Shift work · Truck driver
Truck driver sleep guide
HOS rules (US): 11 hours driving per 14-hour duty period, mandatory 10-hour rest.
Primary risks
- Drowsy driving — leading cause of fatal commercial crashes
- Sleep apnea prevalence ~28% in long-haul drivers (vs 6% general population)
- Sleep displacement across time zones on long routes
Strategies that work
- Use the 10-hour rest period as 7+ hours of consolidated sleep — not 4 hours fragmented.
- Watch for OSA symptoms; many fleets now screen.
- Caffeine before a planned 20-min nap (caffeine + nap) is well-documented for short alertness boosts.
- If you’re yawning or drifting, pull over. There’s no productivity argument that beats a crash.
Nap protocol
A 20–30 minute nap at a truck stop, started 20 minutes after a 200 mg caffeine dose, is the most studied combination.