#Movember: 5 Health Tips for Truckers
In the past few years the month of November has been dedicated to men’s health awareness, known in the social media circles as #Movember (you can read more about this awesome global movement here). And although the trucking profession counts with 6% of women drivers, it is a predominantly male-dominated industry.
Life on the road can be hard and, more often than not, it can become an all-consuming lifestyle that can make it difficult to take care of one’s own health. On average, truck drivers statistically have more health problems and shorter life spans than people in other professions. Combine all the usual suspects like lack of exercise, cramped work spaces, and lung disease from diesel fumes for a general picture of the less than ideal lifestyle of a trucker. The good news is that there’s enough research indicating that with a few changes all this is reversible.
The team here at Thunder Funding has put together a quick list of 5 health habits you can easily adopt. Got your ears on?
- Eat your fruits and veggies – Yes, an apple a day DOES keep the doctor away. It’s kind of hard to eat a salad or cut a pineapple while on road, but you can make a delicious smoothie which you can sip while driving. It’s a full meal in a cup.
- Put down the Monster Energy drink – We know that for those late night hauls it’s very tempting to drink one, but today there are much healthier alternatives with low to zero sugar, check them out here.
- Curb your fatty food intake – chips, candy bars, fries, burgers, donuts…all delicious but eating them on a daily basis can be detrimental to your health. Here are some healthier alternatives: almonds, apples, whole grain crackers – accessible snacks for the busiest of truckers.
- Keep that body moving – we know what you’re thinking, “I’m driving for long hours, how the heck am I supposed to keep moving?!”. Well, whenever you’re at a truck stop stretch those arms and hamstrings. Do quick stretches and exercises like jumping jacks and push-ups to get that heart-rate up. With a bit of effort you can go from zero to hero.
- Find your own way of relaxation – you need to unwind, de-stress, and unplug after every work day. Whether it’s exercising, sleeping, reading (not trucking related), anyway you can disconnect from your work and get a brain rest will make a huge difference.
You don’t have to adopt all 5 tips today. Just by changing one unhealthy habit for a healthier alternative can drastically reduce your stress and exhaustion. Give it a try!
For more information about truck driver health and wellness be sure to check out this blog post: Truck Driver Ergonomics: Best Practices and Tips