3 ways truck drivers can increase sleep quality

When operating a truck that surpasses a weight of 50,000 pounds, you have to be on your game. This means being mentally focused and prepared for whatever the road and others might throw at you. Getting your best sleep ensures alertness and reduces the chances of making mistakes. Here are a couple of tips for getting quality sleep on the road.

Consistent Sleep Schedule

Many people find it hard to stay on a consistent sleep schedule. It’s even more challenging to find that consistency when working a job with irregular hours. It’s important to try your best to get close to the same sleep hours every night. This will increase alertness, reduce stress, and even benefit heart health.

Regular Exercise

Due to the nature of the job, truck drivers find themselves in their chairs for extended periods. To counteract the time spent sitting, it’s important to work regular exercise into your weekly schedule. This is great for one’s physical health, mental health, and sleep quality. According to Charlene Gamaldo, M.D., the medical director of Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep, studies have found solid evidence that exercise helps people both fall asleep quicker and improves their sleep quality. Exercise causes the body to release endorphins and also increases body temperature. As the endorphins and body temperature start to fall off, it facilitates sleepiness. It’s important not to exercise too close to bed, as this may cause the body to be too alert.

Physical and Mental Preparation

Prepare a high-quality sleep space and reserve it for sleeping and relaxing. It’s worth investing in a mattress that makes you feel like sleeping on a cloud. Controlling the climate of your cab while sleeping is also crucial. Researchers demonstrated that both environments that are too cold and too hot negatively impact sleep quality. Lastly, try to avoid caffeine for at least six hours before going to bed.

For the mental preparation side of things, it’s important to signal to your body that it’s time to sleep. This means trying not to use anything with a screen anytime within an hour before sleeping. Next is some sort of bedtime routine. This might be meditation or taking a short walk outside before sleeping. Our brains fall into habits and we can train them to know their bedtime routines.

If you would like to learn more about the trucking industry and how to stay sharp on the road contact Double D Distribution.