How long do you sleep ?

Discussion in 'Motor Carrier Questions - The Inside Scoop' started by line, Jul 24, 2018.

  1. line

    line Medium Load Member

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    I average three hours a day at home or in a hotel room . Seemed like I slept longer in a sleeper truck
     
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  3. Trucking in Tennessee

    Trucking in Tennessee Road Train Member

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    Depends on the work schedule. Some days I am beat, others not that tired. If I get 6 I'm lucky.
     
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  4. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    One sleep cycle is about that long, three hours to four depending on you specifically. In order to have a good sleep cycle you have to come from being awake through light sleep into REM and stay there a while and come back up.

    I am surrounded by Wiki when google is used to determine a decent source material.

    There are times 6 hours is plenty and there are times Ive been up a week in trucking no sleep at all for say 5 to 6 days and nights plural. After something like that I can expect to require between 14 to 26 hours of nothing but sleep and rest until the body gets safe again. Then I go take care of the fluids, food etc. and begin a new workday. I usually inform dispatch Im going to be out about a day, aint no work being done on my end what sover because I am literally unsafe. When faced with those words Dispatch simply says ok, call us or message when ready to go. It will take a while.

    Natural Patterns of Sleep | Healthy Sleep

    I depend on day time naps once or twice a day. I think the total equals one complete night block. I used to be a complete night runner and think tonight will be one of those nights. Medicines have a way of doing that. Take away the medical issues and the body cranks hard to stay awake longer. I use this boost to get things done that were not done before.

    Also because I spent most of life in trucking not sleeping and always taking care of someone else, company or load at my expense I have managed to build a life now and for the rest of it to where I'll do something in the morning or early afternoon when required. But when that's day mission is finished like the doctors for example I am absolutely done for the day. Nothing else will happen until tomorrow. Maybe.

    In the past when we both had work and commuting two cars into little rock daily we would hit a barrier to where driving home is very dangerous. (The old white line fever) We finally identified the threat because we both were truckers before and both have endured that together, we simply quit those jobs and started working rural work elsewhere part time. That way we only do just enough to accomplish the day or night's work without the known risk of driving home overtired.

    This way we cut our losses potentially and by blowing the whistle to go home and stay there rest of the day we eliminate potential problems with anything and everyone. My ex just spent a day taking care of mom. I know for a fact she went to bed when she got home. And she will be there rest of the night. Tomorrow will be a decompression day for her. Her mom is really old and has a foot in the grave for years. Any number of existing problems can kill her at any time. Add early alzhiemers or similar losses in mental function which is really destructive to someone like that mom creates a big problem that will only be resolved by moving her to a assisted living housing at some point in the future.

    Once in a while when it's a day to do battle, I'll have a old fashioned western omlette with everything, bunch of gravy and fries and a big steak on the side with mountains of coffee and juice. It totally destroys my blood pressure for most of the day it will boost to about 165 over 110 and keep it there for myself. Im already battling high BP anyway. But when food is used as fuel to really get so called strong to do big problems during a day then that is what will happen.

    The problems begin when I finish the problem day and get to bed and learn just what it took out of my system as a price to pay. That's one reason I do not do anymore trucking. There are a number of minor medical issues that come up early in the night after a big day and sometimes the hospital has to patch me up overnight. (Pull a blood panel, discover what's missing and then fix it. For example vitamin B1. When I get short on that there are certain problems that come up.

    Another issue is called Narcoplesy, known as daytime sleep. It is not something that I choose to have. But there is a touch of it enough to make sure that if I am going to have a bad day with that I stay home. Get it worked on and over with. Doctor thinks that is a opposite of having to force myself to keep eyes open after 5 days in a row in trucking too many times. Combined with stimulants like a box of caffeine pills or other things... (Those throw my timing out really bad on the heart which already has bad timing from time to time. they have been thinking about putting in a pacemaker which I don't think or want for the time being.)

    The biggest problem with trucking is sleep. You will not get into say hour two just settling in good when someone bangs on your cab door demanding something or other. Such as a police man saying MOVE THIS THING. OR a Lumper demanding business for your money. (Why did you even park at the customer overnight without a gaurd shack and fencing to keep the riff raff out?) or worse a hooker wanting your company for money. Which might be the last thing anyone needs. Or worse my favorite. Dispatcher calling on the cell or leaving satellite messages. The messages do not rile me as much as the cell phone calls.

    What could possibly be the matter with a load that is arrived, running early and so on that the dispatcher requires me to get up and deal with him or her on the phone. I usually get mean and profane with them. 'ALLO! Yes [badword] what now? Oh that's it? *Slams phone down. what a waste.

    And you wonder why I say things and do things that are not necessarily either in the FMCSA Regulations pertaining to brief phone calls to a sleeping driver in the night. If I am asleep that cell phone has the battery out and it's darn well asleep. You can leave a stack of messages, I check them through the night. No problem on the satellite.

    But when its parked at say Chicago Highland Yard in FFE say 50 yards from the entrance to the dispatch office at the stroke of the 10th hour at 10 am the dispatcher hops out runs outside and bangs on my sleeper, hey you awake yet? Never mind the chicago problem getting in there at 2 frigging am and good effing morning to you too sir. (That would be the last time I park there. How can I be so stupid.)

    And you wonder why I do the things I do.

    Sometimes getting some sleep in a winter situation is flat crazy. I once was forced to seek refuge in Billings MT of all places. Now it's a pretty right nice town, Ive always liked it there. But that one winter night feet of snow had piled up and I managed to find a quiet spot in a sort of a dead end street under construction. I managed a big circle and settled in while the snow raged through the night. No one bothered me.

    Come morning I find that I had been sleeping across a 4 way stop sign equipped intersection. But according to the snow, no one has been by or near all night. And I am surprised the police running around paid me no mind. I think they understood what was necessary when it was necessary to put a 18 wheeler somewhere in a storm like that. But it would not be my first choice of a sleeping spot.

    Finally but not last, When naptime calls, Im taking it. There is no point in trying to power through it when there is nothing on the calendar for today. Naps are really good to collect as you go.
     
  5. Oldironfan

    Oldironfan Road Train Member

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    I read the first paragraph and now I feel sleepy. Will read the rest of it tomorrow.

    I thought ELD was supposed to help the driver fatigue issue? Hmmm.
     
  6. jammer910Z

    jammer910Z Road Train Member

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    Depends.
    No, I don't wear them.

    If I sleep GREAT one night I can usually count on not being sleepy at down time the next... meaning when the 10 is up, I'll just be in a good sleep groove.
    But, I roll on 10s, a steady schedule.. and in 12 hrs I can go back to bed.
    Just get through a shift, shower, and eat.
    Usually sleep well and screw it all up again.
     
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  7. TheyCallMeDave

    TheyCallMeDave Heavy Load Member

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    I've tried different amounts of time, and for me personally 6-7 is about my sweet spot in order for me to wake up alert, and have enough gitty up, to make it through the day. Anything less and I tend to gas out earlier in the day, anything more and I lag after waking. I've also had times where I could sleep in at home, and I still wake up around 6 or 7 hours later regardless. That's just the time my body is ready to rock & roll apparently.
     
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  8. Poonok

    Poonok Light Load Member

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    Zzzzz. Thanks heavy
     
  9. Brandt

    Brandt Road Train Member

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    I sleep 7-8 hours every night
     
  10. KillingTime

    KillingTime Road Train Member

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    Jesus jumped-up Christ, ya aren't kidding! I had to thumb the phone 8 times to scroll past it. And that tuckerd me out, all by it's lonesome.
     
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  11. Cattleman84

    Cattleman84 Road Train Member

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    Regardless of what some others say, I like reading your posts Heavy... I like hearing stories of the glory days of trucking and also the nuggets of wisdom you dole out for those that are in need of some teaching or advice.
     
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