A trucker’s lifestyle can be a gloomy place at times. The long days, stressful work environments, and loneliness have major effects on a driver’s life. The dark side of the long haul trucker lifestyle is often overlooked and not addressed. As a result, many drivers suffer from mental and physical health problems. Before entering the trucking industry, long haul truck drivers need to be aware of the good and bad that come with this lifestyle.
It’s difficult to stay healthy
Being in good health is a rare thing for long haul truck drivers. Life on the road does not give drivers many opportunities to live a healthy lifestyle. When you spend the majority of your trucking career on the go, your food options are limited. Although taking an exit to get Mcdonald’s may seem like the easiest option, eating fast food for every meal for weeks at a time can cause serious health issues. Obesity is one of the most common health issues in truckers. If you do not watch your diet and exercise, you could end up developing a serious health problem.
Say goodbye to a regular sleep schedule
The trucking industry runs 24/7/365. So, having a regular sleep schedule is rare for long haul drivers. The loading and unloading times are often never the same. At times, a driver will deliver a load at 2 a.m. one day, the 1 p.m. the next day. In addition to the inconsistent load times, drivers can make multiple deliveries a day. This creates a lot of stress on the body and leaves the driver operating on a few hours of sleep.
If you are struggling with getting enough sleep and staying away on the road, check out our blog 5 Easy Tips to Help Truckers Stay Awake While Driving.
You will feel lonely
It is not uncommon for long haul truck drivers to feel lonely while on the road. Drivers have a very little face to face interactions while working on the road. While this may seem like a good thing for some, drivers can start to develop depressive symptoms. Depression is a common side effect of trucking. To help avoid feeling depressed on the road, talk to your friends and family on the phone at least once a day. As a long haul truck driver, you can often feel like you’re missing out on your loved ones’ life. Communicating with them daily will help you feel less lonely.
It’s hard on your relationships
Long haul trucking can strain your relationship with your significant other. Being away from your loved one for weeks at a time is never easy. In addition to being apart, many drivers struggle with balancing their work life and personal life. Relationships already take a lot of work, but long-distance relationships take even more work. When you become a long haul truck driver, it is important to be willing to put in extra effort into your relationship.
Some quick tips to having a healthy relationship as a long haul truck driver:
- Communicate daily
- Spend as much time together when you are not working
- Consider therapy
- Avoid arguments
- Trust each other
