Not sleeping good in the truck.

Posted by Ill_Aside_5662@reddit | Truckers | View on Reddit | 49 comments

I do regional, home every 36 hours or so. I sleep one night out and the other at home. I usually have 8-10 hours of break in which I hit the bed. I always wake up every hour or so which is super annoying. It doesn't help that I'm a light sleeper either.

I'll mostly wake up every 2 hours and struggle to sleep again and when I start my day I'm exhausted. When I sleep at home, it's great. I can sleep 8 hours without waking up.

I've been trucking for almost 10 years and this has always been a problem for me. Does anyone else have a similar problem? Sometimes I'll take a nap at night for an hour and feel rested for the whole day.

How good do you guys sleep in the truck?

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ras_736@reddit

You better RUB ONE OUT!!! 😎🤠🚀🥳🫠

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ChampionshipThin8916@reddit

I sleep better in the truck than at home. But I can idle and be cool in my truck. No company policy BS forcing me to sleep hot or deal with Opti-Idle start/stop crap.

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SanPaladin07@reddit

I use melatonin gummy. The helped me a lot

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Trick-Truth197@reddit

Stay off them phones at night

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Fluffy-Dig-2094@reddit

If you haven't already swap your spring mattress for a better one. My sleep improves alot. Don't consume caffeine 12hrs from when you plan to sleep. Caffeine has a half lite effect and takes a min of 8 to 12 hours depending how often you use it to completely leave your system.

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Patalos@reddit

Big thing I've always found when sleeping away from home is noise level. Not just cutting out noise, but finding out what noise helps you sleep. I keep a small fan with me because both the ambient noise of it running as well as the breeze on my face helps me sleep tremendously. Try and recreate your home conditions as closely as possible. Lack of sleep is not just frustrating, its dangerous.

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Don_Quoyote@reddit

This might sound weird, but I've slept like a rock since I started using a weighted blanket on the truck

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Ill_Aside_5662@reddit (OP)

Thanks everyone for all the replies. I do have a good mattress in my truck. Ill take some kind of supplement to help me sleep and see where that takes me.

You guys are the best!

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jqmallah@reddit

Hi, I would treat the broken sleep as a safety problem, not just an annoyance.

A few things that help drivers I know:

Keep the cab temp a little cooler

Use a real eye mask and soft ear plugs

Cut caffeine earlier than you think you need to

Do the same wind down routine every truck night

If you are waking up every hour in the truck but sleeping fine at home, the cab setup is probably training your brain to stay alert.

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throwaway5988765309@reddit

This! And a wise idea, they kight not have checked, but OP might wanna grt checked for sleep apnea

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LikwidHappiness@reddit

Couple shots of fireball will mellow you out.

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shhhdidyousmellthat@reddit

Otc sleep meds work great

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itiswhatitis47151@reddit

Here is what I do.

I got a thick foam pad on the mattress.

I take 3-4 Bayer back and body pills.

Turn ac to cold and a blanket on bed.

Music on low.

If can't sleep on one end try on the other.

Get a 2 hook ratchet strap and attach to doors with ratchet on driver side and tighten up.

Close curtain from front to back.

Let me know if works for you.

I get better sleep in truck then I do at home

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ApollyonFE@reddit

I bought a memory foam mattress and use foam earplugs every night. I pop a melatonin gummy and I'm usually good, about 95% of the time I'd say I sleep through the night

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vfittipaldi@reddit

Same. Great sleep at home, 7 or 8 hours. Probably 6 hours max in the truck. 5 or less many times.

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J-Rag-@reddit

I always slept awesome in my truck. But I understand how some dont. Try getting a bottle of like 5mg melatonin. Split it in half and take 2.5mg half hour before you want to go to sleep and see how that does. If you need more, try taking the whole 5mg the next night. I always took melatonin when I needed to get to sleep quick and stay asleep. Never did me wrong. Warning though, when I first started taking melatonin I had some weird ass dreams that made me jump awake from time to time. But that passed after a week or so. Best ones I can remember was I was sitting down in the seat of my truck, and a worm crawled onto my steering wheel and then jumped at me. I woke up flailing and slapping myself. I've also had similar dreams of like a spider crawling on me and woke up slapping myself and freaking out, only to realize it was just a dream. But like I said, those kinda things went away pretty quickly after regularly taking melatonin.

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AE_Racer@reddit

Some of the best sleep ive ever had was in a truck. A/c on freeze. Reefer unit humming, stop/start didnt matter. Never feel that refreshed at home.

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AsphaltPirate74@reddit

Yep! My Wife likes it warmer in the house. She understands I need it cooler so we keep the A/C at a middle ground, but I love falling asleep in an ice box under some warm blankets after a long hard day of work. I can get 4-6 hours of sleep in the truck and feel way more refereshed than I would be by getting 8+ hours of sleep at home.

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DukeBradford2@reddit

I used to park away from reefers when i started out doing dry van. As soon as I switched I slept like a baby. Giant white noise machine is great

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navlgazer9@reddit

I always left the engine running while I was sleeping

It was great to Mask the outside noise and the vibration helped too

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Exact-Leadership-521@reddit

I get a better sleep with it off. Nothing's gunna start leaking, less chance of an electric fire. 6-8 hours and the trailer parking brake starts making noises.

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consideratearcher466@reddit

Relaxium. At least that’s what Bill and Mike say!

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PartyEntrepreneur175@reddit

Are you mentally tired but not physically tired? Try exercise before sleep. Just go walk a few miles.

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colbsk1@reddit

You a caffeine user?

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IrmaHerms@reddit

Try taking magnesium, also like everyone else says, caffeine should be cut off long before you need to sleep. Caffeine 1/2 life is 4-6 hours. So 12 mg of caffeine is 6 mg at 4 hours and 3 mg in your system still at 8 hours. Your metabolism also affects your sleep heavily. Try not eating a few hours before bed. Have a decent lunch and skip or have a very light dinner. I find peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a death sentence to sleep for me. I will occasionally have one, but if I eat one in the evening, I can’t sleep worth a damn. Being hydrated also helps, which I know as a trucker is against everything we sit for…

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ExpedientDemise@reddit

I do a lot better with some white noise to cover the sound of other trucks and/or reefers. I use a DC powered fan plugged into a lighter socket.

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Kenworthsteve@reddit

Lots of good tips here.

Exercise? Maybe try to get a walk in?

Read. I always have a e reader or real book.

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RackingUpTheMiles@reddit

So I've got a few things. The right temperature is perfect, ideally, you want it not too hot but not too cold. Get a little fan that plugs into the 12v outlet.

Get a good mattress or mattress topper. My company gives us memory foam mattresses.

Get yourself some quality bedding. I just got a cheap set at Walmart for like $30.

Have a few pillows. I can find more comfortable positions by surrounding myself with a bunch of pillows.

Get an eye mask. Especially if you have an International because the curtains in this don't exactly block all light.

Ideally, find a dark, quiet place to park. I prefer service plazas and rest areas as they're typically much quieter than truck stops.

Get a few quality pajama sets. I started wearing actual pajamas and I find I sleep better. Plus, I've already got some kind of clothing on in case I have to get out in an emergency.

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MainConnection6742@reddit

My wife just bought me that cooling blanket thing from Costco and it's a fucking life changer. I sleep hot . Always have to have a fan or AC on. That blanket is like having the cold side of a pillow every time I move. I usually don't believe in gimmicky crap but oh my god that fucking blanket is straight from the Arctic and I won't shut up about it lol.

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cowhand214@reddit

Do you have a link? NAT but this sounds amazing!

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MainConnection6742@reddit

I'll have to wait till the old lady gets home. I tried looking up the info from the tag and it's just made without child labor and shit.

Www.Oeko-tex.Com

Standard 100

BJ025 223688

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Physicballs1655@reddit

I bought one last summer and regretted not buying extra after using it for a few days. Then I saw them in Costco again a few weeks ago and bought 2 more. This year’s model seems a lot thicker and heavier than the original but they still feel great. They will also keep you warm when it’s cold but have that cool touch to them.

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MainConnection6742@reddit

Yeah the one we have is a sure enough blanket/bed cover. It's heavy and will keep you warm but definitely will keep you cool. I know it sounds fucking weird lol. Love the fucking thing

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JaxAustin@reddit

Try Magnesium Oxide supplement. Just get a cheap bottle and see if it helps

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Parking_Exit2297@reddit

Damn I sleep wayyyy better in the rig

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Slyfer29@reddit

It's no doubt all the caffeine we drink throughout the day. On the last couple days out try not to drink any caffeine. You'll probably sleep better in the truck so when you take your 34 at home you won't be so tired the first day. You can enjoy more of it before it's time to start back driving.

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richardfitserwell@reddit

Don’t just quit cold turkey or the headaches will make you miserable

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JOliverScott@reddit

If the mattress that came with the truck isn't very good invest in a better one. Most lower bunks can take a Twin XL so you don't have to spend a fortune on truck specific mattresses. I like the ones with memory foam and even added a memory foam topper to the upper bunk for when trainees were using it and they said it was much better with that.

Anything in the sleeper that glows at night block it out with tape or something. Lights affect your brain's ability to 'turn off'.

Ear plugs because if it's not your truck it's the one parked next to you with those straight pipes and that reefer with a squeaky belt.

In winter a small personal humidifier because bunk heaters really dry out the air.

When selecting a parking spot, if you look for something with a little left-to-right slope then your head will be higher than your feet when you're lying down. Otherwise some people invest in a wedge that allows them to elevate their torso or they make an adjustable bed solution for trucks but it's crazy expensive.

Cut out caffeine a few hours before bedtime. Also limit your device usage when you climb into the bunk and then switch your phone to silent, maybe excepting your SO's number in case of emergency and also your alarm if you use your phone as your clock. All those notifications can keep you awake even if you're not reaching for the device every time.

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Gilgamesh2000000@reddit

I smoke a shit ton of weed

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R-e-s-t@reddit

just a shit ton? rookie

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LuckLovesVirtue@reddit

My suggestion would be to maybe get some exercise after your drive? Nothing crazy but try like a 30 minute brisk walk right after you park, throw some light calisthenics in for variety. I swear by melatonin so I’d suggest that - it can be hit or miss for some people but that stuff puts me to sleep quick and I tend to sleep well without much drowsiness the next day

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Islanderwithwings@reddit

I use NyQuil since I do LTL reefer. Lots of 3am appointments, night time driving, sleeping during the day. And a 14hr day can be a 20hr day if a grocery distribution takes too long to unload and kicks you out when you run out of hours lol.

But if I know I'm going to get a long rest, I drink Chamomile tea. This will knock you out. Once it kicks in, sweet dreams.

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droptozro@reddit

You may be a light sleeper and have difficulty with that because you're having apnea events. You may need a CPAP or APAP etc... That was my issue at home and in a reefer truck years ago. Get an at home sleep test through a sleep doctor. And it doesn't matter if you're overweight or not. I'm not, still got an APAP and I get much deeper rest for the first 4-5 hours usually each night.

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PapaJuja@reddit

White noise machine, air conditioner running, humidifier on, and makes it dark as fuck in your sleeper. Keepsome wedge pillows in your cargo so if your sleeping in an incline, your can adjust your bed so its comfortable. No caffeine 8 hours before sleep. No nicotine 3 hours before sleep.

That was my method when I was otr

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Waisted-Desert@reddit

Replace your mattress.

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grumpus_ryche@reddit

What in your home sleeping environment can you emulate in the truck? Personally, a fan and nature sound machine help mask outside noises because I hear everything and my brain wants to investigate. Smoothing those over whether on the road or a hotel goes a long way to bridging the gap between awake and deep sleep. What about the sleep surface, pillow, and covers? Temperature?

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Fluxus4@reddit

Try some over the counter sleeping pills. I use Costco's Kirkland brand "Sleep Aid." It's 25mg of doxylamine succinate. Check with your doctor. For me, I sleep like a baby for 8 hours and wake up alert and refreshed. You obviously wouldn't want to take one unless you were absolutely going to sleep for 8 hours.

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0100100012635@reddit

Are you drinking a lot of caffeine during the day? Is the temperature in the cab ideal for you to sleep in? Is your mattress the right amount of firmness for your sleeping style? Lots of factors to consider.

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The_Okay_Baboo@reddit

That's the worst schedule I can think of for sleep quality. When I was in the truck all the time, I slept great in the truck, not so great at home. Now, I sleep like shit on the truck, and great at home. Switching nights back and forth like you are, I don't know how you're supposed to ever adjust to sleeping in the truck. Your brain won't tune out the stresses right outside the sleeper.