Sleep - just the word can create lovely thoughts about your favorite cozy blanket, counting sheep, or the My Pillow guy!
Sleeping while living a life over the road means getting sleep isn't always easy, especially when it is 8 a.m. and you've had three cups of coffee an hour ago just to keep yourself awake. Welcome to the life of a trucker!
Living this life means you’re always changing lanes – and those lanes usually involve sleep, caffeine and being extremely tired. Looks like the Eagles aren’t the only ones living life in the fast lane, and as a trucker I’m pretty sure you’re only supposed to use that lane for passing.
Here are a couple ideas to keep you snoozing, and not caffeine cruising.
First, you must limit your caffeine intake, and it may seem like a tough habit to break, but I’d trade coffee for sleep, any day. Now you may be saying, “But, I’m a caff-fiend! Where do I even start?”
Did you know it takes 12 hours for caffeine to leave your body completely!? Now be honest, how many cups of coffee did you drink during your last long shift out there on the road?
Secondly, invest in your sleeping "tools." Finding the perfect pillow and mattress. If your box spring isn’t helping you spring out of bed, maybe it’s time for a change. Treat yourself - and remember they always have great specials on mattresses and pillows around the holidays.
One of the most wonderful things to have ever been invented – the magical, but totally ordinary, sleep mask. Perfectly small and travel-sized, available almost anywhere, the amazing sleep mask makes life a little darker, but in a good way! Personally, I can’t sleep without one, even the tiniest bit of light seems to somehow seep through my closed eye lids, so I have got to have a sleep mask. They even make ones that are so good at keeping out the light, I can completely sleep right through even the brightest of sunny mornings. Sleep masks – a lovely way to shut out the day! Brought to you by the makers of Cheeri-No’s! The only cereal made especially for morning haters. Yeah, that’s not really a thing.
Speaking of real things that work, did you know how helpful it can be to have something you like to listen to playing when you are trying to go to sleep? But wait, in case you haven’t heard - the “blue light” from your phone is basically telling your brain to never sleep again. Just kidding- but really, no watching just listening, and the sleep mask makes this part easier if your brain keeps glancing at the screen “on accident.”
Whether it’s Netflix, music, even ambient rain sounds for the nature enthusiast, find something you love and catch the ZZZ train. Personally, I love using headphones and drifting off to sleep while listening to my favorite tv shows. Ahh, peaceful. Oh, this method is also super helpful when you’re trying to drown out any un-wanted noise like the dramatic end to a tv show, horns honking, or even a train rolling by. Turn the volume up or turn the volume down, either way headphones help quiet the world outside a sleepy brain when you’re ready to hit the hay.
Hopefully, some of these tips can help you make some sleep changes that get you up and at ‘em more easily. But if not, and your stuck running on someone else’s schedule and it isn’t what YOU want it to be, give our friends at Drive Logistics a call.
They can help you get the sleep you want, when you want, because- guess what? You’re the boss and you can make your own schedule, always.
If you’re feeling like you want to set a goal and achieve it, let our friends at Drive Logistics help you pave the way to a new dream.