3 Bed Mattress Options For Truckers To Sleep (much) Better

The mattress in your truck doesn’t have to be uncomfortable. You deserve better. All truckers deserve a good nights rest after a long day of hauling loads across the country.

Unfortunately, the mattress that you get in your truck are usually not enough to get high quality sleep on.They often offer little support and are usually left there from the last guy that drove the truck.

Do yourself a favor and invest in one of the mattress options below (especially a foam mattress topper like this one) so that you get sleep better. I’m telling you, this is the way to go. You won’t regret it.

In this article I am going to tell you what your options are regarding your mattress and how to improve it so that you can sleep better.

What Size Truck Sleeper Mattress Do You Need?

Before you consider improving your sleep mattress you need to make sure you get the correct size. The best thing to do is check the tag of the mattress that is already there or get a tape measure and measure the dimensions.




Once you figure out the size of your existing mattress come back here and take a look at your best options below for improving your sleep. A lot of trucks will take a Twin XL mattress but you never know until you measure your existing one. A Twin XL mattress is 39 inches by 80 inches. They are about 5 inches longer than a Standard Twin mattress.

1. Get A Memory Foam Mattress Topper

Getting a foam topper for your bed mattress is the best things you can do to improve your sleep and it won’t cost you at lot of money.

I use a memory foam topper (this one actually) and I can’t believe how much better I am sleeping with it. It is really comfortable and I’m no longer waking up in pain. My butt and back are thankful that I finally did something about the old mattress I was sleeping on.

What is it that I like so much about my memory foam mattress topper? A lot of things.

  1. Space: They are a breeze to get into a sleeper. When I got mine it was rolled up and the only thing I had to do was unroll it and place it on top of my mattress.  This literally takes a few minutes.
  2. Easy To Transport: If you get a new truck the mattress topper is easy to roll up an take with you. Lugging a full mattress from one truck to another can be a pain.
  3. COMFORT: These toppers are AWESOME. I still can’t believe how easy it was to get better quality sleep and wake up in the morning with less back and butt pain. I have to admit that it didn’t get rid of all my sciatic pain but it does reduce it a lot.
  4. Bamboo Charcoal: I tend to sweat easily when I sleep and I was worried about using a foam topper because I heard that they tend to make you hot. I went with this one because it infused with bamboo charcoal to help keep me dry while I sleep. So far so good, I’m not having any problems sweating or getting too hot.

Are there any things not to like about memory foam mattress toppers? A few.

  1. Sweating: Be careful about the type of memory foam topper you buy. If you tend to get hot or sweat easily then a standard foam topper isn’t for you. This one that I use is great at keeping my body cool as I sleep. Another recommendation is to find one that is 100% latex, like this one here on Amazon. A lot of truckers say the these latex toppers work great but I have never used one.
  2. Added Height: Adding a few inches to the top of your existing mattress might be a problem for you depending on the space that you have in your cab. If you have a bunk above your bed then you should make sure that a 3 or 4 inch mattress topper is not going to be too much. Go with the 1 or 2 inch option instead.
  3. Takes Time To Get Used To: When I first started using my memory foam topper it did take about 10-14 days to get used to. I remember the first few days were rough because my body wasn’t used to the extra support. After about 14 days it became difficult to get out of bed because it felt so good sleeping!

2. Get A New Memory Foam Mattress

The second best option is to just get yourself a new memory foam mattress. Like I said earlier make sure you measure the dimension of the mattress that is already in the truck so that you get one that fits correctly.

Most truck mattresses are Twin XL size but some may not be. Be sure to check.

Getting a new memory foam mattress is sometimes a better option than just buying the topper.

I did a little research and actually found that a 6 inch memory foam mattress can be bought for a little more than a topper. This one that I found on Amazon has great reviews and has an even better price.

Another great option that is getting a lot of attention with truck drivers is the SleepDog BIGDAWG mattress. It’s a solid option that is DOT approved.

What I like about getting a new memory foam mattress?

  1. The Price: For not a lot of money you can get a completely new mattress that is very comfortable. You don’t have to worry about who slept on your old mattress before you got there. Just throw out the old one and put this one in it.
  2. Cleanliness: Putting a topper on an old mattress still makes me nervous because I don’t know what the old mattress has been through. Was the driver before me a slob? Bed bugs? Urine? With a new mattress you don’t have to worry about any of these things.
  3. Space: Getting a new memory foam mattress means that you will have more head room if you have a bunk above you. If you put a topper on top of your old mattress you will lose some head room.

Yes, there are some things not to like about getting a whole new mattress for your truck.

  1. You Own It: Yeah, you have a nice new mattress but now you have to take it with you if you get a new truck or a new trucking job. A topper is much easier to transport because it just rolls up.
  2. Sweat: Memory foam mattresses are know to make some people sweat more while sleeping. If you sweat a lot while sleeping you should get a latex mattress like this one here. You will have to pay quit a bit more for one of the latex mattresses but it is well worth the money if you can afford it.

3. Mattress Cover Protection

Once you get your new foam mattress topper and/or mattress you have to protect it too. I use this mattress cover protector and it works great because not only does it keep my topper and mattress clean, it also keeps it from smelling. Cooking in a truck means that your mattress can begin to stink over time.

What I like about my mattress cover protector:

  1. Keeps Me Cool: It doesn’t make me sweat while I sleep. It doesn’t at all feel like plastic.
  2. It’s Quiet: This cover protector doesn’t make any noise when I move around on it like a cheaper one did that I used to have.
  3. Easy To Clean: Cleaning it is easy, just throw it into a washing machine and dry it in a dryer and it’s all clean.

What I don’t like:

  1. Its Made in China.

Mattress protectors are great for keeping sweat, smells, spills, and bacteria from getting onto your topper and mattress.

Yes, you can put a mattress cover protector over the mattress topper too. I have found that it actually helps hold to topper in place.

Another bonus of adding a mattress cover is that it will extend the life of your mattress.