There’s a reason I interviewed Dr. Abhinav Singh on my podcast - not just because we live in the same community or that our kids go to school together - but because his book Sleep to Heal might be one of the most important health books a professional driver could read.
Dr. Singh, a board-certified sleep specialist known as “The Sleep Vigilante,” believes sleep is nothing short of medicine. After reading his book, I agree.
We hear a lot about diet and exercise, and rightly so. But Dr. Singh makes it clear: nutrition, movement, and sleep form the "Holy Trinity" of good health. And yet, sleep is the one most often sacrificed. In his words, sleep is “your head-to-toe invisible armor” - something that prevents illness and actively helps your body heal.
The reality? One-third of Americans don’t get enough sleep, and truck drivers - because of long shifts, erratic schedules, and time zone hopping - are especially vulnerable.
Sleep deprivation isn’t just about being tired - it’s about risk.
Sleep, or the lack of it, touches everything - your blood sugar, your brain, your hormones, your mood, your heart. It even affects how quickly you heal from a cut or cold.
Dr. Singh introduces a powerful metaphor: the sleep elevator. Picture eight floors. You must pass through each one in order - no skipping.
Missing the last few hours of sleep? You’re missing out on the “top floors” - and that’s where your brain gets cleansed, emotions get balanced, and long-term health is protected.
You can’t “catch up” on sleep, just like you can’t undo five days of potholes by driving on smooth roads over the weekend. Damage accumulates.
Drivers are uniquely affected by the sleep crisis:
Dr. Singh has seen it firsthand: drivers who were angry and fearful about sleep studies came back later grateful for the diagnosis and amazed at how much better they felt once they started sleeping well again.
Snoring is often misunderstood as a sign of deep rest - but it can be a red flag. Sleep apnea deprives your brain of oxygen, raises blood pressure, and leaves you exhausted, even after “a full night of sleep.”
Drivers with untreated sleep apnea are not only at greater risk themselves - they’re also a risk to others. It’s not just a health issue. It’s a safety issue.
If you're tired during the day, if your spouse complains about your snoring, or if you wake up feeling unrested - get screened. It’s not a punishment. It’s a lifeline.
Just look at the benefits of sleep that Dr. Singh outlines:
He even says sleep is the difference between aging like fine whiskey or yogurt. That’s a line worth remembering.
Our culture praises productivity, hustle, and grit. But Dr. Singh calls this out: we’ve traded sleep for work and entertainment - and we’re paying the price.
It’s time to reclaim sleep as a sacred investment in our future health, not something to “fit in if we can.”
You deserve to feel sharp. You deserve to stay healthy. You deserve to age with strength and clarity. Sleep is not a weakness - it’s your greatest untapped strength.
As Dr. Singh says, “Sleep can become your medicine and help heal anything.” It's time we took that seriously - not just as individuals, but as an industry.