National Stress Awareness Month
National Stress Awareness Month
April is National Stress Awareness Month! It aims to raise awareness about the prevalence and impact of stress, promote healthy coping mechanisms and encourage people to prioritize their wellbeing both emotionally and physically.
What is stress and how does it affect truck drivers?
According to the Cleveland Clinic…“Stress is the natural reaction your body has when changes or challenges occur. It can result in many different physical, emotional and behavioral responses. Everyone experiences stress from time to time. You can’t avoid it. But stress management techniques can help you deal with it.”
So how does this affect truck drivers?
Long hours, lack of exercise, and inconsistent access to healthy and nutritious foods can raise stress levels. Traffic, unavoidable delays, issues with loads or dispatch can be huge stress raisers. Driving a semi is not easy work. It is demanding, unpredictable, and oftentimes lonely on the roads. Driving during the night affects your body’s circadian rhythm. This is the inner clock that determines your sleep cycle, hormone release, appetite, digestion and body temperature. Throwing this off can affect all parts of your body’s natural cycle.
Things truck drivers can do to improve stress on the roads
-Getting restful sleep. Having a hard time winding down on your reset? Try deep breathing, listening to books or music.
-Getting some physical activity in. Stretching, taking walks and moving your body even for 10 minutes can drastically improve health while on the road.
-Eating a balanced diet. Eating a balanced diet can improve energy levels. Staying hydrated will also help overall stress.
-Planning routes wisely. Knowing your route, when traffic is most heavy, and any construction that might be ahead is a great way to reduce stress and unpredictable issues.
-Take regular breaks. Know what breaks you are allowed/required to have! This can prevent fatigue and reduce stress. This is important for long haul or overnight drivers as driving long periods of time or in the dark can throw off the body’s cycle.
Whatever you choose to do, reducing stress is important for everyone. Not just truck drivers. Create a drive playlist of music you like to listen to while driving. Preplan audiobooks you want to listen to. Coordinate your breaks to places that might have a space to get some fresh air and a walk in. Prioritize eating healthier options where you can find it.
