Mental Health Tips for Truck Drivers: Sleep, Diet & Fitness Hacks

Struggling with mental health on the road? Discover simple yet effective ways to improve sleep, diet, and exercise for a healthier, more productive life.

Imagine this, you are having a long day at work, heck even overtime , but when it’s all said and done,why don’t you feel any better about yourself.You go out there every morning hoping it will get better, that life will favour you for a change…

Yeah,that’s not my ideal cup of tea.

Regardless of how sad and eerie this reality appears, this very well is the life for many lorry drivers today, combating poor mental health.

If you’re willing to give me a bit of your time today, we’ll break this vicious cycle of poor mental health and spark a change together!

So fasten your seatbelts and let’s speed off…

1)Catch all your daily Z’s.

For those who’ve been on the road for decades, poor sleep might feel like a normal part of the job. But long-term sleep deprivation isn’t just about feeling tired—it increases the risk of heart disease, weight gain, and memory problems. The good news? Small changes can make a real difference. The sleeping pandemic has swept the globe into depression. 20% to 30% of lorry drivers face sleep related issues, impacting work productivity and impairing judgement.

When we sleep, our brains organise all the information therein. Think of it like a packed lorry. If you don’t arrange the cargo properly when you head off, then it becomes tricky to find what you are looking for. Similarly, our brain only works optimally when it doesn’t get the needed sleep to load everything up.This way, when we need it to do anything,it can be on the ball. ​​Lack of sleep can lead to poor mood and concentration, making driving more dangerous. Some tips to help you catch those well needed extra Zs are:

• Optimising your sleeping environment.

Good curtains,light-blocking materials,earplugs or even picking quieter areas to park are all simple changes that come a long way in improving your sleep quality and overall mental health for truckers.

• Moderate your naps! 

Too many power naps can seriously jeopardize your ability to get proper sleep at night.But then again,being too hard on yourself when you’re barely able to keep your eyes open is also a big no! Stick to something in the middle.Taking naps only when you needed; max for 30 minutes so that you don’t fall into deep sleep.These simple principles will go a long way in promoting a good work ethic and improve your health over time.This will also improve your self worth and mood too!

• 3,2,1 method

Adhere to the 3-2-1 method to get good rest.This entails not eating up to 3 hours before you sleep, not drinking anything up to 2 hours before sleep and not using any devices 1 hour prior to sleeping. This way, you can have an uninterrupted sleep with no trip to the loo, indigestion or too much exposure to bluelight.Blue light in simple terms is light that tricks our brain into thinking that it is not the time to be going to sleep. It reduces the melatonin hormone, which makes us go to sleep. Many people struggle with this, so even taking simple measures like dimming the brightness, listening to podcasts,news or audiobooks could be an excellent alternative.

But sleep isn’t the only thing that contributes to your mental health. What you’re eating also affects your mood. A mindful diet goes a long way in better health, both mental and physical.That takes us to our second point…

2) Be mindful of what you eat! 

What you eat defines your productivity and mental health more drastically than you probably realise. Changes like replacing highly processed foods for more wholesome ones go a long way. This is because they aren’t stimulants and high in carbs so they make you feel active and sharp. They make you feel energetic consistently. That is opposed to a temporary sugar rush, only to make you feel worse than what you felt prior. I know that is easier said than done, but simple steps like:

• carrying a bottle of water

This makes sure that you have your water on the go. Many times, we neglect our need for water and forget to buy at service stations. This can be solved by carrying a water bottle. Not to mention that it’s a sure fire way to prevent high blood pressure and kidney problems. Carry a big bottle of water, which you can drink from in intervals. 

• setting timers to get in water and food, 

This way you dont forget to consume something periodically so that you can carry yourself through for longer for less stops. It works as you are actively reminding yourself to do it,promoting this habit further.

• cutting out unnecessary snacks 

So that you can fully enjoy your meal. The occasional snack is fine but constantly snacking leads to unsatisfied appetites at meals or in general. This way you don’t overstimulate your dopamine (the chemical responsible for making you happy) so that it does actually feel rewarding like how the more alcohol you drink, the more you can hold your liquor. The better the fuel, the better the performance. For many this is not any easy task. That’s why instead of cutting it out altogether, simple adjustments like swapping processed snacks for nuts or oat bars can be very beneficial.These not only satisfy cravings, but also keep you feeling a stable level of energy throughout the day rather than a temporary sugar rush. Not to mention these suggestions are high in fibre and protein.

• consuming more fiber, 

This promotes good gut health and digestion for an easy experience. This regulates our toilet habits and allows us to go longer without needing the toilet, while also feeling relieved, which actually improves one’s mood drastically.Easy tweaks like benefitting from fibre would be to buy fibre rich chocolate,cakes or breakfast bars. Fruit can also be a good alternative where possible or things like getting oat bars or seeded/whole grain bread can also help.

• Protein

Harvard did a study on mediterranean food/ traditional Japanese foods verses western foods and found that depression rates were actually 25% to 35% less in the former group.One reason they cited was how the former incorporated more veg, fruits, seafood/fish and unprocessed grains in their diet compared to the latter.These are all examples of proteins,demonstrating the drastic benefits of protein on mental health. These are the building blocks of all things in our body so they definitely contribute to better mental wellbeing but also better cognitive ability in later age.

For every 5% of calories from animal protein,dementia rates decrease by 11% and 28% for plant protein.

For drivers over 50 this is more vital as our muscle mass naturally declines the more we age.So making sure that you’re keeping up with your protein is vital now more than ever to maintain muscle mass and long term health.Simple ways to go about this by replacing our crips and savoury snacks for nut alternatives. There is a huge selection of nut snacks to choose and many are flavoured. Things like  boiled eggs or an egg sandwich for breakfast also helps.

• Vitamin B12 and B5

These B vitamins in particular are conductive to cognitive function so are bound to spark a change in your mind and body for a better mental health. 

This is especially beneficial when thinking critically, making decisions and being alert which are all important behind the wheel.

• Managing an eating schedule goes a long way.

This links in with what I was saying before about not snacking too much. If you can schedule your diet, you avoid over or under eating and make sure your mind has the right fuel at all times to work. The key is moderation.

So, get to it and perhaps your mood won’t be as hungry for positivity.

Right! You’ve sorted out your sleep and diet. Is there anything else? Well, if you eat well but can’t burn that off effectively then that becomes a problem too,which leads me to my last hack…

3) Stay in shape!

Sore knees, stiff joints, or back pain? You’re not alone. Years on the road can take a toll on your body, but simple movement—even stretching—can reduce discomfort and keep you feeling good behind the wheel. One of the main reasons we as humans feel lazy and unmotivated is due to poor physical health.Just like we need to service our lorries to keep them working at their best,we need to move our bodies to keep them at their best too. Aside from that, it  has a huge effect on your mental health and productivity, while combating issues like heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, back pain and joint pain. Trust me when I say it’s not as big as we make it, it’s more on mentality.

An article by destiny’s odyssey mentions how mental conditioning plays a big role in our ability to do things. When you firm your resolve and change your perspective on something, it becomes much easier to stay disciplined.  This resolve becomes one of your innate goals. This change can occur through filtering what you intake via media or food so that it promotes your way of life. You can start with something as simple as finding more opportunities to get in steps like

•  parking a bit further from the petrol station so that you can get some steps in and get a couple stretches in.If that isn’t an option, then try seated leg lifts,rotating feet clockwise then anticlockwise etc.The key is to squeeze in whatever you can.
• In your down time, make sure to stretch your arms and legs or get up once in a while to promote better blood flow and limit arthritis. If that’s not possible, then at each red light, move your shoulders too.
• Try actively reminding yourself to sit up and against your seat via reminders or at each red light so that you keep good posture also. Posture doesn’t just cause back pain,but also long term spine issues.
• Obviously, for those who want to take it a step further and make an exercise regime then that’s up to them for more benefits.

 But at least, taking the first baby steps to change will bring significant changes to your everyday life as you’ll see first hand.  

In conclusion, maintaining good mental health consists of a good night’s rest, good diet and physical activity. One should moderate their sleep to the necessary and eat when beneficial. Add a bit of physical activity to the mix, and you have a fairly wholesome lorry driver who is motivated to work and happy with his life.It should be remembered that slow and steady wins the race. By implementing simple yet consistent steps,you will see a world’s difference and give your brain some air.You’ve spent many years taking care of your truck—now it’s time to take care of yourself too. That’s it for this article and please check out Traffic Camera’s article on sports on the road and other related th8ngs to better your experience on the road.