Self-care Guide for Truckers: 5 Things You Can Do While on the Road

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Domestic flying is now more affordable than ever which means that you can go pretty much anywhere in the United States within just a few hours. No longer are you required to carry a map and figure out your way from one state to another while driving your car. If you are in Los Angeles, for example, it would only take you five hours to reach New York.

It makes traveling more fun and less tiring for normal people.

However, truckers still have to go through the grueling task of driving across the country. They spend numerous hours seated in their trucks and only the open road to keep them company.

Problems that Truckers Experience

Unfortunately, their roles make them prone to experiencing mental health issues. Truckers are subjected to high levels of stress due to problems on the road. Being away from family and friends for long periods of time can be pretty lonely.

They also, often, do not get enough sleep while on the job.

The Services You Need: Now Available Online

Thanks to the internet, truckers can do almost anything wherever they may go.

Some tax services for truckers can organize business receipts and then create an accurate, up-to-date, and accessible financial statement for you online. You no longer have to worry about doing your taxes on your own. When you finally come home, you can spend all your free time with your loved ones.

There are also apps that will make life on the road more bearable. Dock411, for example, provides information about your upcoming location. Do they have restrooms? Is there a place where you can rest? Are they pet-friendly? The answers to all these questions are available on the app.

If you are feeling a little bored, listen to audiobooks! Audiobooks.com is a platform that offers up to 8,000 titles completely free for anyone to use. Just download the app on your smartphone and sign up.

Keep Your Body Healthy

Truckers spend numerous hours in their trucks. Although they reach far-flung places, they are sedentary. They often do not have the time nor opportunities to become physically active.

As a result, truckers have a higher risk of developing chronic conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and heart diseases.

Moreover, because they are on the road, their food options are severely limited. There are not eating home-cooked meals. They instead rely on fast food chains.

However, it is important and possible for truckers to maintain their health while on the road. There are apps that can help them track what they eat in a day which can enable them to make healthier food choices. Calorie Counter by FatSecret is a food diary where users can log their every meal. It provides the nutritional value of a particular food item. It also logs the frequency and length of your physical activities.

Running is a pretty easy and low-cost exercise. You can run pretty much anywhere and there is no special equipment involved except for a pair of running shoes. There are also folding bicycles that you can store in the sleeper berth compartment and then use when you are at a rest area or any parking spot.

Keep in Touch with Family

It is difficult to maintain relationships when you are far away. You need to make time for it and actively try to have a conversation, even when you are tired.

Video calls through FaceTime or Zoom will never feel the same as being in the same space as your loved ones, but it is better than having little to no contact. You can call home every time your truck is parked. You can talk to your spouse or kids about where you are and what you have seen while driving and ask about what they did that they.

You should also start taking photos of where you go. You can send them to your kids regularly through online messaging apps or collect them until you can show them yourself when you get home.

These activities create special and memorable moments with your family even when you are not physically present.

junction road

A trucker’s life is tough, but someone has to do it. Because of your job, you are at risk of experiencing mental health and physical health conditions. However, you can prevent suffering in the long run by taking good care of yourself while on the road. Eating right, exercising regularly, keeping yourself entertained, getting the help you need, and, most importantly, maintaining close ties with the people you love at home are self-care tips that will keep you healthy and happy.

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