Long-haul truck drivers have a difficult job, and that job is only made harder if you have to do it without a good night’s sleep. In the past, drivers might have had to find a roadside motel to crash in or even risk long nights of driving with minimal breaks. But sleeper trucks have revolutionized the way long-haul truck drivers make their journeys.
What Is a Sleeper Truck?
When new guidelines were made for driver safety, trucks started to be developed with sleeper compartments. Instead of forking out for roadside motels, drivers could sleep in a miniature bedroom in the back of an extended cab to get their much-needed night’s sleep.
Drivers could travel for months on the road with this new sleeper compartment, and they went from using basic barracks-style sleeping bunks to increasingly sophisticated and comfortable areas where they could relax after a long day or night on the road.
The Importance of a Good Night’s Rest
Truck drivers can travel for extremely long distances and even live in their sleeper trucks for months at a time, so a good sleeping compartment is essential for making long-distance travel more bearable. As sleeper truck beds are often a non-standard size due to the truck’s space constraints, getting a customized truck mattress is often required to ensure it fits the sleeper truck’s bed base.
Sleep Needs for Truck Drivers
If you’re a truck driver regularly sleeping in your truck (when it’s not moving, of course), how can you ensure you get the best quality of sleep?
With a customizable mattress, you can not only get a mattress that’s the right size and shape, you can also control the level of firmness and support, ensuring that you get essential back support and the best night’s sleep possible. Choosing a mattress with edge support also limits the possibility of restless sleepers falling out of bed.
Sleeping at the Right Body Temperature
You can upgrade your night’s sleep from good to great with temperature-controlled mattresses. Truck drivers on extremely long journeys may lose vital sleep if they get overheated at night. A gel foam mattress takes away body heat from the top of the mattress, allowing for sleep at an optimum body temperature. Be alert, though, as not all gel foam is as high a quality mattress as this gel foam Tochta mattress.
Memory Foam Keeps Your Body Supported
Sleeper truck mattresses with memory foam can also help keep drivers sleeping well. Memory foam molds to your body shape, so there isn’t as much give to a mattress when you sleep at night. This will help drivers, particularly with back support, as they stay in the same position for hours at a time while driving.
Sleep Essentials for Road Safety
As some of the largest vehicles on the road, a good night’s sleep is essential for a truck driver to keep themselves and their fellow road-users safe. A poor night’s sleep can impair decision-making for drivers, leading to increased risk of collision and accidents while on the road. A good night’s sleep will leave a truck driver feeling well-rested and able to react to any adverse conditions like traffic, bad weather, or poor visibility.
The Importance of Posture
As a truck driver, you can find yourself sitting in the same position for hours at a time. Sleeping poorly can lead to tense and tired muscles, compounding the problem and leading to long-term problems like stiffness and back pain. Investing in a good mattress to aid in back and general body support can help reduce the impact of body stiffness and aid good posture for drivers during their working day.
Making Things Bearable
Driving for long hours certainly requires lots of concentration. If you’re a sleep-deprived driver facing days, weeks, or even months on the road, it could take a toll on your mental health. Getting good quality sleep can help boost mood, and leave you feeling able to make those daily decisions on the road.
If you’re a long-haul truck driver reading this and suffering from a poor night’s sleep, check out Tochta for tailored mattresses to fit your sleeper truck and your comfort needs. Here’s to a good night’s sleep on your long-haul journeys!