Optimizing the Night Shift

Speaker 1 0:01

The night shift , without any doubt whatsoever , the most difficult shift of all to navigate , and everybody goes about it a different way . But today I'm excited to be starting part one of a three-part espresso podcast series which will help you with night shift today . Today we're all about the best way to go into night shift in part one . 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 well-being so they have more energy to do the things they love . Enjoy today's show and hello shift workers . I'm your host , roger Sutherland , your guide in evidence-based strategies for optimal shift work performance . I'm absolutely thrilled that you'll listen to this episode , so welcome aboard . Today I'm going to address how to optimize navigating the most shift , most difficult shift of all for most people , and that is the night shift . What I've decided to do is to run a three-part night shift series , which we just in the espresso episode . So I'm just going to shoot them out one day after another , and today , in part one of these three-part series , I'm going to address going into the night shift . So let's get on with it . So what is really important to note around night shift is this is what is considered optimal , but what is considered optimal may not be optimal for you . However , just try it and see if it works for you .

Speaker 1 2:07

I get fantastic success with clients when we completely restructure the way they go into through and come out of night shift . It is the most difficult and the most taxing . So if you're really struggling by feeling jet lagged , brain fogged , you've got lethargy and you've got no time to enjoy the things that you love outside of your shift work life . Don't stick with what you're doing now it's not working and complain about how fatigued you are . Alright , because this is one of the biggest problems . So , firstly , we always feel so crap working in night shift . But why do we feel so crap working night shift ? Personally , on a personal level , I absolutely love night shift . I really did . I thrive through it and I am absolutely convinced that it was because of how I approached it , how I actually went through it and how I came out of it . So today I'm actually going to share that with you and you can try it , or you can just stick with what you're doing . This is entirely up to you , but this is optimal and I can categorically say this worked very well for me over four decades .

Speaker 1 3:21

Alright , to understand the importance of why we feel so garbage going through night shift , let's just talk briefly about your circadian rhythm and what a circadian rhythm is . Now , your circadian rhythm has a master clock . Let's look at that as like a conductor of the orchestra , and this is located in the base of the brain Alright , just behind the eyes , and it's called the suprachiasmatic nucleus . Now , this here responds to a number of things , but the main Z-Gieber that your circadian rhythm responds to is light , and the second one it responds to is nutrient timing and the third one is a response to movement . So they're the three main . Obviously , there's a lot of different ones as well . There's heat , there's environmental factors , there's all sorts of things that makes a difference to our circadian rhythm , but those are the three main Z-Giebers that our circadian rhythm responds to , our internal master clock . Now it's important that you understand also that we have a series of biological clocks , and researchers now shown also that every single cell in our body has a biological clock in it and it's really important that they are all in sync .

Night Shift and Circadian Rhythm

Speaker 1 4:40

Now I've likened it before in a podcast when I talk about the circadian rhythm . Being on night shift is literally like having your biological master clock playing , it being the conductor , and then every single cell in your body being Playing its own separate piece of music . Now this is a problem Because we're putting food into our system , so therefore we're forcing our digestive tract to play that music . We are , we are moving , so therefore we're forcing certain things to occur to make us move muscle contraction and Things like that . So we're in a position where we are totally out of sync with the master clock and the master clock becomes Totally confused with what's going on in our environment .

Speaker 1 5:26

Now this is called social jet leg . Now , social jet leg actually occurs when we see one thing and we're seeing that light , but our body is running on a completely different time . And this is the reason why , night shift , we struggle , because we're getting that blue light exposure Over night . And when I say blue light , if you listen to the last podcast , You'd understand more about that spectrum of blue light that we get at night , and I'm not talking about looking at your phones , I'm actually talking about just the lighting from their LED and fluorescent lighting at the moment . It's confusing our body now when it confuses what we're seeing , our bodies on one time zone , what we're seeing is a different . It confuses our master clock . That's why we end up feeling just so rubbish . So the question I get asked a lot is Is it better , if you're a permanent night shifter , to stay in permanent night shift zone ? My answer to that would be it depends , and I know you hate this , but I understand it .

Speaker 1 6:25

The problem that we have is around this is that we need to Literally stay in that same light dark cycle to survive . Now the problem is , as a human , we are a diurnal creature , which means we're awake during the day and we are sleeping during the night . That's natural for us , whereas lab rats or other things they are literally a wake overnight . They're nocturnal , so they're awake overnight and they sleep during the day . So this is why a lot of research that is done on rodents is totally irrelevant To human beings , because once a nocturnal creature and the other one is a diurnal creature and we as humans are diurnal .

Speaker 1 7:06

Now , one of the most important things that you need to do is to get into and out of night shift as quickly as you possibly Can . We need to go via Limited disruption to this circadian rhythm , which is running at the same beat every 24 hours . Whether you're working day shift or afternoon shift , it is , as a general rule , running at the same clock that it would normally run at , because it's only being shifted slightly . One of the biggest problems that we have as a shift worker is that we are actually Confusing our biological clock all the time , and night shift just completely throws it out . Now , this is why I talk about for people to try and go to bed at roughly the same time and try and get up at roughly the Same time , whether you're on a day shift or whether you're on an afternoon shift . Try and stick to within a few hours and you you will feel so much better . Like a few hours in the morning getting up and a few hours at night going to bed . Try and stick with that and you'll be absolutely fine . You will feel better .

Speaker 1 8:11

Now , if there's one thing that we absolutely do not do we do not do Read my lips , do not do is we do not prepare for night shift by staying up late the day before we start night shift and we don't stay up late the night after night shift to come out of it . And why wouldn't we do that ? I'll tell you why the serious biological impact that being desynchronized from our circadian rhythm is not worth the impact that it's going to actually have on Helping us to get into and out of night shift . We have to understand , as shift workers , that being out of sync with our circadian rhythm has a severe , a severe Biological impact on us to the stage where it causes cardiovascular disease , diabetes , severe weight gain . It can cause heart problems , heart diseases , we are insulin resistant , we have all sorts of problems . We gain weight . This is the issue that we have by beings circadian misaligned . So why would you add an extra day to that ? So we do not prepare for night shift by staying up the night before , because what we're doing is we're adding another Problem to that night shift .

Speaker 1 9:32

So Now this , this will obviously no , sorry . So what's the best way for us to navigate it ? So how do we go about navigating our night shift ? And this is my tried and true method that this will obviously depend on what shifts You've worked leading into it and what rhythm you're actually in . So , once again , I hate to say it , but it depends if you've done a run of Afternoon shifts going into your night shift , like your . I don't know how many nights you've done , but if you've done two or three afternoon shifts , the best thing for you to do is to stick with whatever time you're getting up and whatever time you're going to bed , going into that night shift .

Speaker 1 10:08

Don't stay up . Get home from the afternoon shift before your night shift and Stay awake until four or five o'clock in the morning to go to bed to prepare for it . That's suicidal . You're adding more problems to your circadian rhythm . What you want to do is get up at the same time . Now this is my strategy for optimally going into and coming at a going into the night shift get up early .

Speaker 1 10:33

Get up around seven or eight am , get that early light . Remember what I told you before about your circadian rhythm . It resets it . Your body , it insists , it requires , it relies on you literally Getting that daylight to reset your circadian rhythm . It is very , very important to your , your circadian rhythm that you get that early daylight . So get up at around seven or eight am and then get that early daylight now .

Speaker 1 11:04

Eat a breakfast . If that's what you do , why do we eat a breakfast ? Because the second seat gamer is nutrient timing , and that will trigger our circadian rhythm into being on that day . It just our body relies on it . Then what we do is we get some form of movement . Take yourself for a walk this In the daylight . This is an optimal way . Get up , get the light , have breakfast , take yourself for a walk out in the daylight . You will set your body up to be awake early that day . Bear with me until I get to the end before you ask any questions . All right , put your hand down now what ? This day is an optimal day for you to train and train early . If you resistance train or if you do BJJ , or if you are doing Pilates or your yoga or you're doing anything , this is an ideal day for you to actually train . On .

Speaker 1 12:02

This first day , going into night shift in the morning of once again , you feel optimal and this is what you should do exercise . Then what we do is we have lunch at a normal time Around lunchtime , 12 to 1 o'clock . Then we just prepare our snacks for night shift . Now , we're not doing meals overnight , alright , but it can be beneficial for you to prepare prepare your meals for While you're on the night shift not while you're actually at work , but while you're on the night shift to actually help you , so you don't have to think about it as you get more and more Fatigue , you won't have to think about doing those meals .

Speaker 1 12:39

Then , what we do , depending again on the time that you have to go back to work or go to work , you would nap for either up to 30 minutes Just to wash away the sleep pressure , because that 30 minute nap is your superpower . This is what's going to make you feel so much better . Now , bear in mind , you got up early , you've trained , you've walked , you've got the light , you've had breakfast , you've had lunch . You're in a normal rhythm . Get a nap and have that 30 minute nap just to wash away that sleep pressure . Or Sleep for 90 minutes , because we sleep in 90 minute cycles , the first 30 minutes we don't go into that deep wave sleep . So you will wake up at 25 minutes and you will feel so much better . You won't have what's known as that sleep inertia and you will be able to wake up and get going really well , bearing in mind that you're going to work , you could literally have yourself a caffeine power net . This is where you have a couple of good strong shots of coffee and then go and lie down and go to bed . While you sleep , what it does is it actually flushes the adenosine away from your brain , which is the sleep pressure , and then the caffeine gets up into the brain and blocks out a denisone receptor , and then you wake up like an owl white awake , all right , and then you can work through and work through it really well .

Speaker 1 14:02

Now , then , what you would do after you've had that nap is have yourself a solid protein , carb and fat meal . Now , this is subjective . Some people like to have dinner with the family and then go off to work , and Some people like to just have a snack because they've napped or slept , and then they want to get up and just have something Light , like a cheese toasty or something like that , and the meal that you would have had with your family is an ideal meal to have Prior to 9 pm . Now , we do that prior to 9 pm Because we're going to go into an overnight fast , and we will talk more about that in episode 2 tomorrow . Then we go to work and all we do overnight is have the snacks . More on that in Tomorrow's episode . Now that is going into night shift .

Speaker 1 14:52

Now Let me just recap that Get up early , around 7 to 8 . Have breakfast . That triggers Something like , but that triggers your circadian rhythm again into being reset . Get that movement that's the other seat giber that triggers our circadian rhythm into where up and about and we're ready to go . Have your lunch at a normal time , then prep your snacks . Use the afternoon to keep going and prep your snacks . Have a nap for 30 or 90 or a 180 minutes . Always keep in mind that we sleep in 90 minute cycles and so it's optimal for you to wake yourself up at 90 or 180 minutes , have yourself a solid protein , carb or fat meal at a time that suits you , but it must be before 9 pm and then go to work . Now , that is it .

Speaker 1 15:39

Now I want you to stay tuned for tomorrow's episode on going through the night shift when you are between nights , and I will cover all of that now . This is evidence-based . This is what is optimal . I want you to please to remember this . I Get a lot of success with clients by talking them through their unique circumstance . I can talk about what I did for night shift , because I did like 10 pm To 6 am or 11 pm To 7 am and I did a week of night shift , so it was easy for me to just relay this as it is .

Speaker 1 16:14

But let me help you with your unique situation . I coach shift workers one to one and you can use me as your coach to help you , to guide you around your unique rostering and what your unique roster is , and I will work with you to find what actually suits you To navigate , going into and coming at a night shift , because this shift is the shift that has the most impact on you . All right , so you can go to the link in my bio On Instagram or you can literally go into the show notes , and there's a link there to my one-to-one coaching and I will look at everything in your home life , your social life and your work life , and I will help you to thrive and not just survive while you're performing shift work , and I will give you more energy to do the things that you love outside of your shift work . Now , that's a wrap for today's episode and I want you to remember fellow shift workers , your health , and , in particular , your mental health is a non-negotiable . It's the foundation that allows you to excel in your career and enjoy life Outside of your shift working workplace . Remember this is about having more energy to do the things that you love outside of shift work .

Speaker 1 17:29

Work-life balance is incredibly important , particularly in today's day and age . By taking these evidence-based steps , you won't just be surviving , you'll be thriving . Keep pushing forward and remember I'm right here to support you every step of the way . Stay committed to nourishing your body and prioritizing your well-being and , as always , please remember to be patient , kind to yourself as you navigate the challenges of shift work and prioritize your mental health and well-being . 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 a healthy shift comm . I'll catch you on the next one . You .