Tips for Sleeping in Your Truck Cab
As a long-haul trucker, you know how much fatigue can impact your driving and how challenging it can be to find a place to sleep. Driving while tired can be as bad as driving while drunk. A study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) even demonstrated that over half of all workers in transportation are sleep-deprived. It’s a serious issue, so it’s important to do what you can to get a good night’s sleep, even if you’re not able to find a motel room or other place to stay on the road.
Sleeping in your truck cab can be a good temporary solution, especially if you’ve overestimated your ability to get to your destination and you just have to rest immediately.
Draco Isuzu Truck Center in San Diego is your SoCal truck dealer. As such, we’ve provided you with the following tips to help you catch some shut-eye in your truck while you’re on the road.
1. Park in a Quiet Place
Try to locate a place that’s relatively quiet, but not totally isolated. If you’re at a truck stop, park towards the back of the parking lot, away from any gas stations or restaurants where people are likely to be louder.
2. Prevent Light From Getting In
Put up blackout curtains over your windows to prevent as much light from getting in as possible. Whether you’re trying to sleep during the daytime or at a truck stop with big fluorescent floodlights, all that light will make it very hard to drift off. You can also purchase a sleep mask to block even more light out.
3. Buy a Mattress Pad
If your cab has a mattress, it probably isn’t the most comfortable and plush bed you’ve ever slept on. Fortunately, you can easily improve it by adding a mattress pad on top. Memory-foam pads will help to reduce back pain.
4. Improve Cab Comfort
You can take a few steps to make sure that your cab is as cozy and inviting as possible for slumber. Depending on the weather outside, use a space heater or small fan to keep your cab as warm or cool as necessary. Invest in a nice lightweight comforter and a good-quality pillow, also.
5. Follow Good Sleep Hygiene Practices
“Sleep hygiene” simply refers to the responsible steps you can take to ensure you get to sleep promptly each night for a reasonable amount of time. Here are a few suggestions for improving your own sleep quality:
- Don’t use your phone, tablet, TV or laptop for an hour before you intend to sleep.
- Avoid consuming food or drink for at least thirty minutes before bedtime to prevent indigestion. In fact, if you commonly suffer from acid reflux, try to avoid eating three hours before you go to bed to give your stomach time to adequately digest food.
- Lock up your cab securely to lower your anxiety.
- Avoid using caffeine in the afternoons and evenings.
Looking to purchase a truck in southern California? Stop by our San Diego location today to view our full inventory of new and used trucks for sale. We can even assist you with financing options if you’d like to use them. Draco Isuzu Truck Center proudly serves all of our San Diego County customers.