While truck driving isn’t physically demanding, long hours in a confined space can put strain on your body. If you want to avoid getting sick while working, follow these 10 health tips to keep yourself healthy for the duration of your driving career.
1) Get Plenty of Sleep and Don’t Rush Your Routine
Getting enough sleep and eating well is key to your health. Make sure to get at least seven hours of uninterrupted sleep every night. Don ’t skip meals or eat food that will make you feel sluggish during the day.
2) Don’t Drink and Drive
Caffeine and alcohol are two substances that can cause drowsiness and impair judgment when you drive. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports about 2 million people die each year due to drunk driving accidents. If you drink too much, use your car as a taxi service and call an Uber instead of driving.
3) Wear Your Seat Belt at All Times
You may not want to wear a seat belt because it ’s annoying or because it restricts your movement, but wearing one can save your life, especially if you are involved in a serious truck accident. Seat belts are designed to keep you restrained in the event of an accident so that you don’t fly through the windshield and suffer very serious injuries.
4) Be Aware of Truck Hazards
Pay attention to weather conditions; they can pose hidden dangers to trucks like potholes, cracks and other obstructions that could ruin your tires or damage your trailer. Watch out for loose objects and animals that might fall onto your path.
5) Maintain a Safe Distance
When Passing Trucks should maintain a safe distance to prevent fender benders from occurring. Drivers must slow down when approaching large trucks to make sure there is room for both trucks to safely pass without incident.
See more: https://ezcustomgifts.com/8-defensive-driving-techniques-for-truck-drivers/
6) Stay Healthy by Eating Right Before Driving
Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits along with whole grains and fish whenever possible. Avoid fast food and greasy restaurant food options. Eat less processed foods, which have high levels of sodium and sugar.
You don’t need to be too restrictive, but just try to limit yourself and try new recipes that will help you to make better food choices. Take supplements such as vitamin C or E along with vitamins like D, calcium, copper, iron, iodine, magnesium, manganese, selenium, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids if you feel like you are not getting enough nutrients from your diet alone.
These nutrients are important for overall good health for your truck driving and should not be taken lightly.
7) Drink Water Regularly
A lot of truck drivers experience frequent headaches and muscle cramps. Drinking water helps the muscles stay strong and healthy, as well as having some electrolytes in your blood. Try drinking more water throughout the day rather than relying on coffee to hydrate you.
8) Get Exercise On a Regular Basis
Truck driving is usually considered a sedentary job, but exercise does wonders for maintaining stamina and preventing fatigue. There are also exercises that can be performed in a truck while traveling down the road which are both fun and beneficial.
Try a little yoga while driving or maybe just some stretches and breathing exercises so that you can relax when the pressure builds up while driving long distances. You’ll enjoy better health as well as better endurance if you take this advice, so get moving!
9) Stay Connected With Family and Friends On a Regular Basis
When you don’t have the time for phone calls or even video chats with loved ones due to your hectic schedule it can really take its toll on you emotionally. However, staying connected with friends and family who care about you is vital for your overall wellbeing so remember to stay in touch often!
10) Interact with others
When you do nothing but sit behind the wheel all day every day it can quickly lead to boredom and frustration which may lead to other negative emotional responses such as stress, anxiety or depression.
See more: https://ezcustomgifts.com/10-tips-to-reduce-truck-drivers-stress/
To avoid this, try to interact with others on a regular basis to build rapport with co-workers, customers or anyone else who crosses your path while driving. This will keep your spirits up which may lead to happier, healthier days behind the wheel!
