Staying Awake without Chugging the Coffee
If you’re used to reaching for the coffee whenever you’re feeling sleepy, it can be a difficult habit to break.
Like any other job, trucking can be exhausting. You’re on the road for hours on end, and it is crucial for your safety and the safety of everyone around you that you remain awake and alert at all times. So, after being on the road for several hours you will probably find yourself fading a bit and your first instinct will be to grab a cup-o-joe from the nearest place. While this will almost always have the desired effect of keeping you awake, it may also have some other far less desirable effects. Here are some tips for staying awake without going through a bunch of coffee.
Keep a Record
The first step to decreasing your dependency on coffee, energy drinks, and other super-potent stimulants is to keep a log of what you have and when you have it. You can even give yourself bonus points for noting how many milligrams of caffeine you’re consuming. Consuming a ton of these types of substances really takes its toll on pretty much every major system in your body, especially your brain. Mind you, one or two cups per day shouldn’t cause you irreparable harm, however, if you experience jitters of any kind of discomfort from consuming your “liquid energy”, it’s probably not a good thing for you to be having.
Get Moving
When you exercise, your brain releases endorphins which improve your mood and give you energy. Anything you can do to get your body moving can help you wake yourself up naturally. A brisk, 5-minute walk or even a run could be all you need to get going. If walking or running aren’t really options, something as simple as a good stretch can go a long way. Plus, exercising benefits your body in many, many other ways too!
Breaking the Habit
If you’re used to reaching for the coffee whenever you’re feeling sleepy, it can be a difficult habit to break. Slowly easing off the caffeine and coffee and finding healthier alternatives such as getting a good night’s sleep and exercising will improve your ability to stay awake, as well as how you feel overall.
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