Falling asleep at the wheel.

[Choclover27]

Driving back on the motorway this afternoon from dropping my son back at uni.
Brief back story is that I had a dreadful nights sleep due to hot flushes/menopause but had to drive four hours starting at 0800. Had a two hour break there. Felt ok. And then got back on the motorway.
After an hour I felt extreme exhaustion and had a scary moment where I think I may have dropped off at the wheel. Only for a second. But enough to
make me panic.
Signpost showed services were 3m away so as they approached I indicated to get off. But the police had blocked the entrance with cones and I couldn’t get off. I was desperate and considered bashing through their cone barricade
Anyway. Drove on to next services 22m with window open singing . Trying to keep my panic at bay. Finally got there. Parked up and slept for an hour and a half. Shocked myself by this.
Should I have stopped at the police barricade ? Explained the situation. ?

Nightmare OP. I once 'woke up' with the front of the car in a field. Luckily I live rurally where the verges are flat and lead straight onto fields.

One trick I learned that gives you a few mins of awakeness... lick your finger and wet both eyelids.

The next services was 22 miles but was there no other opportunity to leave the motorway. In that situation I would have got off at the next junction and found a safe place to park up for a bit. Motorways are the worst for driving on when you are tired as there isn't much for your brain to do.

Very tricky.
In future perhaps keep an emergency can of Red Bull in the car. Very artificial but it does really work. Once (years ago) I had to drink two driving from Nottingham to Brighton. Not advised. I was totally wired.

I'd have stopped at the barrier I think. But it's hard to think on your feet when you are drop dead tired. It's an awful feeling.