It’s no secret that getting a good night of rest can be difficult when you’re a long-haul truck driver. Many people have trouble sleeping outside their homes. Truckers may have to sleep between shifts in the middle of the day. Try out these truck driver tips for sleeping on the road, so you can get the rest you deserve.

Temperature Control

Sleeping is notoriously difficult when you’re either too hot or too cold. Unfortunately, not every trucker cab has adequate heating and cooling while the truck is off. If you’re struggling to get things comfortable, try out some of these temperature control tricks:

• Self-cooling pillow and mattress cover
• Charcoal hand warmers at the foot of the bed
• A portable, oscillating fan
• Winter duvet with down filling

Put Your Mind at Rest

One of the hardest parts about sleeping in an unfamiliar place can be getting your brain to shut off. Try doing an activity that makes you tired to put your mind in the right place for sleeping. You could do a few pushups, listen to slow-paced music, or even try reading a boring book. Some people also watch movies to fall asleep but be careful about too much screen time before bed since it can keep you awake.

Try a Sleeping Mask

Most people think sleeping masks are flimsy pieces of satin with a thin elastic strap—not an effective solution for blocking out light. However, truckers should consider investing in a higher-quality sleeping mask. These masks wrap around the entire head, so they don’t fall off. Some models also feature built-in Bluetooth speakers and weights to help induce sleep.

Take OTC Sleeping Pills

As a last resort, you might consider taking over-the-counter sleeping medication (with your doctor’s approval). While federal law prohibits truckers from taking any controlled substances while on the job, OTC meds typically don’t fall into this category.

Some examples include Tylenol PM and Benadryl, which contain compounds that can make people feel drowsy. Make sure to test these medications out at home, so you know how they affect you.

Reduce Muscle Tension

Your body’s muscles naturally tense up while driving to protect you from road vibrations. When you drive for a living, your muscles can have a hard time relaxing enough for sleep. One truck driver tip for sleeping on the road is to replace your current driving seat with an aftermarket commercial truck seat from GRA-MAG. Our seats block up to two-thirds of all whole-body road vibrations, helping put your body at ease.