing mostly Illinois/Iowa/Missouri. Any stories/advice is appreciated!

 

[Michael R.]

I don't have to chase alone, so with having a chase partner it makes it very easy to stay fresh. Not everyone likes chasing with a partner though, but if I could offer any advice it would be to make sure you were well rested heading into any extended chasing you were about to do. Like the days before, make sure you body is well rested and ready for the long haul. And if you need a boost, order a case of the soft drink Surge from Amazon, it's back and should keep you hyped throughout your entire chase journey, lol.

 

[Dan Robinson]

I've rarely, if ever, ran into a drive so long in between Plains chase targets (during a multi-day trip) that required an all-nighter. The trek from and back to home is another story, if you live outside of the Plains.

Before I lived in St. Louis, I routinely chased the Plains from West Virginia. Most targets were 14-18 hours from home, so this meant leaving the day before a setup. I usually waited for the 12z model runs and the new Day 2 outlook. If I left at 4PM EDT from Charleston, WV, I could make any Plains target the next day with at least a 5-hour window for roadside sleep. On the trip out from home, I rarely got a hotel unless I was so certain of a Day 2 setup as to leave before the 12z models came out. There really wasn't any reason for me to depart so late that I'd have to pull an all-night drive. Waiting for the 00z models wasn't an option as it was too late for even an all-nighter. The short night's sleep on the way out was no issue as long as I got a good night's sleep at a hotel the following night.

On the way home from the Plains, I would just pull over whenever I felt tired and sleep until I woke up (sometimes the full 8 hours).

I have never nodded off while driving, but the thought terrifies me. I'll always pull over at the first hint of an episode of sleep deprivation getting to be too much.

I'd say leave as early as you possibly can to avoid the all-nighters, and prepare your vehicle in advance for roadside naps (for me it's a pillow, blanket and a way to cover the windows). An hour nap can work wonders. Scout out spots you know you can safely park for a while and not be bothered (truck stops are the best for this IMO). I'd be pretty nervous to rely on caffeine for alertness - at least for me, even it has limited utility when you're really sleep deprived.

 

[Quincy Vagell]

When I used to live in Connecticut and could often only chase specific days in the Plains/Midwest, there were times I would drive overnight, often leaving me to rush to get into position for the chase. Not the smartest idea. I'm not a big coffee drinker, so I just fought it, maybe grabbing an hour of "half sleep" at a rest stop and then crashing the night after the chase. Not a great strategy if you're chasing a multi-day event.

Now, the only time I will pull an all-nighter is if there's a high-end event that I can only chase if I drive overnight. In those cases, I'll crank the music, open the windows and have a few energy bars along the way, only stopping briefly if I feel like I'm getting tired.

Long drives in general don't bother me at all. Having driven over 100,000 miles since the spring of 2014, it's like second nature. An 8 or 10+ hour drive to get into the Plains gives me a rush of adrenaline. Even the travel days between chases don't bother me. It's like my body is programmed to be naturally ramped up for a chase.

Some tips for long drives:

• Eat healthy or at least avoid junk. Your body will feel more energized. Fresh fruit is great, though not necessarily overly filling.
• Speaking of that, energy bars are good too. They can replace a small meal, can be eaten on the road and will give you a little kick.
• Have music/playlists ready to go. Listening to the radio can be a literal headache, but having some music to fire you up or pass the time with will help.
• Audio books and podcasts can be good. I use text to speech software as well, so I'll play SPC outlooks, NWS discussions, etc.
• Give yourself extra time. Traffic/accidents can come out of nowhere. Roads may be closed due to weather. Etc.
• If you can split the drive with a partner, that will be huge. I usually chase solo, so that isn't a regular option for me.

Other nighttime tips:

• Avoid late night chasing. This can be dangerous and counterproductive. In my opinion, chasing a few hours after the sun goes down isn't a big deal, but chasing at 2 a.m. is rarely, if ever, a good idea, for a variety of reasons.
• If you know a big chase is coming up the next day, try to get some extra sleep. I find myself waking up early leading up to a chase, and/or staying up too late reviewing the data before. The last thing you want is to get sleepy (if that's possible!) while on a chase.
• When prepping for the next day, be strategic. If you're chasing day 1 in Oklahoma and day 2 is targeting Minnesota, consider driving a few extra hours on night 1, saving you time to get into position on day 2. You don't know if the target will change or if storms will fire earlier than first thought.
• If you want a good night's rest, don't drink soda or eat a big meal right before bed. Also give your body some time to shut down, meaning put the cell phone down and shut the TV off before you get ready for bed.

Just my $0.02 and what has worked well/poorly in my experience.

 

[Ethan Schisler]

When we attempt long distance chases, we typically leave the night before at a reasonable hour, drive for several hours until we at least make it to Western MO (or somewhere similarly as fast west depending on target); and then wake up early the next morning and drive the rest and get into position. That overall seems like it makes things more manageable and less tiring on your body. Yeah you are paying for an extra hotel night, but I would rather spend an additional 80 bucks, than not be mentally awake when it comes down to chasing.

Also I would advise against consuming large amounts of energy drinks or soda pops. They aren't good for your health at all and there is no sense in harming your body, when you can simply just leave earlier.

 

[Mike Marz]

I always chase solo and driving down to most target areas in the spring is a pretty long haul coming from Minnesota. I usually leave around 4-5 in the afternoon the day before a chase and just aim for Wichita and sleep at rest stops in that area. This leaves plenty of time to sleep-in the next day, and move accordingly to where the storms will initiate. I will say that the drives home are much worse, especially after a bust, in which case I like to roll the windows down and blast some music if I start to get a bit tired while driving. But if I start to get tired on the drive down, before a chase day, I usually will draw a lot of energy to stay awake by thinking about the possibilities that the next day brings. Blast some chase music! Get pumped for the chase! IT'S THE WONDER OF NATURE BABY!

 

[Jason Boggs]

Do whatever you can to get PLENTY of rest before a chase day. Being sleep deprived on a chase day is a recipe for disaster, especially if chasing solo. Remember that chasers have to make calculated and precise decisions on a chase day such as multitasking with radar, cameras, phones, maps, decision making, etc. Sometimes the long journey back home after a chase is what I have to deal with.

For me, I just take it slow, drink coffee/energy drinks, and listen to music. I think one big key is to get out of the vehicle for about 10 minutes every hour to stretch and get refreshed. I have also stopped at roadside parks, etc. to get in a power nap. I know a lot of chasers get excited and can't sleep the night before a chase, and that includes myself. Sometimes I will take a unsiom before bed which will help a lot .Again, do whatever it takes ton get refreshed and stay refreshed for that chase day!

 

[Jason Boggs]

One story I have is a drive I took back in September. I was coming back from my brothers in Montana. I drove straight through from Bozeman, MT to Pampa, TX which is over 1100 miles. It took me about 21 hours because I took it slow, took plenty of breaks, and took a nice nap (3 hours) North of Denver.

 

[Drew Terril]

I used to be able to do the marathon drives. When I was still in the military it was ridiculous how much I did on such little sleep. I still have trouble sleeping more than a couple hours at a time. That said, I know my limitations and know I can't do it like I used to. Now that I'm out of the military, there's not a whole lot of reason to push myself to my limit anymore.

Usually I'll get 4 or 5 hours of sleep the night before (which is normal for me), then catch a short nap when I get to the target area. I'm hypoglycemic now as well so eating/drinking things that make my blood sugar do funky things are as taxing on me as lack of sleep.

What it really boils down to is know your body, know your limits. I'll use the analogy of towing a trailer. If the weight of the trailer is more than 85% of the towing capacity, you either need a smaller trailer or a truck with a higher towing capacity. If you think you're getting close to your limit, you've already pushed it too far.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

 

[Marc R. O'Leary]

I agree with Dan - Keep the necessary gear in the car so you can grab some quick power naps. I actually asked my wife to make me curtains for my car so I can black out/security the inside when I'm napping. Blanket and pillow and a station wagon go a long way for fighting off the road sleepiness.

 

[rob.cannon]

I try to avoid doing these long trips alone and I either get a hotel/motel room or sleep in my car at a truck stop if I get too tired. As far as driving while tired, I drink a lot of water and apples. I usually cut up a few apples before I head out on a long drive and keep them in a cooler along with two large water bottles. That being said, apples are a great source of a natural sugar which helps to keep you alert without that end crash. I avoid energy drinks like the plague. The come down crash from them is worse than being tired.

 

[James Hammett]

Chewing gum and +1 on the podcasts...really great for passing the time. Avoid ALL sugar...the crash following the sugar high will knock you right out.

 

[Shane Adams]

The solution is simple. If you can afford it, motels. If you can't, then tough it out and be an iron man behind the wheel. If you don't trust your ability to remain awake on long drives, then don't do them. Rest stops are great but for me personally, a cat nap just makes me more tired.

Some people just cannot stay awake in a vehicle. I was blessed with the ability to drive about as far as anyone I have ever heard of, that wasn't on some kind of speed drug. I did 26 straight hours once, sober, alone, with no coffee, because I wanted to avoid extra stops for bathroom breaks. Hopefully I'll never need to do that again.

 

[StephenHenry]

Jeez, @Shane Adams, 26 hours? I thought I was pretty tough for a 19-hour Albuquerque-NE Colorado-Albuquerque marathon a couple years ago. And that took a gallon of coffee and I still should have stopped. Towards the end of that trip in the 12-2 AM time frame I can still remember the drive and being tired, but I have absolutely no memory of the audiobook we were listening to. When I re-listened to it a few days later, there was not a single part that was even vaguely familiar. My brain was dumping short term info right at the edge of staying awake and I wasn't even aware of it. That still really scares me, and I'm much more careful about ending the night now.

 

[Francis]

Personally. I avoid driving overnight to get to a target area. I dislike the feeling of not caring while you are chasing, which can obviously be a dangerous attitude but also seems less "enjoyable". I had the choice to do it for the April 9th 2015 setup in Illinois, but after driving all day from Manitoba on April 7th to chase in Kansas April 8th, driving all night from Wichita to Illinois and chasing a potent MCS day like that would have been tricky. Being the first chase of the year and taking my buddy out for his first chase ever in the States (he was driving his baby Honda Civic), I pulled the plug and we tried in MO with ENH risk area instead. If I would have been alone I would have went for it no questions asked and slept in my car at a rest stop or something, but on major setups I usually leave a day prior and make sure I'm well rested so I don't screw up. Plus having someone else life in your hands while you guide him, being very tired isn't the best option. Energy drinks are a no no when you have to drive back all night from a chase, those crash are intense lol!! Large coffee usually does the trick.