Caffeine for Shift Worker Productivity

Speaker 1 0:00

Hello and welcome to another episode of A Healthy Shift , the podcast dedicated to helping shift workers thrive and not just survive . I'm your host , roger Sutherland , and today I want to look into a topic that's incredibly relevant for all of us that work around the clock , and that is caffeine and stimulant use . What are the pros and cons ? What are the pros and cons ? 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 rigours 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 and welcome back to another episode of a Healthy Shift podcast , and I'm absolutely delighted . It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to today's show Now . Whether you're pulling a night shift , working early mornings or dealing with those goddamn dreaded rotating shifts , staying alert is absolutely crucial , but how we achieve that alertness can make a massive difference in our overall health and wellbeing , not to mention how it impacts on our sleep . So let's explore the pros and cons of using caffeine and other stimulants and I'll share some healthier alternatives to keep you sharp and energised without that crash .

Speaker 1 1:50

Now I want to put this on the table . To start off with , a lot of people would have looked at this and gone . Here he goes . He's going to negative , nancy . The caffeine , absolutely not . Caffeine is the nectar of the gods and I am personally a caffeine addict . I absolutely love it . So there is no way am I going to turn around and say you can't have caffeine because that would be well suicide for me . As far as I'm concerned , that would be horrendous . So let's not go down that line . I want you to know and I want you to understand that I'm here to keep you thriving on your shift working life . I'm never going to take caffeine off you or we will become enemies . I know that . But we can also work with caffeine and other stimulants as well .

Speaker 1 2:32

So first up , let's talk about what are the most popular stimulants that are out there . Number one , which is caffeine , and that's found in coffee , it's found in tea , it's in energy drinks , it's even in some of those medications , not to mention your pre-workout , which has a massive dose of caffeine , and I'll give you a hint nudge , nudge . Caffeine's the only active ingredient in your pre-workout . What you're paying for is a whole lot of rubbish to support caffeine . Anyway , caffeine is the go-to for many of our shift workers , and it's so easy to see why . It's delicious , it keeps us awake , gives us a jolt why not ?

Speaker 1 3:11

So what are the pros of caffeine ? First of all , increased alertness . Research is quite strong on this that caffeine works by blocking adenosine , a neurotransmitter that actually promotes sleep . Now , this leads to increased alertness and wakefulness , which can also be a lifesaver during those long , late night hours . Now I'm not going to go into the science of how this all works , but the adenosine molecule and the caffeine molecule look the same , and the adenosine attaches to the adenosine receptor in the brain , and the more of those that you've got attached to your brain , the tireder you are . So what happens is , when we drink caffeine , the caffeine molecule attaches itself to the adenosine receptor , blocking the adenosine , which is why we stay awake . It's got nothing to do with giving us a jolt and keeping us really on a high . What it is , it's actually just blocking us from going to sleep . And then what happens is this is why we get this sudden tiredness in the afternoon , because the caffeine falls away from those adenosine receptors and the adenosine that's floating around in our bloodstream all attacks the brain and suddenly we're having micro-naps . That's basically how it works , all right .

Speaker 1 4:27

Number two is improve cognitive function . Now , studies have shown that caffeine can enhance certain cognitive functions , which includes memory , focus and also reaction times . This is why our pre-workout , or our caffeine , is really really good for our sports , our athletes , because it improves the reaction time , focus and also strategizing around games . It helps massively . Now , this can be also particularly beneficial in high-stakes environments like healthcare or in emergency services . We need to be sharp . Make no bones about it . People are testing us . We need to be in a position where we are bright and alert .

Speaker 1 5:07

Enhanced physical performance Caffeine can also boost physical performance by increasing adrenaline levels . This can be helpful if your shift work involves any sort of physical labor or if you need that extra push to stay active . They're the bonuses . This is why we actually need caffeine . Right ? Then we have the cons of caffeine . So what's some of the cons ? Number one is the dependence and the tolerance . Regular use of caffeine can also lead to a dependence and an increased tolerance , meaning that you'll have to have more of it just to get the same effect . Those of you that drink a lot of caffeine will understand that it starts with three cups , four cups , five , and before you realize it , you're having one after the other and you're not sure whether it's because you need it or because you're just getting absolutely no impact from it , and this can really create a vicious cycle of needing more caffeine to stave off that fatigue level . So we've got to be very careful of that .

Speaker 1 6:08

It also causes sleep disruption . Consuming caffeine , especially later in your shift , can and will interfere with your ability to fall asleep . When you get home Now you may be able to fall asleep , but once that sleep pressure , that adenosine , has flushed away from the brain , all that caffeine that's rolling around in your bloodstream is going to attach to those adenosine receptors . If you roll over and wake up , good luck trying to get back to sleep again . There's no sleep pressure at all , right , and this can lead to really poor sleep quality and a disrupted sleep cycle , and this makes it incredibly difficult for us to recover and to stay healthy .

Speaker 1 6:48

All right , number three is the side effects . Now , high doses of caffeine for some people can actually cause jitters . It can cause anxiety , and here's another one for you that a lot of people underestimate Caffeine causes digestive issues , right , and I think the telling tale of that is when you get up in the morning and you do your hydrate before you caffeinate , and then you have your hydration , it's not long before your caffeine . Then it's not long before you've actually got to head off to the bathroom . All right , that tells you something just in itself . It can also cause heart palpitations , and for some people , they won't drink caffeine because these effects can actually outweigh the benefits of it . All right .

Speaker 1 7:33

So now what about other stimulants ? Energy drinks , for instance , often contain not just caffeine but also sugar , taurine , guarana , and they have other substances . While they can provoke a quick energy boost , the risks often outweigh the benefits . I mean , for goodness sake , have a look at the amount of caffeine in some of those drinks and the sugar of those drinks and the sugar the high sugar content , can actually lead to crashes , weight gain and metabolic issues , and the excessive caffeine can actually exacerbate the side effects that we've just talked about . It will actually combat , it causes conflict , all sorts of problems .

Speaker 1 8:15

Now , prescription stimulants like those that are used to treat ADHD are sometimes misused by shift workers looking to stay awake . Now , this is a super dangerous path . These medications can have serious side effects and should only be used under medical supervision . So what I need you to do is I need people to stop taking medications for sleep full stop . It's so important for people to understand that when you take medications for sleep , you're not actually sleeping . Yes , your eyes are closed and you don't remember anything . That's going on because you're unconscious . And that's literally what happens . So that person that comes in on your night shift and says , oh yeah , man , I've got nine hours sleep today , wow , how did you do that ? Oh , took a couple of risks of it , I feel pretty good Slept right through . They haven't been asleep , they've been unconscious . Their body hasn't gone through the natural detoxification and the restorative processes that your body needs to go through to actually recover properly , and that's why they look like zombies and walk around like nightwalkers . All right , that's the difference .

Speaker 1 9:25

So let's look at some healthier alternatives to keep us going . So what are some of the healthier ways to stay alert during our shift ? And here are some of my top recommendations . In itself and number one is the most underestimated Hydration . Dehydration has a symptom of fatigue and it also decreases our alertness . So if you make sure that you're drinking enough water throughout your shift , even adding a slice of lemon or a splash of natural fruit juice can actually make it more tasty . A little bit of diet right cordial like a sugar-free cordial into it , or even just having fizzy water spring water from a soda stream can really make water taste good and you'll drink a lot more of it . There's no downside to having a lot of water in your system . Just the more water you drink , make sure that you're re-adding all of those electrolytes back in as well . A hydrorolite tablet is something that you can put into your water to make sure .

Speaker 1 10:24

Now balanced nutrition . Again , we talk about it . Eating small , balanced meals and snacks can help you to maintain your energy levels . We need to focus on what Whole foods , including lean proteins , complex carbohydrates , healthy fats , fruits , nuts , vegetables . We need to avoid heavy and greasy meals , hello , and these will make you feel more sluggish . High carbohydrate , high fat meals on night shift are an absolute no-no . Whizzing by those fast food outlets and just grabbing something to snack on on the go is literally causing you enormous amounts of trouble and you will just feel absolute rubbish .

Enhancing Energy Levels for Shift Workers

Speaker 1 11:10

We need to get movement in . Regular physical activity can help to keep your energy levels up . I know that sounds counterproductive . If we exercise , we can actually feel more energized . It sort of sounds like an oxymoron , doesn't it ? But that's the situation . The more movement , if you get regular physical activity , it will help you to keep your energy levels up . So take short breaks to stretch , walk around or just do a few simple exercises . This can improve your circulation and keep you feeling a lot more alert , not to mention how much more benefit there is to burning the energy out of your bloodstream as well .

Speaker 1 11:50

Naps Spoke about naps before . If your schedule allows , a short nap of 20 to 30 minutes can do wonders for your alertness and performance . Just be mindful don't nap too long no longer than 30 minutes and don't nap within about three to four hours of your main sleep period . That will start to impact on your sleep pressure . To help you to go to sleep at a normal time at night , on your sleep pressure , to help you to go to sleep at a normal time at night , we need natural light exposure . Natural light is not the lights that are on inside your house . Natural light is outside light . Even on a rainy and overcast day , the light outside is still brighter than the light inside your house . Our eyes are designed to see daylight every day . Our circadian rhythm , our internal biological clock , is counting on it . So make sure that you get early daylight exposure and that will trigger your circadian rhythm into daytime mode and will suppress that sleepy cycle and actually prevent the need to have caffeine . Really important , because natural light helps to regulate our circadian rhythm and will also help to improve our mood as well as our alertness .

Speaker 1 13:04

And we need mindful and breathing exercises as well . Take a few moments to just practice deep breathing or mindfulness , which can reduce stress and improve our focus . And these techniques can be especially helpful during those low energy points of your shift , if you're feeling totally overwhelmed and you feel really tired . Take some deep breathing . Take some time , a few moments , and just do some deep breathing exercises . Really really important . All right , there you go . So there you have it the pros and cons of caffeine and other stimulants , along with healthier alternatives to keep you alert and energized during your shift .

Speaker 1 13:41

Remember , the key to thriving as a shift worker is finding a balance that works for you and supports your overall health and wellbeing , and I've got two other points that I just want to make . Number one is this one here the less caffeine that you have in your diet , the less you actually depend on it . The more you cut it out , the less you actually need it , and the reason for this is because you get better sleep when you go to bed and you feel a lot better . I've had two clients recently that have cut out caffeine while they've been coached by me , and they cannot believe the difference that it's actually made to their lives by cutting the caffeine out and how much better they sleep and how much better they're actually feeling . That's the first one . All right , really , really important that you make sure that you cut out that caffeine if you possibly can , all right .

Speaker 1 14:33

The other point that I wanted to make as well is there is research emerging around caffeine as well that you could possibly consume about 50 milligrams of caffeine every two hours on night shift . Now , 50 milligrams of caffeine is about half of a medium skinny latte or a latte or a long black . It's about half of one of those , half of one of those over two hours . Now , what they're saying now is that this might be just enough to keep you awake , but not too much to actually impact on your sleep . So this is something that you could do , but you wouldn't want to be having your full long black every two hours , because that's not going to help you at all . But 50 milligrams of caffeine over two hours is half of that long black sipped over two hours . That caffeine may just be enough to keep you going , and that's sort of research that we're sort of starting to understand a little bit more about . That may very well be excellent for you as the shift worker if you just really are struggling .

Speaker 1 15:36

So thank you for joining me on this episode of A Healthy Shift . If you found this episode helpful , please , please , share it with your fellow shift workers and leave a rating and or review on the podcast . It helps the show enormously . As always , stay safe , stay healthy and keep thriving . And until next time . This is Roger Sutherland signing off . I'll catch you on the next rotation . 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 .