Re: sleep

[Guest guest]

Carol wrote:

<< or like me, I worked nights since the 70's!!! LOL :-)

I find now I have to take melatonin at least 3x a wekk if I want to sleep at

night. >>

Melatonin works for me too. And I failed to mention upside-down work

schedules playing havoc with sleep patterns. My co-driver and I used to drive

straight through from North Carolina to East Los Angeles in two days, then

have to continue on to Salinas, wait for hours with the C.B. crackling, and

get loaded before we could stop. The only sleep was taking turns in the

sleeper while the other one bounced down the Interstate at 55-75 mph. And

there was no choosing to only drive during the day and sleep at night ... we

had to relieve each other when the other one was too exhausted to go on, and

when the logbook rules dictated. One time my partner parked at a truckstop to

grab a soda and pie and I fell asleep sitting in the driver's seat in

mid-afternoon. He jerked the door open to tell me to move over so he could

relieve me, and I nearly fell on top of him. As I came awake, I was heading

toward his head! Sometimes we'd both be so exhausted that we would drive in

45-minute shifts. Trucking is going more and more to team drivers to maximize

the use of the equipment. But it is extremely hard on our bodies. Remember -

those big rigs often weigh 75-80,000 pounds ... if one is near your car and

you see it wobbling in its lane at all, move away from it ... could be

another very exhausted, sleepy driver. It's not something truckers want or

ask for ... it's forced on them by the companies.

Susie