Are you missing the ‘M’ vitamin? The link between movement and mental health for truck drivers

I often wonder: Do we really have a mental health crisis? Or is it actually a movement crisis that’s creating a ripple effect between our minds, emotions and bodies?

Now, before you scroll away, thinking I’m dismissing the seriousness of mental health — let me be clear: I’m not!

However, after working with thousands of truck drivers, laborers and other hardworking Americans, one thing stands out more than anything else: Most people are lacking vitamin “M.” That’s M for MOVEMENT.

When movement disappears from your life, your mental well-being follows. Your brain chemistry changes. Your nervous system goes on high alert. Anxiety, depression, restlessness, irritability — all these things creep in slowly and then anchor themselves like a boulder on your chest.

Let’s talk about why this happens — and what we can do to fix it.

A nation at a standstill

For the trucking industry, the statistics are grim:

• Drivers spend 10-14 hours a day in sedentary positions.
• Most only log 1,000–2,000 steps a day (when we should aim for at least 7,000).
• 69% of drivers are overweight and 51% report chronic fatigue and depression-like symptoms.

Now add isolation, irregular sleep and poor nutrition to the mix, and we’ve built the perfect storm for a mental health epidemic.

But what if movement could be our first line of defense?

How movement fuels mental health

Movement is more than just exercise or gym time. It’s MEDICINE. And it affects your brain in powerful ways.

Here’s how movement helps mental health:

• Boosts serotonin and dopamine (feel-good chemicals);
• Increases oxygen and blood flow to the brain;
• Improves memory, focus, and emotional regulation;
• Reduces cortisol (stress hormone); and
• Builds resilience to daily stressors.

The best part? You don’t need a 60-minute gym session to get these results. Just five minutes of intentional movement can reset your nervous system.

What kind of movement helps?

First of all, let’s ditch the idea that exercise has to be intense, sweaty, or fancy. When I say “movement,” I’m talking about:

• Gentle stretching;
• Breath-led mobility exercises;
• Walking (even in short spurts);
• Seated yoga (yes, in your cab!); and
• Bodyweight resistance (like wall pushups or squats).

Here are a few driver-tested examples of movement exercise:

Grab bar shoulder opener (see Photo 1 above)

Stand beside your truck. Reach out and up and grasp the grab bar — or any part of the truck that offers a solid base; in this photo, I’m grabbing the side-view mirror bracket — and stretch, breathing deeply as you do. This loosens tension and releases stress with each breath.

Seated knee lifts with breathing (see Photo 2 above)

Sit up straight, with your hands on the steering wheel. Alternate lifting and lowering each knee 1-2 inches off the seat, breathing in as your knee rises and exhaling as your knee lowers. This helps wake up your body’s core and stimulates blood flow without even leaving your seat.

Walking meditation at a rest stop

When you’re out of your truck, take five long, slow steps, breathing in deeply and exhaling with each step. This can calm the entire nervous system.

Keep this in mind: Movement isn’t about perfection; It’s about consistency and connection.

The power of breathwork in mental health

If movement is the “M” vitamin, then breathwork is its essential companion.

Most people don’t realize that we breathe 20,000 times a day. Each breath is an opportunity to shift your emotional and mental state.

When your breath is shallow, rapid, and chest-focused, it tells your brain: “I’m not safe.” But when your breath is deep, slow, and belly-led, it says: “We’re okay.”

This is where breathwork becomes your mental health superpower.

Movement + breath = vagus nerve activation

Here’s where it gets really exciting — and science-backed!

When you pair slow, rhythmic movement with deep breathing, you activate the vagus nerve, a major player in the parasympathetic nervous system (your rest-and-digest state).

Activating the vagus nerve does the following:

• Calms the mind;
• Lowers heart rate and blood pressure;
• Reduces anxiety and depression;
• Improves digestion and sleep; and
• Enhances emotional resilience.

That’s why movement and breathing together are key — not separate.

Try this 5-minute vagus nerve reset routine during your next break:

Seated Cat-Cow Breathing (2 minutes)

1. Sit tall, with your feet flat on the ground.
2. Inhale: Arch your spine, lift your chest and gaze upward (this is the “cat”).
3. Exhale: Round your spine, tuck your chin (“cow”).
4. Match your body movements with your breath. Focus on the inhale (expanding) and exhale (releasing).
5. Do this for 10-15 slow rounds.

Vagus Nerve Humming Breath (2 minutes)

1. Inhale deeply through your nose.
2. Exhale while humming gently like a bee (this creates a low vibration).
3. Repeat 10–15 times.

Gratitude + Shoulder Rolls (1 minute)

As you slowly roll your shoulders backward, silently think of something you’re grateful for with each roll. This combines movement, thought and breathing for a nervous system trifecta. This might sound simple, but it’s potent!

The mental health ‘prescription’ no one talks about

As someone who’s been in the movement and wellness world for more than two decades, I’ve seen the transformative power of breath and motion firsthand.

Mental health support should always include therapy, support systems and community. But movement should be part of that conversation too.

You don’t have to be “fit” to move.

You don’t need special gear.

You don’t need to wait until you’re desperate.

You just need to begin. Right now. Right where you are.

Drivers: This is for you

As truckers, you’re the heartbeat of America’s economy — but that heartbeat needs more than just diesel and drive. It needs restoration, balance and breath.

Don’t let the truck cab be your cage; instead, use it as your wellness chamber.

You’re not lazy. You’re not weak. You’re just missing the M vitamin.

And today, you can start nourishing your mental health with a single breath and a stretch.

Hope Zvara

Hope Zvara is a regular contributor to The Trucker, providing tips for healthy living on the road as well as tips to control stress. She is also the CEO of Mother Trucker Yoga and Road Relief Wellness. She has been featured in Forbes and Yahoo News, and is a regular guest on SiriusXM Radio. Her practical strategies show drivers how they can go from unhealthy and out of options to feeling good again.