Caffeine is a stimulant that’s found naturally in many plants, including cocoa beans, certain nuts, tea leaves, and more. It’s most well-known natural source, however, is the coffee bean (which is technically a fruit pit, in case you didn’t know). Additionally, synthetic caffeine is added to a number of products including soda, energy drinks, certain foods, candies, and more.
Whether natural or synthetic, the effect is the same.
Caffeine can give you a boost of energy, both physically and mentally, allowing you to focus better and push yourself harder. It can also help with weight loss by stimulating your metabolism, which is why caffeine is often found in dietary supplements and workout products.
Ultimately, however, caffeine is a drug, and like any drug, it can have side effects and create dependency when abused. Does that mean you should avoid it altogether? Not necessarily.
Caffeine Can Have Very Positive Effects for Truckers
Caffeine is pretty popular among truck drivers. Truthfully, it’s pretty popular among Americans as a whole. But for those who spent hours by themselves on the road day after day, often well into the night, caffeine can be a lifesaver. Literally.
Whether it’s being consumed through coffee, tea, soda, or something else, caffeine is generally accepted as the safest, most effective stimulant available to truck drivers. Some drivers turn to prescription drugs, even when they don’t always have a prescription.
Not only is this illegal, but it can cause side effects and health issues, and ultimately compromise the safety of the driver. As a truck driver, you should never operate a vehicle while taking a drug that you’re not prescribed. Even properly prescribed drugs often aren’t supposed to be used while operating a vehicle such as a tractor trailer.
Always make sure to consult your doctor when taking a prescription. As for caffeine, even though it can be beneficial and safe in proper doses, you should still be careful.
The Dangers of Caffeine
Caffeine can become addictive, leading to withdrawal symptoms like headaches, irritability, and increased sleepiness when you’re not consuming it. Additionally, taking too much caffeine can increase your tolerance, resulting in you needing more to receive its stimulating properties.
Always moderate your caffeine usage. Continuously taking excess caffeine can raise your blood pressure and increase your heart rate. Sugar-heavy caffeinated beverages such as soda and energy drinks can also affect your heart, weight, and more.
Even coffee can cause stomach irritability and general jitteriness.
Caffeine can also be toxic in high doses. Reaching toxic levels, however, takes quite a bit of caffeine intake. For adults, caffeine is toxic at does of 10 grams a day. By comparison, the average cup of coffee has 80-175 mg of caffeine, meaning you’d need anywhere from 50-100 cups of coffee.
Caffeine Can’t Replace Proper Rest
Whether you’re a caffeine drinker or not, proper rest is paramount to driver safety and performance. Always make sure you’re getting enough rest between driving periods. Additionally, you should be getting quality at-home time to recuperate further.
If you’re struggling to get proper rest and relaxation at your current trucking job, it might be time for a change.
At Woodruff Enterprises, we offer regular routes, a smaller driving radius, paid time off, and regular at-home time between jobs. Get the rest and respect you deserve. Check out our trucking jobs available in Springfield, Ohio and other major US cities.