That was Aristotle, who back there centuries ago uttered a well-known “Moving is living”, and we have to recognize that since that time it has not lost significance, but quite the opposite – came to be true as never before. People are moving at short and long distances every day – for work, for pleasure, for study, so traveling has become part of our lives indeed.
Staying healthy on the road has recently grown into something really important, as it covers a substantial part of our everyday living. That is especially true for those, who have chosen traveling to be their profession and passion – take truck drivers, for instance. This subject has already been covered multiple times on the Internet, like here, and we cannot stay aside. So, we welcome you to get through several useful tips on how a truck driver can stay healthy on the way to his destination and successfully complete his everyday missions.
Sleep
That is especially true the day before the upcoming trip. All the temptations to stay out of the house and party, or push through the bewildered state to get something important done, pay utility bills or purchase a stock of food for a week, are sometimes so strong that your sleep suffers. Even if you are already on the road carrying the cargo don’t be afraid to make a stop once in a while a little earlier than normal and have a good rest. While it can sometimes be hard to ignore a substantial bonus payment offered for early delivery, there’s nothing wrong with staying in a hotel room for a couple of extra hours just taking a nap. Doing this will re-energize you, and vastly improve the safety and quality of your work the next day.
Restrain your orders at the motel cafes
New and unusual food products are one of the main companions of travelers, but you have to try to restrict yourself to the dishes you know, and the content of which you understand. Also if you usually cook a small dinner at home, order a similar size meal when you travel. I often only get soup or salad and an appetizer and this will often fill me up overnight (depending on my activity level that day). Don’t get so caught up in the orgy of eating even if you hardly had a snack the whole day before. Same refers to the morning snack in a road motel before starting your journey − don’t go crazy, order the main course and salad, do not eat a lot of bread or a dessert – at least not at every meal. I’m not saying you shouldn’t indulge, but we all know how you feel after a big meal: sleepy, and who wants to drive a 20-ton monster feeling frazzled?
Beware food on the road
Oh, please be very, very careful with food in local eateries and roadside cafes! Make thoughtful decisions about what you order over there and don’t be afraid to take a little walk and look for some healthy alternatives if you have time (besides, walking is good for you too). And I advise you to always travel with some dry, natural snacks whenever possible to further avoid the temptations of high fat and high carb foods that abound in canteens for truckers, as well as to ensure you don’t get stuck anywhere with no food available.
Hydrate
This can sometimes be tough, especially if you run out of drinking water and you are in a place where tap water is not potable. However, try to moisturize as often as you can (and try to use reusable containers whenever you can – or at least recycle all those plastic bottles). Basically I never turn down the opportunity to drink pure water whenever it’s present (you never know when you might have another chance) and top up my water bottle and/or hydration system as often as I can.
Abandon alcohol
I think that is not a secret that alcohol is a neurotoxin that can depress your motor function and ability to concentrate, which are vital for safe and efficient driving. Please, beware of that and stay away from bars while at work
Take exercise
During short stops you make on the road, try to do at least some stretching and moving. Of course, you are not in a gym or at a yoga class, so you have to be reasonable enough and avoid overstraining yourself. 10 minutes would be more than enough to keep your tonus high.
Taking these little tips seriously (even some of them), will make you feel healthier, more energized, and better rest sitting at the wheel the next morning, or even possibly save your health as all these things may help to prevent illness during your trip or after.
