Most of us have the good sense to avoid driving while drinking or texting. But did you know that driving while drowsy could be just as deadly?
According to new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 17 percent of fatal crashes involve a sleepy driver. In an instant, the lives of surviving families and friends are changed forever.
Data from the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) is similarly alarming. The NSF’s poll found that 60 percent of Americans have driven while feeling sleepy and 37 percent admit they actually fell asleep behind the wheel.
Hopefully, these stats will be a wake-up call to tend to your sleep needs and avoid the road when you need a nap.
But what if you’re getting plenty of shut-eye and still find yourself chronically fatigued? Could diet be the key?
We believe that a diet high in fat and lacking in proper nutrition—the typical American diet—could be why some people find themselves nodding off behind the wheel.
In a new study from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, researchers found a direct link between diet and sleepiness. “Increased fat consumption has an acute adverse effect on alertness,” says Alexandros Vgontzas, MD, professor of psychiatry at the Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Excess fat means that arteries don’t open properly and that muscles don’t get enough oxygen. So a high-fat diet, such as one loaded with artery-clogging animal products, could significantly slow you down.
The opposite is also true: The study found that higher carbohydrate intake was associated with increased alertness. Since whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables are high in complex carbs, a high-energy diet, like the Hallelujah Diet, supplies plenty of energizing fuel.
In a related article, Dr. Neal Barnard discusses how animal fats—and any sort of saturated fats—make the blood “more viscous,” or “thicker.” “This is the main reason many people feel tired after heavy meals, and is also why so many people who go vegan notice that their energy increases,” he says.
His recommendation: “Get a good night’s sleep; exercise regularly; eat plenty of healthful complex carbs and plant-based protein; skip the sugar, fatty foods and caffeine—and you should have energy to burn.”
And there’s another factor to consider: Your vitamin B12 levels. Even if you’re not on a high energy diet—such as a vegan diet—you may need a supplement. Vitamin B12 deficiency, which is linked to variety of diseases, is a common culprit of chronic fatigue, as described in the book, Could it Be B12?
Methylocobalamin, the type of B12 used in the Hallelujah Acres’ B12-B6-Folate Acid supplement, is the preferred form of vitamin B12, as it is active immediately upon absorption.
Our vitamin B12 supplement also contains folate for a healthy heart and B6 for overall physical and mental health.
Combined with all the incredible advantages of a high-energy diet, it's just another way The Hallelujah Diet helps you stay focused and alert all day long—and safe on the road!
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