As with any driving based job, some real dangers lurk if drivers don’t take proper care of themselves when long haul trucking.
Taking a seat behind the wheel on a big rig can be a tempting idea. It can be exciting to see different parts of the country while on your routes, and the best part? You might be able to choose your coworkers! However, as with any driving based job, some real dangers lurk if drivers don’t take proper care of themselves when long haul trucking. Chief among them: fatigue. As an essential part of the workforce, let’s read about how truckers can combat the dangerous driving fatigue problem.
Sleep
First things first, getting enough sleep is one of the most important ways to prevent fatigue. If you don’t sleep enough, sleep deprivation can impact you during waking hours. It might not be very noticeable if you lose sleep on one or two nights. However, if you miss a third, the previous days’ lack of sleep can compound, leaving you drained. Simple ways to combat this include naps and to keep a regular-as-possible sleep schedule.
Diet
Eating and drinking the right foods go hand in hand with keeping a proper sleeping routine. Your diet can impact your feeling of tiredness. Going easy on the carbs is a good part of a proper diet. Despite the popular idea that carbs are suitable for large bursts of energy, if not correctly used for exercise, all the carbs can cause you to crash. This leaves you feeling even more tired than before. Staying hydrated is another leading problem many people have, not just truckers. Having a steady intake of water can keep blood pressure down and promote a healthy heart. Water should be among the essential items all truckers have in their cabs.
Exercise
While trucking does not explicitly support routine exercise plans, it can work wonders to get out of the cabin and move your body. Being stuck in the cab during long haul trucking routes can contribute to general fatigue. Therefore, having a pit stop to get some simple exercise and movement can dramatically affect your mood and your levels of fatigue. All of these tips can keep away not just fatigue, but other health issues too.
Staying Awake
It is common for those who drive long haul trucking routes to have trouble staying awake towards certain times of the day. Consider putting together a playlist. Putting on some music is an excellent way to keep yourself focused and awake. Music is also beneficial to your mind and nervous system, and it can trigger your brain to release endorphins.
For All Your Trucking Needs
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