What are the effects of long distance driving?

Driving more than 10 miles each way, to and from work, is associated with higher blood sugar, according to a report written by researchers from the University School of Medicine in Saint Louis and the Cooper Institute in Dallas and published in The American Journal of Preventive Medicine. High blood glucose levels can lead to pre-diabetes and diabetes.

Your Cholesterol is Higher

The same report in The American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that the 10-mile one-way drives were also associated with higher cholesterol levels among commuters. Scary stuff since cholesterol is a warning sign for heart disease.

Your Depression Risk Rises

The researchers from the University School of Medicine in Saint Louis and the Cooper Institute in Dallas also noted in their report that people with commutes of at least 10 miles each way have a higher tendency toward depression, anxiety, and social isolation. Sometimes it can be hard to determine if your down-in-the-dumps mood is a real problem or something that’ll pass. Check here to determine if you’re depressed or just feeling blah.

Your Anxiety Increases

A new report from the U.K.’s Office of National Statistics finds that people who commute more than half an hour to work each way report higher levels of stress and anxiety than people with shorter commutes or no commutes at all. While there’s not much you can do to shorten or eliminate your commute, you can make the most of it by doing something like listening to an interesting audio book. Check out these other ways to take advantage of the time you spend in transit.

Your Happiness and Life Satisfaction Decline

The same report from the U.K. found that people with commutes of any length experience lower life satisfaction and happiness than people with no commutes at all. Riding a bus for 30 minutes or longer was associated with the lowest levels of life satisfaction and happiness, but even if you’re lucky enough to bike to work and enjoy the beautiful outdoors, your satisfaction takes a nosedive commensurate to how long you spend doing it. Womp womp.

Your Blood Pressure Temporarily Spikes

Commuting during rush hour—especially when you’re concerned that you may be late to work or to an important meeting—can result in temporary spikes in stress levels that jack up your blood pressure, even if it’s normally stable. In fact, a researcher from the University of Utah set up an experiment where participants were placed in simulated driving scenarios: They were told they were late to a meeting and had a financial incentive to get to their destination quickly. Half the group was put in high-density traffic; the other half “drove” in a less congested environment. The people who drove in more intense traffic had much higher reports of stress, as well as higher blood pressure. If you feel like you’re always in a rush, it might be worth leaving well before rush hour—even if you arrive at work at the same time as you normally would, you’ll definitely feel less anxious on the drive over. Plus, you may also want to employ these tips on how to use yoga to de-stress during the drive.

Your Blood Pressure Rises Over Time, As Well

A study of 4,297 Texans found that the farther the participants lived from where they worked—the longer their commutes—the higher their blood pressure was. High blood pressure over time is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

Your Cardiovascular Fitness Drops

The same study out of Texas found that people with longer commutes also had lower levels of cardiovascular fitness and physical activity. Cardiovascular fitness is critical for heart health and maintaining a healthy weight.

Your Sleep Suffers

The Regus Work-Life Balance Index for 2012 found that people who commute for longer than 45 minutes each way reported lower sleep quality and more exhaustion than people with shorter commutes. To get better a better night’s sleep and feel more rested, regardless of your commuter status, check out our story, “Why Are Modern Women So Exhausted?”

Your Back Aches

Spending hours a week slouched over in a car seat (either as a driver or a passenger) has negative consequences on your posture and your back; commuters are more likely to report pains and aches in their backs and necks. To counteract these ill effects, be sure to check out six ways to straighten up your posture.

Truck driver health has always been an issue given the nature of the job.  Despite the fact that truck drivers suffer many similar conditions common in the general population (heart disease and diabetes for example), they suffer these conditions more frequently and with greater severity.  The question one might ask is why?  Many possible causes can be identified from dietary concerns, stress, the physical demands of driving a truck and more.  One common issue that leads to a higher incidence of chronic medical problems, common to all types of professional drivers is prolonged sitting.

The effects of prolonged sitting are considerable and most drivers are not aware of how just “sitting” for so long could lead to a number of diseases and other medical problems that can affect their ability to stay healthy and on the road making a living!  I know, many people think that sitting for long periods of time is not stressful.  That a person, whether they be a truck driver or anyone else who sits all day, could possibly have more problems.  The facts and the research however indicate that it is actually very stressful to the human body to sit for prolonged periods of time on a regular basis.

WHAT ARE THE AFFECTS PROLONGED SITTING?

Research has linked sitting for very long periods of time to a number of health concerns and other health related issues.  These concerns include obesity, heart problems, high blood pressure, diabetes and more.  These conditions are very prevalent in the trucking industry, and impact not only the driver’s health, but also their ability to stay on the road.  As we are all aware, many of these conditions can lead to delays and disqualifications when a driver goes in for their re-certification exam so that they can stay driving.

Other issues can also develop.  Did you know for example, that truck drivers can suffer more frequently from chronic leg pain, varicose veins and swelling in their legs as a result of sitting as much as they do?  This is caused by something referred to as venous (veins) congestion or pooling of blood in the legs due to the lack of movement necessary to keep blood moving efficiently from your legs to your heart.

More acute medical problems can also be the result of prolonged sitting also.  For example, sitting too long can lead to blood clots forming in your legs.  These blood clots, also known as a Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), will not only keep a driver out of work for at least two months (the waiting period associated with this condition in the medical guidance), but also they can be life threatening.

How about back pain?  Back pain is also very much associated with sitting too much.  Numerous studies show that sitting is actually more stressful on a person’s lower back than standing is (about 20% more stressful).  As a matter of fact, the greatest reason associated with back pain in truck drivers, does not relate to heavy lifting on the job, but prolonged sitting and one other factor known as whole body vibration (from the truck engine).

WHAT CAN TRUCK DRIVERS DO TO DECREASE THE EFFECTS OF SITTING?

First and foremost make sure what you are sitting in is designed for prolonged use.  Custom seats with good shock absorption features can reduce some of the negative effects of sitting, and also significantly decrease whole body vibration that is a contributing factor to so many medical conditions and problems.  They can offer varying degrees of support for your back and neck and improve circulation in your legs through various adjustments and other features.

If it’s a company truck there are still many things you can do to improve your seat.  Using a low back support cushion or even a rolled up towel positioned to support the lower back can be a big help.  A towel or a small pillow placed behind the neck can add support for your neck and upper back.  Adjusting the seat height, seat back and distance from the pedals will allow you to conform to the ideal position, and also allow you to change the position a few times a day and provide some variation of the stress points that your body undergoes from sitting too long in one position.

The simplest advice for combating the health risks of prolonged sitting for a driver is to stand up frequently.  If it is stopping for lunch or to gas up, spend a minute or two extra, and at least walk around the rig before you get back in.  If you have a little more time, do some exercises that help improve circulation, and that are good for back health.  Things such as toe ups, stair steps, back bends etc. are some examples.

If you can’t get out of the seat, you might have to become more creative however.  Do some neck and shoulder stretches while you driver.  Something simple that will allow you to maintain your focus on the road, such has simple head rotations and shoulder shrugs.  Also, to decrease the risk of forming blood clots or a DVT in your legs, research has shown that even by taping your feet, such as tapping to music, you will increase circulation in your legs.

Also watch your posture as you drive and avoid leaning into the wheel while driving. Don’t keep a wallet or anything lumpy in a back pocket as it can not only throw your spine out of alignment, but can lead to pressure on the nerves going into your legs (causing sciatica).

Lastly, be sure to stay hydrated!  Hydration might not seem related to sedentary lifestyle issues, but it is.  To begin with it will help keep you spinal discs more healthy.  Additionally, a steady intake of water will help maintain the balance of electrolytes in the human body as well as improve kidney function and counter act some of the other issues of sitting too long.

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