Long daily and weekly hours are a fact of life for truck drivers. Unfortunately, such long hours cause driver fatigue, and an increase in driver fatigue also increases the risk of chronic health conditions and truck accidents. To help combat fatigue (and its associated risks), eat a healthy diet, fit in some simple exercises between drives, and get enough sleep.
Other tricks of the trade include listening to an audiobook, calling a friend or family member, turning the temperature down, avoiding large doses of caffeine, and turning down your dash lights (bright lights tire your eyes). Just remember, no amount of tricks will actually keep you awake when your body is simply ready to sleep. When that time comes, don’t try to push through it. Pull over and take a nap.
Ryan Hutchens