7 Tips on How to Stay Healthy as a Truck Driver
Trucker's Corner
At Trucker’s Corner, you can navigate to topics regarding the trucking industry, lifestyle while on the road, and truck health. International Used Trucks has the information you need to keep you on the Road to Revenue
Staying in shape as an OTR driver is a difficult task when making your time and sitting for hours on end. It’s easy to get fast food that doesn’t have a lot of nutrition, slip in and out of the driver’s seat, and sometimes battle tiredness when on the road driving mile after mile.
But if you strategize right and make health-conscious decisions, you can stay fit while earning a great living as a truck driver. Read our seven tips on how to stay healthy as a truck driver.
Hydrate With Water
The top thing you can do is drink plenty of water when learning how to stay healthy as a truck driver. Rather than soda, grab a bottle of water to have next to you as you drive. Take a sip of water every 15 minutes rather than gulp an entire cup of water at a time. You may find that many truck driver health problems stem from dehydration, and maintaining the right hydration can solve many issues.
The right amount of water in your diet can:
- Maintain your body temperature.
- Help get rid of toxins.
- Improve your kidney and heart function.
- Reduce fatigue.
Enhance your mood.
Consider keeping a water jug or filtered water pitcher next to you. Or, keep a case of bottled water in your rig with you. Consider drinking about a dozen cups of water a day. If you drink out of ½-liter bottles, that’s six of those from the time you get up until the time you go to sleep.
Speaking of sleep…
Sleep at Least Seven Hours
Sleep is another vital part of driver health and fitness. Aim to get at least seven hours of sleep at a time. The right amount of sleep can help you stay alert on the road, give you more energy, and even regulate your metabolism.
In addition to seven hours of sleep a night, try to get consistent sleep at the same times every day. For example, you sleep from 11 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. every night. Reduce your screen time in front of your phone before sleep, and use relaxation techniques to help you fall asleep. Consider meditation, listening to relaxing music, or breathing exercises to help enter your sleep cycle more readily. A great mattress can also help!
Exercise When You Can
Think you don’t have time to exercise? Think again! How about when you’re fueling up? Rather than sit in your truck waiting for the tank to fill, stand next to your truck and do some squats, lunges, or push-ups. Consider using small weights or resistance bands to help increase your exercise intensity. Don’t overdo it, though. You’ll want to keep your exercises light so you don’t have sore muscles the next day. Light exercise is a great way to prevent truck driver health problems.
Take a Walk
Taking a walk is a great way to promote driver health and fitness. If you have your furry friend along with you, they’ll need exercise, too. If there’s a natural area nearby, consider walking in a park or wilderness area for 15 minutes. Walking in nature has been shown to improve mental health and lower blood pressure.
Avoid Coffee and Stimulant Drinks
It’s easy to fall into the trap of drinking coffee and energy drinks during the day. But these drinks can cause dehydration, mess with your metabolism, and throw off your body’s natural need for sleep. Listen to your body to avoid truck driver health problems. It will know when it needs to rest, and caffeine can throw that natural rhythm out of whack.
Eat Healthy Foods
Even fast-food restaurants have healthier food choices. Rather than order a burger all of the time, which can be filled with sodium and bad carbs, consider leafy green salads piled with vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, and nuts. Pack healthy snacks, too, such as unsalted nuts, granola, and even beef jerky rather than muffins or cookies. Think about having one green drink per day, which is one cup of water that has green powder mixed into it, or having vegetable juice, too. Although not perfect, they can provide you with nutrients on the go.
Wash or Sanitize Your Hands
Dirty hands carry germs, and germs can make you sick while causing a host of truck driver health problems. Wash your hands regularly, especially before you eat. If your hands are dirty, avoid touching your face because germs can more easily get into your body through your eyes, nose, or mouth. Keep some hand sanitizer in your truck if you’re about to handle food. Or, think about using utensils to eat things like fries or traditional finger foods. You might find your hands drying out from all of the handwashing. Keep some lotion in your truck to soothe any cracking or drying.
More Truck Driving Tips from International Used Truck Center
Now you know a few tips on how to stay healthy as a truck driver. We’re happy to help in any way we can. Happy trucking!