Stress and Shift Work

Speaker 1 0:00

Today's episode is an episode that I have wanted to record for quite some time . It's been sitting there on the list and I've just been not been able to get around to doing it . But during the last week , through my social media , I had a request from Nicky , who asked for me to record an episode around stress and shift work , and here it is . In today's episode I am going to discuss everything stress and shift work . Shift work can be brutal , but it doesn't have to be . Welcome to a healthy shift . My name is Roger Sutherland , certified Nutritionist , veteran Law Enforcement Officer and 24-7 shift worker for almost four decades . Through this podcast , I aim to educate shift workers , using evidence-based methods , to not only survive the rigors of shift work but thrive . My goal is to empower shift workers to improve their health and wellbeing so they have more energy to do the things they love . Enjoy today's show . Welcome to a Healthy Shift podcast . I am your host , roger Sutherland , and , as always , I get great pleasure in personally welcoming you to this episode of the show , and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for listening .

Speaker 1 1:24

Today's episode stress and shift work . Now I'm going to be honest with you here today . I've literally wanted to do this episode for a very long time . I'm not close to my heart because I'm someone who has suffered from significant stress due to shift work and I've had to implore a number of strategies to be able to help me in relation to this . So what I've done today , I've literally just turned the microphone on and I'm literally going to just run with it , so bear with me , all right .

Speaker 1 1:52

So now I want to talk about stress . Stress is a natural response to demanding situations in our life , but when it becomes really bad , when it becomes crony , it's very , very detrimental to our overall health . Now , shift work can exacerbate stress levels , literally due to the constant need to adapt to changing schedules , the pressure to perform at odd hours and the isolation from our own family and friends who are normally working just normal , traditional hours . This is really stressful in itself . Everybody's going off to barbecues , or they're off to the football or they're going to sport , but you can't go because you've got to work and I can assure you this takes its toll over time . Now I know , yeah , of course we signed up for this . We absolutely did sign up for it , but the thing is it doesn't make it any easier for us on our own mental health . So we need to work through all of those things . It takes an impact . Now we're in incredibly difficult times at the moment and ever since we've come out of COVID . It's very simple , and I know this through the clients that I coach who are paramedics and frontline health being nurses , doctors , as well as police are all finding it extremely difficult . Since we've come out of COVID , or through the COVID times , they absolutely gave their hearts and souls to the organizations to work through and just keep the engine running , but they have been let down and I'm going to be quite clear that they've been let down by the organizations , who are now chronically short staffed . They've got demanding work schedules and there is additional ridiculous pressure from management in a time that is really , really testing .

Speaker 1 3:46

Now , today I'm going to explore a topic that affects all of us , and that's the stress . We often hear about good stress and bad stress , but what are these terms actually mean to us and how do they impact on our lives ? So I'm going to start at the beginning . So let's talk about what actually is shift work . I know we all think we know what shift work is , but let's take a moment to actually understand what shift work really means . Now , shift work is any kind of work schedule that deviates outside of the traditional nine to five day . Now it all . It often involves like rotating shifts , night shifts , a regular hours we do afternoons , mornings those nurses , you're nodding . What about those short change arounds or short turnarounds , or the swing shift , as you talk , call them . They're all really really difficult . But while shift work is necessary in so many industries today to ensure continuity , it can take a significant toll on both our physical and our mental health .

Speaker 1 4:53

Now , according to recent studies , my figures show that we have somewhere between 18 and 22% of our global workforce are engaged in some form of shift work , and that's really quite incredible when you think of the population of the globe . Now I can talk about areas like even here in Australia 28 million is the population . We have 2 million shift workers . In the US , I think the population is somewhere in the order of 230 million people . 21 to 25% of the US are , in fact , shift workers , and that is incredible when you think of the numbers , because that puts us in the order of what ? 20 to 30 million shift workers . And then we look at Asia Asia's got 1.4 billion shift workers alone , 1.4 billion . Now , I didn't make a mistake , not million billion . We have a lot of shift workers through the globe these days , and whatever this is doing , it's been associated with increased risk of our sleep disorders .

Speaker 1 6:01

We have chronic fatigue , and with all of that and being desynchronised from our circadian rhythm , it actually heightens all of our stress levels as well . Now , additionally , the inconsistency of shift work can disrupt our social life , but also it limits our opportunities for regular physical activity hello , and healthy eating habits . It's difficult , isn't it ? And all of these factors combined can contribute to stress and anxiety . So right now , let's understand what stress is . Is it a friend or is it a foe ? So let's explore both sides of stress , just so that we can understand it better before we can actually address strategies around this .

Speaker 1 6:46

So let's define good stress and bad stress . So good to comprehend stress better , let's start with the actual definitions . So good stress is known , as you , stress . It is the type of stress that comes about when we face challenges or exciting events . It motivates and it energises us , leading to growth and personal development . On the other hand , bad stress , which is commonly known as distress , emerges when we encounter overwhelming negative or prolonged pressures that can be detrimental to our mental and physical health . So let's just summarise that you stress is good stress . Distress is bad stress . So what's the upside of good stress ? Well , good stress can be likened to an adrenaline rush . It occurs in situations like taking on new responsibility , pursuing personal goals or facing challenges head on .

Speaker 1 7:43

This form of stress can improve focus , increase productivity and it could also enhance our performance . And it often pushes us outside of what is our normal comfort zone , which leads us to personal growth and also our own form of resilience . Now , two classic examples of a good stress is resistance , training or exercise . We are pushing ourselves outside , we are pushing our body beyond what it wants to do , and this is for its own growth , it's for its own betterment , it's to improve it , and this is your stress , this is the good stress , and we need this because we need to stress our body so that it actually adapts to what we're asking it to do to run faster , to lift heavier , to swim faster , anything along those lines we are asking it , so we're asking it to perform better , so we are stressing it more . And another example of you stress is getting a promotion in your job or changing jobs . It's a new role , we have new responsibilities , we have new demands , and both of these are leading to personal growth as well . So this is also known as you stress All right .

Speaker 1 8:59

So what's the dark side of bad stress ? Well , while good stress can be beneficial , bad stress can become a formidable foe . Prolonged distress will lead to anxiety , it can lead to depression and not only that , but it leads to a weakened immune system . So you've got to have a look at how often you're getting sick as well , because this could very well be coming from internal stress . Now , this affects our sleeping patterns , it causes irritability and negatively impacts on our overall well-being . So identifying and managing distress is absolutely crucial into maintaining a healthy balance in our life .

Speaker 1 9:40

All right , so how do we find the sweet spot ? We need optimal stress , so striking a balance between good and bad stress is actually essential for a fulfilling life for all of us . We need both . It's important for our growth , but it's also very important for our health that we manage distress . The optimal stress level varies from different person to different person . Every single person is different and is often referred to as optimal arousal . Now , this is the level of stress where we feel challenged and engaged , but we're not feeling overwhelmed . It's different for everyone , and recognizing your own boundary is the absolute key here .

Speaker 1 10:26

Now , what are some of the coping mechanisms for stress ? So you know , to turn stress into a friend rather than a foe . What we do need is we need effective coping mechanisms Now . These can include like I'm just going to broad stroke these because I'm going to go into more detail later but they can include mindful practices , physical activities , something along the lines of yoga . Seeking support from loved ones or professionals is nothing wrong with calling out for help and going and seeing a professional . We get our car serviced every 12 months to keep it running well , but we're too afraid to go and establish a relationship with a health professional , a mental health professional , which is what we should all be doing .

Speaker 1 11:07

I make no secret of the fact that I visit a mental health professional regularly to keep my mental health in check , and it's really , really important . Now we also need to cultivate hobbies or interests that bring us joy outside of our shift working life . We need to make sure that it's something that really draws us in and something that we can focus on , and focus hard on , so that it pushes what's going on at work aside for that period of time . While we're doing it Now , by adopting these techniques , we can literally navigate life challenges more smoothly . And if you have a think about your own life , have a think about those mindful practices , physical activities , and whether you're getting a grease and oil change from a mental health specialist , or have you got a solid hobby or an interest outside of your shift working life , because when those things start missing , you start to find that you get more and more and more challenged with what your job is .

Speaker 1 12:12

So what do I think are the strongest strategies for coping with stress ? So how do we manage stress and shift work ? Well , I'm going to tell you right now . I'm going to step solidly right up on my soapbox here and I'm going to say this it is my absolute , firmest belief , and I will argue it to the end of time , that it is high time now that shift working organisations strip down their shift working environments and they rebuild them with strategies in place for health and wellbeing of their employees . Do I hear a cheer ?

Speaker 1 12:46

I think we're at the stage now that it's just simply not good enough that we go oh , this is the way we've always done it , so this is the way it's got to be done . This is why we have metabolic syndrome . This is why we have high incidence of cardiovascular disease , heart attacks and stroke and type two diabetes in our workplaces . We need to strip these environments down and we need to rebuild them into a 24-7 operation and it's built working for a shift working environment , not just filling the shifts that need filling , and we're actually causing people problems by doing this . Have a think about your own rosters with where you are . All they're doing is jamming you into holes just to fill and satisfy the 24-7 . They're not actually giving any thought to it and this is wrong and it needs to be corrected and it needs to be corrected as a matter of priority . Now , if you've not listened to it , I would highly suggest that you listen to my podcast with Dr Jade Murray , who is a researcher at the Monash University on this exact topic , and it's episode number 73 . I highly recommend that you go and have a listen to it , with the research that's being done in and around shift working environments and what needs to be done , and Dr Jade Murray is very strong on the fact that we are also in a position where we now need to actually strip down shift working environments and rebuild them as a shift working environment , instead of just packing people into the 24-7 roster .

Speaker 1 14:22

Alright , okay , now I'm just going to step down off the soap box for a little , because that doesn't help you at this point in time . So , now that I've said that , and because your managers , they're not going to do this at this point in time until they're actually forced to . So what can we , the shift worker , actually do ? Well , the first one I'm going to run with is number one is managing yourself . No one else cares , so take control of yourself . Don't expect someone's going to come and save you , because I can assure you they are absolutely not going to . So what you need to do is you need to put the oxygen mask on yourself first , so that you can care for others as well . So when you step on a plane , what do they do ? They tell you that you've got to put your own oxygen mask on first . So you must do this .

Speaker 1 15:10

In the current environment , you're not being safe by turning up while you're in a poor mental or physical condition and you cannot possibly perform your best . Rest assured , you're going to make a mistake . And when they say as your defence , you say yeah , but look at the roster . I'm tired , they're not going to care . Mark my words .

Managing Shift Work and Self-Care

Speaker 1 15:31

So what else can we do To manage ourselves ? Well , we need to establish a consistent sleep routine . We need to aim to get regular sleep schedule , even on off days , create a sleep friendly environment and avoid excessive screen time before bed . Now , the screen time is not about the blue light . The screen time is about what you're actually absorbing . It . It's stressing you even more . You're looking at your fits-based bodies , you're looking at who you want to be and you're looking at Jenny , who's travelling overseas while you're lying in bed in between shifts . Have a think about it . It's the content that you're actually absorbing from your phone . Disconnect from it . It's really , really important . Now when I say establish a consistent sleep routine , yeah , yeah , good on your roge . Like what would you know ? Shift work yeah , alright , 39 years , I'll come back at you .

Speaker 1 16:23

The biggest mistake that we make is we self-sabotage the shift workers . We come home from work , we might finish at 10 o'clock or 11 o'clock , but we're still awake at 2am . I'm a shift worker , that's what I do . I'm a shift worker , I'm going to be up until 3am because that's what shift workers do , and I'll sleep in this day and I'll get up early the next day because I've got to go to work and I struggle and can't cope . You are causing your own problems .

Speaker 1 16:47

Get yourself into a regular routine of coming home and go through a sleep hygiene . Get yourself to bed and get yourself up , and you can do that within a few hours of each other before and a few hours afterwards as well , like as in a few hours of time of going to bed , like if your normal bed time is 10 o'clock , you can get yourself to bed somewhere between 8 o'clock or midnight . You're still within that range and when you get up , you can still get up at around that time . If you got overtime , so be it . You're not controlling your controllable there , but what you can control is you're controlling something when you get up , get up earlier that day and then get yourself back into a proper routine . The sleeping does not work .

Speaker 1 17:29

You also need to prioritise self-care . Happy Clapper Yep , it's because it's happy Clapper , because it works . You need to make time for self-care activities . You need to make time for things like meditation , deep breathing exercises . You need to make time for hobbies that you personally enjoy Go and get a petting Go and get a massage Things that you enjoy , taking care for yourself and for you . These practices can actually help to reduce stress and will promote relaxation in you .

Speaker 1 18:56

My third point stay active . Engage in regular physical activity , even if it's just a short walk during your breaks at work or getting out in the sun and getting some air . Exercise and I'm going to change that to movement , because I refer to it as movement can really help to boost your mood and energy levels . I know , since I've gone back to the gym and started a regular gym routine , just how much more my mental health has improved massively , and that's the reason why we do it we go into the gym . So if swimming is your thing , go swimming . If running is your thing , go running . If you can't swim , run or resistance train , take yourself for a walk . Everybody can walk pretty much , and if you're a person who complains about your own body there are people out there that cannot walk you can . So get up , get out , get moving and walk . Get that exercise in , because our body thrives on it , it relies on it . It's very , very important . We are designed to keep moving .

Speaker 1 20:01

Now the next point is connecting with your supportive network . Reach out to your friends , families , colleagues , who understand the challenges of shift work . Sharing experiences and support can ease the stress associated with your work schedule . But I'm going to put a big disclaimer on this and I want you to listen to this really , really carefully . For God's sake , don't get on the phone outside of work hours with work colleagues and whinge and bitch and moan about what's going on at work , because you are adding to your own stress . This is not self soothing and it's not helping you in any way whatsoever .

Speaker 1 20:40

What you need to do is you need to connect with your friends and your family outside of shift work , doing things that you enjoy and refilling your cup . You don't want to be on these WhatsApp groups or chat groups or whatever it is that you've got , whinging and bitching and carrying on about particular people at work or work , because you are actually creating a bigger problem for yourself , and this is big roge . Having a solid chat to you All right . So if you're in these WhatsApp groups and you're whinging about particular people at work , bow out , because it's not actually fulfilling anything in any way whatsoever . It might make you feel better for a few minutes , but you've actually added hours of stress into your life that you really really do need to break away from . So connect with friends and book in times , force yourself to get out , to go out to catch up with friends , to go and do things , to go and do different things . You know I've got my own networks of people that I will catch up with to do the things that I really , really enjoy . And there's boundaries in the conversations around that and we just don't . We just enjoy doing what we're actually doing and that's the best way to go about it and to reduce the stress from work .

Speaker 1 21:59

And you know that my last point here is actually going to be healthy eating habits . Plan and prepare nutritious meals ahead of time . Right , nothing is less stressful than opening the fridge and having a pre-prepared meal . Don't worry about tracking and calories and low fat and low carb and everything else . Just put together highly nutritious meals stews , casseroles , vegetables , put them all in together Proteins Make sure that you've got them . You're better off creating and doing proper meals there than you are actually trying to track and calorie count and doing everything that you want to do because you're trying to lose weight and then you can't cope with it . So you end up buckling and having donuts in the car or on the truck or doing whatever you're doing , it's going to cause you big problems . Just get highly nutritious food and follow the strategy around meal prepping the three day strategy around meal prepping and I've done posts on it , there's a podcast on it as well and make sure that you're doing that , because eating well can positively impact on your energy levels , in your mood . When you're eating a good range of food when I say a good range , a good range of fruits , vegetables , nuts , seeds , legumes and fats and making sure that you're getting quality lean proteins in as well , you are providing all the micronutrients that your body actually needs to function properly , all of those micronutrients that we really need and we do and the fibre to keep our system moving and , of course , we're moving , so we're feeling better .

Speaker 1 23:39

Alright . So there are my main points , and remember this always as well Control the controllables

Managing Stress and Finding Balance

Speaker 1 23:46

. Oh , yeah , rog , but I got overtime last night . Is that a controllable or is it an uncontrollable ? It's an uncontrollable . That was an uncontrollable situation . When I talk about what I'm talking about above , I'm talking about controlling what you can control . I'm not talking about oh , I got overtime , or I got this , or I couldn't do it there .

Speaker 1 24:06

Where we self-sabotage is when we do have the opportunity to get to bed earlier or to do the things that we need to do . We don't . When we could prepare meals , we find ourselves scrolling sitting on the couch . So we need to just stop doing that and making sure that we are actually being productive in the time that we've actually got , which we will then start to thrive outside of that . Now , also another point we need to put a solid boundary between work and home , and we do . We really do . We give them eight hours . They pay us for eight hours . We go and give them eight hours . We do that . You've got no obligation outside of that . You've got 16 hours to yourself . Of that , seven to nine of them should be sleeping .

Speaker 1 24:47

The rest of the time needs to be nurturing your life outside of your shift , working life , and it's very , very important that you do that with your partner , your husband , wife , whatever it is that you've got , with friends . Make sure you're doing that , because a solid work life balance , without any doubt whatsoever , is the key to managing your own stress and feeling so much better . Now , above all , above all of it and I'm going to talk the happy clapper here and rainbows and unicorns , and the reason why it's rainbows and unicorns is because it actually works . You need to have a solid gratitude practice instead of getting bogged down in the negativity and all the garbage that's going on at work . And Karen didn't do this and Jenny didn't do that , and this is what happened , and that's happened . What you need to do is you need to be looking at all the things that you're actually grateful for , because if you are continually looking at all of the negative side , that is all your brain will let you see and it's got to allow the good things and research shows that you will . A gratitude , a solid gratitude practice , is actually fully researched and it's researched as a really strong strategy to help us to cope with stress and also negative emotions . It just makes it simple Jot down three things at the beginning of or at the end of every day that you are grateful for .

Speaker 1 26:13

I slept in a very comfortable bed last night . I didn't have to walk far to go and get water . I was able to pay this bill because I've got a job and I've got money . I'm so grateful of my partner . My children are healthy . You can look for all little things . I opened the pantry . There's food there . Open the fridge . There's a fridge there . I've got a coffee machine and I can make coffee . It doesn't have to be all rainbows and unicorns at the top of it's got to be something massive . That happened to you , because the more you start looking for those little things , the more your brain starts to see all of those little things moving forward and then it starts looking for them and then it starts acknowledging them , and this is a subconscious thing that actually happens and it works . And mark my words , it will work . Don't tell me it's happy clapper . I'm telling you a solid gratitude . Practice is a game changer in life , because you start looking at what's really good instead of getting drowned in what is not going well for you .

Speaker 1 27:16

Journalling is another one Just journalling out your thoughts and feelings , getting them off out of your brain and onto a piece of paper . That's all I'm going to cover on that . There are many , many , many journalling prompts that people can use and can move forward with , so that you can actually then get an idea of what sort of things to actually put on . If you just Google journalling prompts , you'll find that there's many , many out there . And my third one you know it's coming .

Speaker 1 27:43

Meditation and I've done a podcast with my own meditation teacher , dr Hannah Sayle , who I just it was life changing for me . Meditation it's just changed my outlook on so many different things and in fact it is very happy clapper and it really does change your life . All right , and it makes such a difference . I implore you to actually go and learn how to meditate .

Speaker 1 28:12

I spoke to someone today who said to me oh , they can't meditate because they can't quite in their mind to meditate . You are the person that needs to meditate . You need to meditate . You don't have to quite in your mind to meditate . That's the idea of the practice to acknowledge the thought , see the thought and bring it back . And if you go back and listen to the podcast , dr Sayer will actually explain to you how we set it up and what we're looking for and what we're actually doing around a meditation practice . Don't anybody come at me and tell me they can't meditate because they can't quite in their mind , because that's not what meditation is about . Even the strongest meditator in the world will still have those thoughts that keep coming and going , keep coming and going , but they look at them without judgment and they bring themselves back to their , to their breath , work or their focal point , and the practice is actually in the return all the time . Very , very important , all right .

Speaker 1 29:11

So how do we transform our stress into growth ? Now it's crucial to reframe our perspective on stress and , instead of fearing stress , we should actually embrace it as an opportunity for us to grow and for self-discovery . And by viewing the challenges as our stepping stones moving forward , rather than stumbling blocks , we can actually harness the power of stress which will propel us forward . And I talk about this that we're really really really highly stressed and , as I have found ways to manage stress and strategies around that , so I've got stronger and stronger and stronger in relation to it .

Speaker 1 29:47

Now , stress , like many aspects of our life , has got two sides . Good stress can be fuel Are . It can fuel our ambitions and can drive us towards our success , while bad stress can actually lead to burnout and unhappiness . It also impacts severely on our health , as I found myself . I was fit , I was healthy . I didn't realize how stressed internally I was until I suffered from a trans-id ischemic attack as I was walking , which is a minor stroke , which is a stroke that lasts less than 24 hours , and that was I honestly thought I was going to die on the footpath two blocks from home at the time and I was in my best shape . I didn't realize the impact that stress has . And as soon as I spoke to the doctors at the hospital when I arrived there by stroke ambulance I was told that's what stress does .

Speaker 1 30:39

Okay , let's move on from that . Remember it's essential to find the optimal balance and use stress as our catalyst for growth . I'm feeling stressed here . How can I manage it ? What is there that I can do ? That's where we grow from it . Embrace those challenges , learn from those challenges and transform that stress into a force that propels you forward to a more fulfilled life . All right , big episode , isn't it ? I'm sorry it's gone on so long it's I'm at 30 minutes already .

Speaker 1 31:13

But as I conclude this episode , I really want to encourage you all to take some time for self-reflection , understand just how stress manifests in your own life and identified positive strategies to deal with it constructively . And please remember , always be patient and calm to yourself as you navigate the challenges of shift work , and you must prioritize your mental health and wellbeing . And , as always , I want to thank you for tuning into a healthy shift . I hope you found this episode helpful and inspiring for you , and if you did , could you please do me a favor and share it with your friends , your family and your colleagues ? And until next time , I would love you to keep moving and make a healthy shift . Thank you for listening . If you enjoyed this episode , be sure to subscribe so you get notified whenever a new episode is released . It would also be ever so helpful if you could leave a rating and review on the app you're currently listening on . If you want to know more about me or work with me , you can go to ahealthyshiftcom . I'll catch you on the next one .