Sleeping while out on the road as a long-haul trucker can be very difficult. There’s something about being in a new place that makes it hard for a lot of people to get a good night’s rest. Plus, it may be difficult to control the temperature of your sleeping cab. Discover six other reasons truckers have trouble sleeping and how to fix them.
Muscle Tension
One major problem for truck drivers is muscle tension caused by road vibrations that affect the whole body. When you feel the vibrations from the road, your muscles tense up to help insulate your body. Sometimes, those muscles have trouble relaxing after a full day of driving.
To reduce muscle tension, you need to reduce your exposure to whole-body vibrations. One way to do this is by using vibration-cancelling truck seats.
Too Much Light
Sometimes, truckers find themselves taking their breaks during the day instead of at night. Unless you’re nocturnal, this can make it very hard to fall asleep. To combat this issue, consider investing in light-blocking curtains for your truck cab, plus a sleeping mask.
Blue Screen Fatigue
Many people today fall asleep by looking at their phones. However, studies have shown that the blue light of your phone screen—or any device’s screen—can contribute to poor sleep. The best solution is to avoid looking at your phone at least 30 minutes before bedtime, but you could also get away with changing your phone’s light settings to reduce blue light exposure.
Too Much Coffee
Truck drivers often rely on coffee and other caffeinated beverages to keep them awake during long-haul driving sessions, but that can make it difficult to go to sleep later on. To avoid sleep issues related to caffeine, you can try eliminating caffeine after dinner, which should give your body enough time to wind down.
Poor Mattress Quality
Having to sleep on the mattress in your truck cab can also make it difficult to fall asleep. Depending on the type of mattress, how old it is, and your body type, there may not be enough support for comfortable sleep. Your best bet is to replace the mattress entirely, but you could consider buying a mattress cover with added cushioning instead.
Racing Thoughts
Sometimes, the reason you can’t fall asleep is that your mind is too active to rest. When this happens, don’t try counting sheep. Instead, try a mindfulness exercise designed to relax your body and shut down racing thoughts. Listening to music or ASMR sounds can assist in the process.
We hope these six reasons truckers have trouble sleeping and how to fix them help you find ways to relax and reset. Life on the road can be hard, but you can still get plenty of rest with the right assistance.
