- March 18, 2018
Trucking is one of the most difficult jobs as they spend more hours traveling on the open road. This continuous work may harm physical and mental effects on a driver’s health. In this article, we are going to discuss the top ten tips to keep drivers healthy on the road and also assist in combating the negative effects of trucking.
- Wellness Program
A wellness program can be an effective method to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The programs like biomedical screenings, nutritionists, health coaching, and tobacco cessation counseling, can provide support and structure for truck drivers so that they can form healthy habits and reduce the negative effects of chronic illness. You can check with your insurance company or your employer to join the wellness program.
- ProperPlanning
When you have a chronic illness and trying to get it under control through exercise and diet, it is vital to start by setting realistic and effective goals, which take into consideration. Avoid vague goals and be specific about what you need to achieve.
- Explore more options
Driving for more hours will never give you ample time to eat, rest and exercise. A consistent plan to carry out your regular activities will be a big problem. Some trucking companies started adding fitness centers and walking trails to make their employees healthy at their terminals. Few drivers have started to ride bicycles to burn a few calories in their leisure time.
- Find a workout companion
Finding time to do the workout will be hard as it will be more difficult to start a new routine. When you find a perfect companion to share, they can provide structure and healthy competition in your workout session. They can help the truckers to stick to exercising every day.
- Meal planning
Meal planning is one of the important things that every trucker must do. It is the best way to stay on track with counting calories. Most truckers do not have proper time for meal planning. It is difficult for a busy trucker to plan everything; hence you need to stock snack options that provide energy which assists in reducing cravings for junk food.
- Track your progress
Setting a goal is not the end, it is just a beginning. You need to start recording your workouts and calorie intake. When you start tracking your progress, you will be inspired and you keep pushing toward your ultimate goal of a healthy lifestyle.
- Meet your doctor regularly
As you are driving for long, you will be linked with chronic illnesses like heart disease and diabetes or seasonal sickness like flu. When you stick with regular doctor visits, you will be able to head off an illness before it goes worse. Vaccinations help prevent an illness while you are on the road.
- Sleep schedule
The human body requires at least 7 to 8 hours of rest per day, this amount of sleep is important for overall well-being. Sleep deprivation affects cognitive emotions and abilities. When this continues, it can lower the defenses of your body and makes you vulnerable to chronic illness.
- Increase mental stimulation
Truck driving do not permit for educational pursuits but mental stimulation is as serious to the body as physical fitness. Energy drinks or guzzling sugary may cause the body to crash and fatigue to set in. Moving towards your interest, learning new things may keep your brain waves moving and keeps you awake while driving.
- Spend time with family and friends
When you are in truck driving, you need to be away from your loved ones for many days, or even months. Drivers must maintain contact with their friends and family in order to reduce their depression. Certain companies have approved companions to come along for the ride.
Hope this article gave you some ideas about keeping yourself healthy. These ideas could assist in combating the negative effects in driving. Still, explore some new ideas to keep your lifestyle more active.
