Spending hours seated each day isn’t the best activity to promote good health, whether you’re in an office chair or a truck seat. Although most truckers engage in strenuous work loading and unloading their trucks, the hours spent in a sedentary position can have negative health impacts unless drivers practice positive health habits to counterbalance them.
According to the Mayo Clinic, research has established that sitting for long periods of time is connected with increased risk of obesity, high blood pressure, excess body fat around the abdomen, and high cholesterol. There’s no way truckers can avoid sitting for hours at a time, but there are a number of healthy habits truckers can adopt, including:
- Eat healthy snacks – While fast food and convenience store fare may be tempting for truck drivers, their health will be better served if they opt for healthy snacks when they’re on the road. Truckers should load up on fruit, nuts, and other healthy snacks when they’re near grocery stores. Some larger convenience stores may have a fresh fruit and vegetable section, allowing truck drivers easy access to healthy food.
- Exercise – Finding time for exercise can be tough for OTR drivers. However, there are a few convenient ways truckers can get needed exercise when they’re traveling. Truckers can safely pack dumbbells in secure containers and use them at stops. A folding bicycle can also provide a convenient means of exercise.
- Cut out unhealthy habits – Drivers who use tobacco products can see a bit improvement in their health if they kick the habit. Sodas and fast food are also habits drivers should try to abandon.
- Get enough sleep – Sleep is important to good health. Make sure your sleeper compartment is comfortable and has a quality berth mattress and the right climate control to facilitate good sleep. By getting enough sleep, you ensure you’re alert when you’re on the road, and you give your body sufficient time to rest and heal.
Ensuring that you are comfortable on the road is also important, and nothing contributes to driver comfort like the right truck seat. Suburban Seating & Safety is a trusted provider of truck seats and truck interior accessories. A family-owned business, Suburban Seating & Safety has been a trusted supplier since 1947. To learn more about the company and its wide line of products from respected manufacturers, call 1-844-SAS-SEAT.
Source
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/sitting/faq-20058005
