This is the third of four articles presenting best practices safety managers can promote to produce both measurable operational improvements, and increased driver and fleet safety. In this article, we present the health challenges drivers face and steps they can take to improve their health.
The health challenge for drivers
Anyone who has driven a large commercial motor vehicle knows it can be difficult, stressful and exhausting work. Now there is also evidence that many drivers face major health risks as well.
In January 2014, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health released a study of long-haul drivers which compares their health characteristics to those of the general population of U.S. workers. 88 percent of all respondents reported experiencing at least one of the three risk factors: hypertension, smoking or obesity, compared to 54 percent of general workers.
Seven Steps to Health on the Road
1. Sleep right
Healthy people sleep in deep sleep cycles of 75 to 90 minutes, known as circadian cycles. During each, the brain releases chemicals that enable deep sleep at the start and clears them at the end. Being awakened in the middle of a cycle produces a feeling of being drugged.
Adults typically need a minimum of four cycles to refresh their mental acuity and become physically restored. Changing sleep schedules often results in difficulty falling asleep and reduced sleep quality. It takes several days to recover from a major change and one or two days to recover from insufficient sleep, known as “sleep debt.” Drivers should not change their sleep behaviors during their off-duty days or they will experience jet lag symptoms.
The low point of alertness is 12 hours from the middle of the prior sleep period. If a person sleeps from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., they’ll experience a drowsy period at 2 p.m. the next afternoon. This is the best time for a nap, however it should be no more than 15 minutes or deep sleep chemicals will be released. A 15 minute nap produces four hours of increased alertness.
2. Sleep apnea screenings
Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common form of sleep apnea, a condition where an airway blockage occurs during sleep causing choking and reduced oxygen intake. The most common treatment is a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine that uses forced air to keep a sleeping person’s airway open.
3. Control what you eat and drink
All foods contain calories, vitamins and other nutrients that affect our weight, energy level, alertness levels and sleep quality. An ideal diet provides the correct number of calories to maintain body weight and enable good health. Drivers should count calories to make sure they’re not consuming more calories than they are burning.
Foods high in refined sugars are stored as body fat if not burned shortly after being consumed. Great snack foods include raw or roasted nuts, bananas, fruits and vegetables. Rice and beans help build protein and are converted to sugar slower than high starch foods like potatoes. Baked chicken or turkey is high in protein and low in fat.
Stimulants like caffeine can boost alertness but also increase blood pressure, so they should be used moderately and not within four hours of sleeping. Foods high in calcium contribute to relaxation whereas foods high in sugar produce instant energy.
4. Exercise frequently
Physical activity is critically important to maintain good health, especially for drivers who sit for long periods each day. Sitting causes blood to pool in legs and ankles and increases heart stress. Drivers should treat all stops as exercise opportunities. They should use their inspection periods to walk around their vehicles, not just to improve the thoroughness of their inspections, but because the exertion is good for them. Some fleets provide pedometers for drivers to track their activity each day. Three miles (5,000 steps) is a typical daily target for adults. Many smartphone apps link with activity monitors and help users manage their weight, eating habits, sleeping patterns and exercise levels.
5. Stay mentally active
Recent studies have shown mental activity has a positive effect on long-term health and longevity. All drivers have opportunities to be mentally active both when they are on or off duty, whether it involves memorization exercises, solving puzzles or reading. Solving problems causes the brain to release chemicals that produce mild euphoria, reduce muscle tension and lower blood pressure. Drivers should be encouraged to find a mental exercise which is fun or satisfying so it will become habitual.
6. Stop smoking
Nothing good comes from smoking or using tobacco products in any form as far as long-term health is concerned. Tobacco products, whether smoked or chewed, are associated with many forms of cancers and produce other negative side effects such as suppressing antioxidants. Tobacco contains nicotine, which is a strong stimulant and addictive, particularly when consumption begins in adolescence. Using nicotine patches and other substitutes are healthier than smoking or chewing, but still perpetuate the addiction.
7. Join wellness programs
Many progressive trucking companies provide driver wellness programs to encourage their drivers to lead healthier lifestyles. Programs may include reaching weight targets with interim milestone awards, company-sponsored exercise programs, sleep apnea screening and treatment, smoking cessation and general wellness education.
The bottom line
Health is personal. Trucking companies that invest in the improved health of their drivers through education, training and wellness programs are likely to reduce medical insurance costs and lost work days and improve driver turnover rates. Each of these attributes is easily measured and produce both real-life benefits for the drivers and cost savings to the fleet.