Top 5 Ways To Stay Healthy If You Are A Truck Or Bus Driver in Antioch

Top 5 Ways To Stay Healthy If You Are A Truck
Or Bus Driver in Antioch

Chiropractic Antioc DOT-semi-truck

It is imperative that you take care of yourself but especially if you are a driver for work.  Drivers must go through a Department of Transportation Exam at a minimum every 2 years. Some with certain conditions need an evaluation sooner.  Unfortunately, drivers sit, often smoke and eat fast foods. If you want to continue to work for a long time and prefer to not find other work, you need to be able to pass the DOT exam.  There are ways to stay healthy actively and there are ways to stay healthy passively. Actively, as an Antioch chiropractor, I am referring to what you do and passively by what you have done to you. The first four ways listed below have to do with your active involvement.  The fifth way by what you can do passively.


TOP 5 WAYS TO STAY HEALTHY IF YOU ARE A TRUCK OR BUS DRIVER in Antioch

First, one must get good quality and quantity of sleep.  Sleep influences your mental and physical capabilities. All mental diagnoses have one thing in common, that is insufficient sleep.  Physically your body repairs itself as well with sleep. If there is not enough sleep, you cannot function as well cognitively and physically.  Some tips on sleeping, do your best to go to sleep at the same time and wake up at the same time regardless if it is on days you are working or not.   It is best to avoid sleep aids as much as possible as you can soon tolerate them and will need to up the dosage. Avoid caffeine preferably 8 hours prior to your sleep time.  Keep your TV, computer, and phone out of the bedroom. If you must have them in your room, then keep them as far away as possible from your head. Turn off the bluetooth, Wi-Fi and cellular data.  Your alarm clock will still work. Keep your room dark and not too hot. If you have a cold or stuffy nose, try using a humidifier that produces steam. If you are having difficulty falling asleep try to avoid electronic usage 2 hours prior to sleeping. I suggest purchasing glasses or prescription glasses that reduce the blue light.  The blue light from electronic devices confuse your brain about what time you should be going to sleep. Also, as we age, our ability to produce melatonin goes down. However, taking melatonin as a supplement may further cause you to reduce your own production of melatonin as it tells your brain that there is enough. If taking as a supplement, try the lowest dosage first.

Second, proper nutrition including hydration is needed to stay healthy.  If you are smoking, make a commitment to reduce your intake to quitting all together.  Get professional help if you are having a difficult time. It is worth it. Your health and livelihood of working depend on you to keep your blood pressure at an optimal level.  It can be difficult if you are on the road to eat healthy. Do your best to pack your own nutritious food. Omega 3 oils help reduce inflammation and in the right numbers can help lower your cholesterol ratio.  I recommend a 55:45 ratio of EPA to DHA ration 1220 mg daily. Many drivers have High Blood Pressure with contributing factors of not exercising regularly, smoking, eating fast food and stress of driving for long periods of time.  If you must stop to eat and there is only fast food available, there are often healthier choices at these establishments, and I would opt to invest in these options. You can also keep a box of protein bars with you such as RX Bar.  I personally like the Pumpkin Spice one. Drinking enough water is another important aspect to your nutrition. You should drink half of your bodyweight in ounces per day. Do your best to get the majority in before your dinner so you are not waking up often during your sleep.  I have a 64-ounce container that holds all my water that I need for the day. I use this to make sure I am getting enough water. Another great supplement to take is Boswellia with Ginger and Turmeric. These items help with inflammation and studies have shown some help with healthy cholesterol levels.

Third, proper exercise is important to keep your muscles and organs including your brain to function optimally.  If you are driving all day it can be difficult to get some cardiovascular exercise in. You could start with a brisk walk for even 10 minutes.  This will help to reduce stress in your body. When you are driving, and you are stuck in traffic consider pulling off the road to refuel and go for a brisk walk.  Make it a part of your routine that before your shift and after your shift you take a brisk walk for 10 minutes or more. Just because you sit often does not mean you need to be a couch potato on your days off.  Go to the park and go hiking and destress.

Fourthly, listen to uplifting podcasts and learn something new while in your vehicle.  Learning creates neuropathways that will help keep you from losing your cognitive abilities.  You could learn a foreign language! Staying positive and learning keep your endorphins running and your body functioning properly.

Finally, on your day off seek out ways to get revived passively by seeing your chiropractor, acupuncturist and/or massage therapist.  The muscles and bones in your body get damaged from sitting. The muscles can shorten and even create scar tissue and tendinitis. Seeking out ways to passively stretch you and destress you will help you be able to continue to work so you can live healthy and happily.

©2020 Stacey Duckett Chiropractic, Corp. all Right Reserved.

Stacey Duckett, D.C.
Doctor of Chiropractic/Applied Clinical Nutritionist/Certified Medical Examiner
www.GotPainGetRelief.com

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