Upgrade Your Truck’s Bedding for Maximum Comfort and Sleep Quality

One of the most often overlooked items for creature comfort in your truck is your bunk. As a trucker you will be spending a lot of time in your bunk. Just as much or even more than you do in your bed at home. Why is that? It is simple. Truckers have to take a mandatory 10-hour break each day. Plus, they are often away from home on their weekly 34-hour breaks. Trucks do not have a living room or chairs unless you count the driver’s seat. And a trucker who is on their break will not want to be spending it in the seat they just spent up to 14 hours that day. This leaves only one option left for a trucker to relax in. And that is the bunk.

The Truck Mattress

Since you will be spending a lot of time in your bunk you are going to want to make sure you have a quality mattress. Most semi-truck beds are able to accommodate a twin-XL. Your company will give you either a new or used mattress once you get assigned your truck. The first think you are going to want to do is lay in it for several minutes to see if it is comfortable. If it looks like a thin cheap mattress the chances, are it will not be comfortable. So, what are your options to upgrade your bed? The good news there are many options today to turn the small living space in the back of your truck into a comfortable oasis fit for a king.

Memory Foam Mattress Topper

I always throw away the used mattress that comes with my assigned truck and order a memory foam mattress replacement right away. These usually come in a box and can be shipped directly to your house. Once you take the mattress out of the box it needs a day or two to fully form and fill in with air in order to use. The good thing about a memory foam mattress is that they are soft and will help absorb a lot of the vibrations coming in from your own truck’s engine running while you sleep. A truck stop can be a loud place and trying to get a good night’s sleep can sometimes be a challenge. The last thing you want is a cheap uncomfortable mattress that makes it harder to catch some Z’s.

Your Bunk Pillows

After you have installed a comfortable mattress in your truck you are going to want some high-quality pillows. Just trust me on this. If you try to sleep with a cheap foam type pillow this will affect how well, you sleep and may even force you to drive tired the next day. Always aim to spend a little more on your pillows. You will want at least two pillows. A single pillow is not enough. Especially if you require higher elevation for your head to get proper rest.

Memory Foam Pillows

Sometimes you will find yourself sitting up in your bunk with your back against the wall where a small window is usually located. This can be extremely uncomfortable for your back. Luckily, there is a solution. Get yourself a large flat and firm memory foam pillow. You can place this against the end of your bunk, and it will help provide back support for when you find yourself sitting up versus laying down in your bed. It makes a world of difference.

Mattress Pad Cover Protection

If the truck’s mattress that came with your truck is used and you do not have an immediate replacement. The first thing you are going to want to do is buy a mattress pad cover. There is no telling who was sleeping on that old mattress and what type of gross stuff spilled out onto it. A mattress pad cover is a good temporary solution so you can focus on trucking until you are able to buy a new mattress.

Quality Sheet Set for Comfort

So now you have your luxury mattress and deluxe pillows and the only thing you are missing are some sheets. Do not go cheap on the sheets. Buy yourself some high-quality soft cotton sheets. The higher the thread count usually the better. You want sheets that are snugly and soft to the touch and not scratchy or rough while you are sleeping.

Microfiber blanket

One of my favorite truck bedding accessories was a large microfiber blanket. They are incredibly soft to the skin, comfortable and will also help to keep you warm. Especially when combined with a comforter. If you are looking to add a whole new level of comfort to your bunk you are going to want to get one of these.

A Comforter to Keep You Warm

For your bunk you are going to want a medium weight comforter. Nothing too heavy because there is a limited amount of space back there. I have found with trial and error that quilted comforters work great. I usually choose a darker color like a gray which helps cover up any dirt or spills. They will happen due to spending a lot of your time back there. I like to match my comforter color with the color of the walls, but this is a just a personal preference. Which are usually gray.

Truck Bedding Summary

You cannot put a price on the quality of sleep you will get as a truck driver. Our days are long, and the job takes a lot of concentration in order to drive safely. Make the investment on your truck’s bedding and you will not regret it, I promise!