As truckers navigate the highways, their well-being is as crucial as the cargo they are carrying. With long hours on the road, many truck drivers forget to prioritize their physical and mental health. In this blog post, we are going to highlight the importance of the health and wellness of all truckers. From simple exercises, mindful practices, a good night’s rest, and smart lifestyle choices, there’s always a way for truck drivers to take that extra step in prioritizing their health.
Simple Exercises
As a truck driver you don’t always need a full gym or a lot of time to be active. Research shows that just 15 minutes of exercise daily can strengthen your body and allow it to continue to work under extreme conditions. The easiest type of exercise is walking and running. There are also other basic exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups, a plank, crunches, squats, and more that can be done practically anywhere. There are also different pieces of equipment that can travel with you to be utilized. Dumbbells, a jump rope, resistance stretch bands, stress balls, and even a portable pull-up bar can all be used to help you stay in shape. Don’t forget about stretches as well to help with stiffness.
Mindful Practices
Not only should you be taking care of your physical health, but also your mental health! There are many different exercises to be done that can help truck drivers relieve stress and be grounded in their emotional wellness. Deep breathing exercises are a great way to practice calmness and you can follow along to these different exercises on youtube. There’s also meditation which can be done by watching youtube as well or even on your own to clear your thoughts. Another thing to help your emotional wellness is to stay connected to the people you love and that brighten your day. Talking to family and friends while being isolated can provide a sense of community and emotional support for when times get tough.
A Good Night’s Rest
We all know a truck driver’s schedule is crazy, but quality sleep is extremely important and will create safer roads for us all. Once you have found a place to sleep, make sure it is a quiet environment where you can get uninterrupted sleep. Also, be sure to make yourself comfortable such as adjusting the temperature if possible or wearing a sleep mask. While it might not always be possible, trying to aim for a quality sleep schedule will make all the difference in your health.
Smart Lifestyle Choices
It’s important that while on the road, you fuel your body with healthy meals and stay hydrated. There are many portable snacks for truck drivers to carry with them such as hard-boiled eggs, nuts, fruit, trail mix, and protein bars. It's also important you make sure you always have water or any type of liquid to stay hydrated. There are many other choices you can make to take care of your health. Make some goals about how you want to go about your mental and physical health and then put them into action.
We care about all of our truck drivers and want to make sure they are taking care of themselves too since they do such a good job with their jobs. These tips and tricks are perfect starting points for ways to prioritize your health while on the road. Safe travels!
