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Logistics & Warehouse Health
Health advice for warehouse operatives, HGV drivers, sorters, and distribution staff working shifts.
Logistics keeps the UK running — Royal Mail, Amazon, DHL, supermarket distribution centres, and thousands of smaller operations. The work is physically demanding, the shifts are long, and the patterns often rotate. Whether you're on your feet in a warehouse, driving through the night, or sorting parcels at 4am, your body needs proper fuel and recovery. This page pulls together the advice most relevant to logistics workers.
Common Challenges
- Physically demanding work burns more calories but makes you too tired to cook
- Early starts (4am–5am) mean broken sleep and relying on caffeine
- Warehouse environments can be hot, cold, or noisy — all of which affect recovery
- HGV drivers face long sedentary hours combined with irregular eating
- Limited access to healthy food at distribution centres — often just vending machines
- Rotating patterns between earlies, lates, and nights prevent routine
Quick Tips
If you're on your feet all shift, you need 500–800 extra calories per day compared to a desk job. Don't under-eat
Batch-cook protein-heavy meals on days off — chilli, curry, stew. They reheat well and keep you full
HGV drivers: keep a cool bag in your cab with prepped meals. Motorway services are expensive and unhealthy
Stay hydrated in warehouses — dehydration drops your performance faster than missed sleep
For early starts, lay out everything the night before and set two alarms. Every minute of sleep counts
If you're standing all shift, invest in proper insoles. Your feet and back will thank you
Recommended Reading
Best Sleep Schedule for Night Shifts
The anchor sleep method for rotating patterns
Night Shift Meal Prep Guide
Budget meal prep you can take to any shift
Shift Worker Workout Plan
Quick workouts that fit around any pattern
What to Eat on Night Shifts
Fuelling physical work at unsociable hours