Good health is a blessing of God, especially when you’re an OTR (Over-the-Road) Truck Driver who has to stay on the road for long lengths of time. Research studies suggest that a Truck Driver is exposed to a variety of health problems twice as much as people belonging to other professions. Truck Drivers are predisposed to obesity, diabetes, depression, hypertension, and several other chronic conditions. Bad Health can affect your performance on the road to a more significant extent and even put your trucking career in peril. So, you’ve to learn how to stay healthy being a Truck Driver if you want to excel in your career.
Here, we’re going to summarize some helpful Health tips to help you stay fit and healthy.
How Can You Stay Healthy as an OTR Truck Driver?
Eat Natural, Clean, and Healthy
Being an OTR Truck Driver, you might have to stay on the roads for several hours and even days where you don’t have the facility to eat homemade meals. You can get food from convenience stores, tuck shops, restaurants, and hotels. However, most of the food items available at such places are not prepared according to health standards. They can make you sick and prone to develop a wide range of health problems. Therefore, you must ensure that the food you’re having on the road is clean, natural, and healthy. Whenever you feel hungry while driving, consider grabbing some almonds from a nearby store rather than candies.
- Eat Chicken Caesar Salad instead of hot dog.
- Always rely on clean carb sources and red meat for lean protein. Avoid preservative-containing foods as much as you can.
- If your home is nearby or in the area where you drive mostly, consider preparing your meals ahead of time. The modern commercial trucks have the facility of a refrigerator where you can store meals for up to seven days.
Wear Sunscreen
In extreme summer, your skin needs protection from dangerous UV (Ultraviolet) Light which is impossible with standard truck side windows. Being an OTR Truck Driver, you are highly exposed to UV Light unless you wear a Broad-Spectrum UVA Sunscreen. It protects your skin from a variety of skin conditions, including aging.
Avoid Burnout and Exhaustion
Medical Surveys show that Truck Drivers are more prone to burnout than other professions. It’s logically true as truck drivers are highly exposed to burnout-contributing factors, such as noise, sleeplessness, fatigue, poor body posture, long duty timings, etc. To avoid burnout or exhaustion, you mustn’t overwork yourself while being on the road. The trucking industry indeed works 24/7, but it doesn’t mean that you compromise your health while meeting the on-demand needs of dispatchers.
- Take at least seven hours of sleep before starting your working day.
- Use earbuds to cancel out the traffic noise.
- Reduce Your Screen time as much as you can, especially before hitting the hay.
- Don’t have a meal before going to bed because it can cause heartburn and also trigger obesity.
Regular exercise is extremely important.
Although maintaining a regular exercise routine while being on the road is a daunting task, it has utmost importance for your health. After being behind the wheel for a long day, the first thing you want to do is to relax but spending at least 15 minutes taking a light exercise or brisk walk in the fresh air can make you feel rejuvenated.
Maintain a Healthy Posture
Your truck is your office where you have to spend most of the time of your working day. Sitting for many hours at one fixed place could lead to lower back pain and sciatica if you don’t maintain a healthy posture.
- Install a proper driver seat in Your truck that can keep your body straight and relaxed.
- Don’t sit still for a long time because it can put a high amount of pressure on your spine.
- Keep your seat at an optimum height to avoid slouching.
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