Why is truck driving considered one of the deadliest professions worldwide? For many reasons, but the most important factor is that truckers spend most of their working hours on their butts. There isn’t much truck drivers can do about this because it is a requirement of the job. However, a sedentary occupation takes a heavy toll on drivers’ lives. Driving a truck for 8 hours every day is not good for the health and increases the risk of several chronic illnesses. But trucking plays a vital role in the logistics industry and somebody has to do the job. Every profession where the worker has to spend a long time of their working hours seated poses health challenges. However, office jobs still provide lunch breaks, and people can walk around the office or even use stand-up workstations. Unfortunately, truckers can only stand up during loading and offloading or breaks far between. While there is a high incidence of chronic health diseases among truckers, there is also a question of whether truck drivers’ poor health is caused by the nature of the job or individual driver choices.
So is truck driving bad for your health? Sadly, the answer is yes. There is a high prevalence of obesity, heart disease, sleep apnea, impotence, diabetes, depression and other serious health conditions among truckers. They are also at a higher risk of musculoskeletal problems such as shoulder and back pain, arthritis, disk herniation, posture defects among others.
According to HireRight, an employee background-check company, health-related factors contribute to the mass exodus of truck drivers in the United States trucking industry. Truck drivers, especially OTR or long haul drivers put their bodies through physically demanding routines. These truckers drive for 11 hours per day, get little to no time for exercise, have limited access to wholesome, nutrient-rich food, and spend most of their time away from home. The nature of the job does not allow for adequate sleep even though the industry regulator stipulate 10 consecutive hours off duty after 11 hours of driving. Sadly, most drivers don’t get rest time; neither do they maintain a workout program. These factors combine to make truckers one of the most vulnerable groups to several diseases compared to other segments of the populations. Trucks.com reported that Karl Sieber of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health said about 88 percent of OTR drivers suffer from one or more health condition including obesity and hypertension. Also, many truckers are smokers and caffeine abusers as they need stimulants to stay active on the job. Compared to other workers, commercial drivers experience higher levels of work-related stress every day. Truck drivers spend countless hours in their seat every year driving nonstop for hours, stuck in traffic, waiting at customer facilities and finding a safe parking spot to sleep at night. These are stressors that compromise truckers’ health. Also, truckers hardly find quality food on the road. When they finish the food packed from home, truckers make do with the best edible available at truck stops. But all is not doom and gloom. As a trucker, you can still eat good food and work out in your rig. It is possible to be a truck driver and enjoy quality health, but you require conscious efforts to enjoy a disease-free trucking career.
What Are the Top Health Concerns of Truckers?
Trucking is a highly demanding job in all ramifications. It takes a huge toll on your physical and mental health and affects personal and social relationships. Truck drivers have an alarming prevalence of serious health conditions such as obesity, heart disease, hypertension, and sleep disorders. The following are top health problems among truckers.
Obesity
According to the Center for Diseases Prevention and Control (CDC), people with a body mass index over 30 are obese. Because of the sedentary nature of their work and poor diet on the road, a disproportionate number of truckers are obese. Obesity makes your heart work overtime as it becomes more difficult to pump blood to every body organ. The condition contributes to several chronic health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, joint problems, sleep apnea, depression and even cancer.
All the effects of obesity are avoidable if you lose weight before it’s too late. Try to eat a low-calorie diet rich in veggies, fruits and unrefined carbs, although the unpredictable schedule of most truckers makes this difficult. Also, add an exercise routine to your days. 30 minutes of exercise can make a lot of difference. Resistance bands are effective workout equipment for truckers and people who lead a sedentary lifestyle.
High Blood Pressure
Millions of people are not aware they are hypertensive, i.e., have a high blood pressure, and so it is called a silent killer. When the blood pressure rises to 140/90 and above, you have hypertension. High blood pressure is a precursor to many ailments including coronary heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure, among others. People who are hypertensive should carry a digital device for taking blood pressure daily. Unfortunately, many truckers have a high BP because of lack of exercise, and a poor quality diet.
If you drive trucks and have high blood pressure, limit your salt and caffeine intake, avoid alcohol and saturated fats, and add 30 minutes of exercise to your routine. And make sure you don’t miss your medications and doctor’s appointments, even if you feel OK.
Skin Cancer
Truckers are susceptible to skin cancer because one side of their face and arm is exposed to the sun for extended periods on the road. Prolonged exposure to the sun, moles, sunburn, and a history of skin cancer increase your risk of this health condition. It is important to always wear long-sleeved clothing and apply sunscreens with a Sun Protective Factor (SPF) of 30 or more while exposed to the sun whether in the truck or on the ground. If you notice any strange moles on your skin, go check it out immediately.
Sleep Apnea
This condition causes a person to stop breathing several times during sleep because the throat muscles relax blocking the airways. It can also be caused when the brain does not signal the airway muscles to breathe. A person suffering from sleep apnea can cease to breathe 30-40 times in an hour, and the individual may not even be aware he/she has it.
Sleep apnea disrupts the transportation of oxygen to the brain and other vital organs of the body. The condition can lead to sleep deprivation, fatigue, hypertension, daytime sleepiness, chest pain, snoring, and headaches. Age is the primary risk factor for sleep apnea as it is most prevalent among people aged 40 and above. Obesity and smoking can also contribute to the condition.
You can treat sleep apnea through lifestyle modifications like weight loss and quitting smoking. If these do not work, breathing devices such as a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) and other oral mouthpieces customized by a dentist can help keep your airways open while you sleep.
Back and Neck Pain
Sitting and driving a truck for long hours can lead to postural issues that can contribute to neck and back pain. While modern trucks have ergonomic and comfortable driver seats, truckers have to keep their head up while on the road. This puts a lot of stress on the neck and can lead to disk herniation issues.
Truckers also suffer from higher rates of musculoskeletal injuries such as strains, sprains, and overexertion injuries. The job may also expose them to hazardous fumes and chemicals, accidents, extreme fatigue, and depression. The next time you see truckers, make sure you praise them for their sacrifice in making our society run smoothly and efficiently.
Is Semi-Truck Driving Dangerous?
Semi-truck driving is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. The leading cause of death among truck drivers is fatigue. Truckers have to drive for long hours and rarely get enough sleep before hitting the road. The sedentary lifestyle of truckers, the physically demanding nature of the job and the many bad habits of some drivers such as alcohol and drug use make the risk of accidents high. Unfortunately, when semi-trucks or tractor-trailers are involved in accidents, the result is usually catastrophic beyond imagination.
Accidents occur when truckers don’t follow regulations. Things like poor load securement, exceeding cargo weight limits, and failure to use safety features such as warning lights can lead to serious accidents that can cause fatalities. Negligence by the driver including over speeding, distracted driving, driving under the influence of stimulants, and disobeying traffic rules can claim lives and destroy property.
It is important to be professional while on the roads. Remember your conduct affects other road users and the people who depend on your freight. Drive safely.
Truck Driver Health and Wellness
Truck drivers are bedeviled by multiple health problems by the nature of their work. But this shouldn’t be the case. Whether you are a local trucker or OTR driver, the following health and wellness tips can help you live a healthy and disease-free life.
Eat healthy: The most important aspect of beating diseases is nutrition. It may be difficult to find homemade food on the road, but a little creativity can go a long way in fortifying your diet. Eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, protein and complex carbs. If your sleeper berth lacks a refrigerator, invest in one so you can store as much fresh food and homemade meals in your truck as possible. Ditch the junk food and only use it as a last resort. Pack your rig with healthy snacks to enable your main meals last longer. Nuts, dried fruits and other natural edible come to mind. And remember to eat in moderation as too much of even the healthiest meals is bad for you.
Exercise: The unpredictability of trucker schedules rules out gym memberships. But you can still break a sweat every day. Resistance bands, jumping ropes, planks, and other body weight exercises can help keep your circulation in top gear, burn calories and increase the release of feel-good chemicals to suppress depression and stress. You can also take short walks while waiting to load and unload your cargo. Whatever you do, keep moving.
Join a support group: Truckers are solitary souls. This affects their mental health and makes many of them slip into depression. If you are having anxiety, depression or stress-related problems, ask for help. Talk to your friends and family during breaks. Socialize at truck stops. Don’t keep your problems to yourself. If you can’t handle it anymore, talk to your physician or ask for a leave to reorient your mind.
Don’t compromise your health for anything. You can only make and spend that money if you are alive and in good health. Be a conscious and cautious trucker.
