How We Sleep and How Driving Practices Produce Tired Big Rig Drivers
The study of sleep — making a science of it, rather than just attempting to treat it without a more complete understanding — is a relatively new thing, and tired truck drivers and other consequences of poor sleep are becoming better understood. Most serious sleep research, however, and looking methodically and scientifically for ways to improve sleep has occurred just within the last few decades. Understanding the “how’s and why’s” of sleep is fundamental to also understanding how environmental factors like job schedules can improve or worsen the amount and quality of sleep. When those external factors produce dangerous results like tired truck drivers, a fuller understanding of how sleep works can be used by regulators and trucking companies to reduce fatigue and the injuries and deaths that can result from it.