Shift Work Survival Strategies

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Hello and welcome to another episode of A Healthy Shift , the podcast , which is dedicated to helping shift workers thrive and not just survive . I am your host , roger Sutherland , and I'm a veteran shift worker , evidence-based nutritionist and your one-to-one coach in navigating the complexities of our 24-7 shift working lives . Today , I'm going to go to the very basics . Let's simplify it and look into just some simple yet really , really effective strategies that will make your shift working life easier to manage and maintain . So let's get into it . 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 to today's episode of the show Now .

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Shift Work presents unique challenges , which includes our disrupted sleep patterns , irregular mealtimes and the ever-present struggle to balance work with our personal life . And as if I needed to tell you any of that . But don't worry , with the right strategies , you can actually manage these challenges and maintain a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle , I can assure you , and today I'm going to share some practical tips that you can start implementing right away . So listen up . A lot of it you're going to have heard over and over and over again from me , because I'm just going to keep drumming it , but one day you'll pick something up , and if you repeat that behavior for 100 days in a row , it'll become a habit and it'll just become your absolute life . Now you know where I'm starting . You know I'm going to start with prioritizing sleep , and here it is right between the eyes . First and foremost , let's talk about the sleep , because quality sleep is absolutely the foundation of good health and for shift workers , it is the very , very first thing that suffers for all of us . So here are some tips to improve your sleep , as if you haven't heard these before , but anyway .

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Number one I want you to stand at your door of your bedroom and I want you to look into your bedroom and I want you to tell me if that looks to you like a sleep sanctuary . Is it cluttered , is it a mess ? Is it dirty ? When was the last time you changed the linen , the sheets , the bed . When was the last time you bought a new pillow ? Have a look at the curtains . Are the curtains block out blinds ? Have you got a roller blind ? Now ? These are all really , really important things because , as a shift worker , you need to be prioritizing your sleep and making your bedroom the absolute haven for rest and if it's not your bedroom , a room in your house and I understand what that's like that you might need another room to sleep in . So make that your night shift sleep haven and a place for rest . Spend the money and invest in blackout curtains . They are life-changing right . Keep the room dark . Now you can use earpl .

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I'm I've started using a white noise machine and I'm finding it absolutely fantastic now when I say white noise machine not forest noises or rain noises , or river or creek or anything like that . White noise is a specified tone and what it does is it actually plays on . The brain focuses on it , and it's proven that while your brain's focusing on that , you just don't hear all of those other noises around . Why this is really important is because while we are sleeping , we hear the ducted heating cutting in and out , we hear the fridge cutting in and out . Our house creaks and groans , there's noises from different things that are recurring around , but we tend to find that we don't hear those sudden noises if there's white noise going , because our brain is focusing on that and it's a constant noise . So when we get a sudden noise , it doesn't impact on us like it would normally if it's dead quiet , so keep that in mind . It's also super important for us to keep our temperature of the bedroom cool and really , really comfortable for us . You cannot spend enough money on aids to assist you to sleep , and on my website I actually have a product website which has all the products that I highly recommend and these products I've got a bit of a write-up about them , explaining what they are and what they do , and you'll find them enormously beneficial . So that's the first thing Create the sleep sanctuary .

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The next thing , and don't at me , stick to a routine . A lot of people that I coach are finding that , oh , they can't do this and they can't do that and they sleep in or they stay up late to prepare for the shift , and this is what causes massive problems . I can't emphasize to you enough One of the biggest problems that we have with shift workers today is lack of routine . Now I know you're going to say but I'm on all different shifts , I know . But then you get a day off and what do you do ? You'll want to sleep in .

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This is the biggest problem that people have . You can't catch up on sleep and by staying up late the night before going into a night shift , all you're doing is adding another night of blue light exposure and another night of circadian disruption into your life that you just didn't need and was unnecessary . So have a look at your future roster and actually plan . I can get to bed and I can get up at this time pretty much every day and I can still get my seven or eight hours sleep if I am able to . I can still get my seven or eight hours sleep if I am able to . You will sleep longer if you stick to a routine . This is one of the things that I want people to really understand . One of the main reasons why you don't sleep well is because you're not in a routine . You don't get that early light exposure , you're not getting any early movement , and then you get to the stage where , oh , I can't sleep , but what are you doing to actually help yourself around that . So stick to that routine , because even on your days off , you can really really help , and consistency helps to regulate your body's internal clock , and the more regulated your body's internal clock is , the better you'll sleep and the better restorative sleep you'll sleep and the better restorative sleep you'll get .

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The next one that we have to do is we have to limit the stimulants . Right , we need to avoid caffeine Now . I've spoken about caffeine numerous times and I've got a number of podcasts on it , but caffeine needs to be cut you ready nine hours before sleep , all right . Research shows that nine hours up to nine hours caffeine will impact on your subsequent sleep . Now don't at me with that . The less caffeine that you actually have , the less you need it , and the reason being is because when you don't have it , you sleep better . Who would have thought that that would have been something that would have happened ? All right . So instead of relying on it to limit your appetite or to keep you awake , try not having it and seeing how much better you sleep , which will improve your appetite , and it will also massively improve your sleep . So keep that and really be very careful around having caffeine All right On night shift up to midnight , nothing beyond midnight , just water . Water will keep you going . Trust me , it works , and it works really well , because when you do get home and you do sleep , you will sleep with that deep , restorative sleep that we actually need .

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The other thing that we have to be careful of is putting heavy meals or highly calorically dense carbohydrates and fats into our system just before bed's on . If you're hungry , just a light snack , just go with a light snack , something that's high protein , that will keep you satiated , instead of something which is going to give you a sugar high and then a crash . And remember , we can't process those carbohydrates and fats as well once the melatonin is elevated and we don't store and metabolize those nutrients efficiently anyway . And we don't store and metabolise those nutrients efficiently anyway . Now what we must do also is we must limit our blue light exposure prior to sleep . Two hours before bedtime , it is time to turn off those electronic devices . Yes , that also means the TV . The TV is emitting blue light at you as well .

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Now I have discovered in our place at night , we've changed our lights to circadian lighting in our lounge room and we have found the difference enormous . Now , yes , we are watching TV , but the TV's got a natural blue light filter on it . Now I'm not giving that credibility , I'm just saying it limits the blue light exposure . But just having those orange and red lights on instead in the evening makes a massive difference , because you start to feel really tired and I find that on days off or in the evenings that I'm off , I feel really quite tired by about 9 pm at night , and that is natural because that's when the melatonin is actually becoming more elevated .

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The more we watch TV , the worse it gets . We have our clock set nine o'clock that's the end of the TV into bed and there's no blue light in the bedroom either . All right , and there's no red light too , by the way . But what we do have is we have zero blue light in the bedroom and we can read by the red light . Oops , I said it , there's a red light . Okay , anyway , sorry mistake , we can read via red light . Or I put on the blue light blocking glasses as well . If I'm going to look at my phone , as the last minute before I go to sleep I put the blue light blocking . I can tell you the difference has been absolutely enormous by limiting that blue light exposure , and ever since I've read the book the Light Doctor . The difference that it's made to me by limiting that blue light has been absolutely enormous . I'm sleeping better , I'm getting much deeper and more restorative sleep and I'm sleeping for longer . We don't realize the impact that that last glance or that hour scroll before we go to sleep to relax . The impact that that is having on us is enormous . All right , so there you go .

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Now let's get into the nutrition and hydration side . So we've covered the sleep , all right . So the sleep is create that sleep sanctuary , stick to that routine , limit your stimulants like caffeine and your heavy meals , and we've got to limit that blue light exposure as well . So now let's get into the nutrition and hydration . And I'm not going to stand on a pedestal here and talk about nutrition , let's just address

Shift Worker Nutrition and Wellness Strategies

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it .

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So fueling your body with the right nutrients is crucial for maintaining those energy levels and overall health . Going with those highly palatable carbohydrates and fats , those quick and easy snacks out of the vending machine , are not serving you any good at all . They actually give you a sugar high and then a crash . So what do you do ? You repeat it again , over and over and over again . If you were to go for more protein , higher protein and carbohydrate mixed together , you will find that it will stay more satiated and you won't get those highs and that lows as well . So just make sure .

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So plan your meals out . Meal prepping can be an absolute game changer for you . Prepare your balanced meals with a mix of protein , healthy fats and complex carbs , because what happens is this makes sure that you are just getting those nutrients in that you actually need to be getting in , that the body is looking for . Make sure that you have nutritious options available . Don't get caught out . Make sure that you've got those snacks in your work bag or in your locker at work . No matter how hectic your night gets , you will still always have something that you can fall back on .

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Now , one of the best tips that I learned in relation to planning meals was the three times six plus six , and I've spoken about this and done a podcast on this as well . That is in your phone , in the notes in your phone . Write down six breakfasts that you really enjoy , that you can make easily and put together and have available to you easily , and do the same six lunches and six dinners , and then write down six snacks , because when you're fatigued and you can't think . That's the time that you pull that note out on your phone and you have a look and you go , oh , I haven't had mango chicken for a while , I'll get mango chicken and you already know the things that you need and you make it and you do it . The good thing about it being in the notes in your phone is you can just keep chopping and changing it . When you get sick of one thing , add something else in . Or if Jenny tells you a recipe that's really good because you've been swapping with other shift workers , you can actually whack that in there as well and you can hyperlink it so that it links to the recipe . Keep that in mind . It really is one of those really good ones that you can do those notes in your phone . So the three times six plus six , I've done a post on it . It's on my Instagram wall .

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The other thing is the no prep meal prep Now it's so easy these days in supermarkets . Don't be afraid of the internal oils of a supermarket . There are pre-cooked rices , pre-cooked pastas . You can pick up a pre-made salad , a cooked chook . Put them together and you've got yourself a meal , a really highly nutritious and satiating meal that will keep you full with a protein and fibers . There's no excuse for you to go home , be lazy and order an Uber because it's just laziness , all right . What we need to do is just grab the things that we know or employ someone to help you to do that . Hello , here I am all right . I can help you around all those things .

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The other thing that we do , too , is the three-day meal prep . Don't overwhelm yourself on your last or one and only day off by having to . What am I going to get ? What do I pick ? And starting to look for it , then thinking about it , then going out and shopping for it , then coming home and having to prep for it . By then your whole day off's gone . No one wants to do that . I get it . So what we do is , three days out , we actually pick what we want to do . It takes 15 minutes . The next day after that , we go and shop for it and then we put it away . There's another half an hour done , and on the day off that we've got first thing in the morning , we get up , we go for our walk , we come back and then we do the meal prep . An hour and a half hour done , put it away . How easy . So that rest day by morning tea , by morning , snack time , 10 o'clock , you're all done right , nice and easy , and this makes it really really simple to do . So that's the three-day meal prep . Again , I've done a post on that as well .

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The other thing is to make sure you stay hydrated , because dehydration really will lead to fatigue and it decreases our alertness as well . We become really really lethargic . So keep your water bottle with you and sip it throughout your shift and off shift as well . I know , ladies , it's hard when you've got equipment on or you've got PPE on or wherever you are . It's not as easy for you , but we have to do something . We have to make sure that we are hydrating ourselves outside of our shift , because the water is what is going to actually help us and help us really , really well to be much more alert , and also our body just functions so much better , especially you , ladies . It helps to keep that compromised digestive tract running really , really efficiently for you , and that's something that we want to make sure that we have running really well , which reduces that gas , that bloating and all of those other problems that you may have . So what's the measurement of being properly hydrated . It's quite simple really Clear urine . Clear or straw-coloured urine is the best way to tell , and that is actually the scientific measurement for it . Right , the next one number three healthy snacks . Just keep healthy snacks on hand Nuts and fruit and yogurt , things like that . So easy . They provide quick , nutritious and energy-boosting foods for during your shift . So simple to have around . Make sure you've got it measured into a small amount and you'll find that you will really function well on it .

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Now the physical activity , physical activity , is essential for both physical and also for your mental well-being . Now it can be really challenging for us as shift workers to find time to exercise , but what you don't understand , or you won't realise , is it's absolutely worth the effort . The more you move , the more energy you have , and I know that sounds like an oxymoron , but I can tell you that when you actually get the exercise in , you get more energised . The less exercise you do , the less energised you actually get the exercise in . You get more energized . The less exercise you do , the less energized you actually are . So how can we go about doing this ? Number one short workouts . If you are someone who is really pressed for time , why not try just short , high-intensity workouts . Even 10 to 15 minutes of exercise , can really severely boost your energy levels , which will , in turn , increase all of those hormonal levels in your body and improve your mood . It will , and you'll feel quite satisfied that you've actually done something for 10 to 15 minutes instead of nothing While you're at work .

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Move during your breaks , get up and go for a walk . Use your breaks to get moving . A short walk or even just some stretching can make a huge difference to how you feel during a really long shift . For those of you that do 12 hours and 12 hours overnight , go and have a break and take yourself for a walk . Get up , move . That's what's going to help you so much better . Don't just get up from one chair , move to another chair and flop down and look at your phone . It's not going to help you . And incorporate some form of exercise into your daily routine .

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Find activities that you enjoy . Don't make it something that you don't enjoy , because you just won't do it , and that's a fact . Find something that you enjoy doing . It could be yoga , it might be Pilates , it doesn't have to be high intensity , just something All right , and make it part of your daily routine . It could be dancing , it might be swimming . Put some music on at home and dance around for 10 to 15 minutes with the vacuum cleaner . Do whatever right , this is fantastic . Just get something done and it will make such a big difference to you . It really will .

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Now let's talk about mental health and stress management , because this is one of the things that sucks the life out of us , and it's something that we really really do need to work on . Mental health is just as important as your physical health In fact , I would put it really highly and one and the other really do play off against each other . If your mental health is poor , you've got no go to exercise . If you're not exercising , your mental health starts to suffer . So shift work is really stressful no doubt there's no argument and especially these days for our emergency services and our frontline health super stressful , understaffed , filling the holes . They've got their fingers in the dike everywhere and it's still leaking . This is a problem . So it's crucial for us to have strategies to manage stress and maintain a really , really positive

Shift Work Lifestyle Strategies

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mindset .

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So how do we go about it ? Number one mindfulness and meditation . Just take a few minutes each day to practice mindfulness and meditation . You can use an app like Headspace or Calm , or my personal favorite is Insight Timer . These can guide you through simple five-minute exercises to reduce stress and improve your focus . Now people do not tell me you don't have five minutes . You scroll for five minutes , you scroll for 10 minutes , 15 minutes . You can do a five minute breathwork meditation on Insight Timer . That's going to benefit you far more than looking at skinny bitches or muscle band men on Instagram , because that's only going to be detrimental , whereas doing a bit of breathwork is going to be enormously beneficial for you . It'll make such a big difference . Enormously beneficial for you . All right , it'll make such a big difference . It will help to improve focus .

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Meditation literally changed my life . It made such a difference to me . It changes the distance in the time between the stimuli and your response , and it happens over time and you just don't realize how much it does happen . But it is a great change which makes a huge difference . All right , the other thing that we need to do is we need to have clear boundaries . Now . It's not selfish , it's a necessity .

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All right , when you leave work , leave work , leave it behind . You've got to put this boundary in place . Do you get changed and drive home in uniform , drive home in plain clothes . Do you leave your uniform on ? Are you driving backwards and forwards ? Have you got a locker available ? Leave your uniform at work and come home in some casual clothes that you feel like you are no longer at work . Done , you're out . It's easy . Do that . It makes such a big difference to you . It makes a big difference to your mindset and it's a boundary between work and home Very important .

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The other thing is make sure that you are actually self-caring for yourself so that you're disconnecting from these WhatsApp chat groups or the chats . Don't talk to Jenny on the way home and then when you get home and have a great big whinge and bitch about work , work , because it's not serving you anything . You're not changing it , it's not making any difference , it's not making you feel better . Question it , it makes you feel worse , it winds you up and it keeps you in that stressful work state , causes big problems . All right .

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The next one is to connect with loved ones . Now make time for your family and friends . It's really , really important . You can't just go home and flop on the couch and stay there . Social connections are vital for our emotional wellbeing , even if it's just a quick phone call or a text just to shoot out to let someone know that you're still there . Make the time , because the more withdrawn you become , the more withdrawn you become . It's that simple . All right , you need to make sure that you are connecting with your loved ones around you Because , trust me , they notice they really really do notice when you're withdrawn , and just that connection keeps you in touch with what's going on and if you really are struggling .

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Number four is to seek professional help . If you really are feeling overwhelmed , don't hesitate to seek professional help , because talking to a therapist or a counsellor can seriously provide value , support and coping strategies . I've done shift work for 40 years and I've done it in law enforcement , and I know how it can become so totally overwhelming and you can't find a way out , especially if your home life is not good either . And I can help people . I'm not a psychologist , I'm certainly not a psychiatrist , but I've been in and out of both many , many times to understand simple strategies that I can help people with . And I also can help people with all of those things that I've mentioned above , because that's what I do . I coach shift workers and I find ways individually with people in their life , their shift working life , home life and their social life to help them to thrive and not just survive .

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Now let's go down the line of time management , which is the last bit that I want to cover . Effective time management can actually help you to balance your work life , personal life and your self-care as well . Scheduling is the key to surviving shift work . I'm going to repeat that Scheduling is the key to surviving in shift work because without a plan , you are literally rudderless and you have no idea . And you can't do it when you don't have a plan . And I know that a shift working environment is a dynamic environment . But I can assure you that the more that you schedule , the more easier your life actually is .

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And I know people laugh , but having a whiteboard and writing your shifts on the whiteboard and the activities while you are lucid means that everybody in your household can actually see them . Everybody around you can see and hear . They won't ask you stupid questions that you don't want to have to answer . Little Johnny knows you're taking him to footy on Tuesday and Thursday . He can see that , jessica , she knows . She knows that you're taking him to footy on Tuesday and Thursday . He can see that , jessica , she knows . She knows that you're taking her to calisthenics on Wednesday , because it's actually on the calendar there or someone is . This is the thing that we do . We need to communicate , and we can communicate via a whiteboard on our board so that everybody knows . It means that your husband or your wife is not going to be asking you oh , when are you working , are you available for this ? It's right there , all right , and it does make such a massive difference because we end up with decision fatigue and we forget . But if we can just look at the board and see it on the board , god , it makes our life so much different . Trust me , it makes a big difference .

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All right , so plan your week out . Use a planner or a digital calendar , schedule your shifts , appointments and your personal time , because when you have a clear plan , it reduces stress and it will help you to stay organized . Now set priorities . Focus on what's most important each day . It's okay to say no to extra shifts or extra commitments . If you are feeling overwhelmed , if you have a lot on , why on earth would you put your hand up for another shift or something else ? Say no . I want people to remember , and particularly you , nurses , and the police out there that are listening , and probably the paramedics as well .

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It's okay to say no to overtime or to shifts . It is a them problem , it is not a you problem . I know you feel like you're letting down your colleagues and staff , but no one cares . You will be replaced Once you burn out and fall off the perch . They will literally just put someone else in your chair down the line . That's it . So look after yourself , because then you can turn up and be the best version of yourself when you do actually turn up to work , instead of being this burnt out ember of yourself . All right , really , really important . And this is where I get quite firm with my clients that when they start taking on double shifts and overtime and things like that , when it's unavoidable , fine , but if you're making the decision to do it and the impact that it has on your life , then it's time to really really start to wind it in . And don't forget to take breaks through your shift . All right , short breaks can help you to recharge and maintain your productivities . Okay , that's it , we're there . Conclusion Managing a shift work lifestyle can be really challenging , but with the right strategies you can maintain your health and wellbeing .

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So prioritise your sleep , eat nutritious meals , stay active , manage stress and plan your time effectively . Sounds simple , doesn't it ? Because it is . That's all you've got to do , and just focus on one aspect of that Nail it , repeat it for 100 days , and you'll find that it will just become ingrained in your DNA and then move on to the next . Don't try and do it all at once . Remember small changes will lead to significant improvements in your overall quality of life . So there you go .

Speaker 1 29:32

Thanks for tuning into A Healthy Shift . I do honestly hope that you found these tips helpful and that you can start implementing them in your daily routine . I hope you found at least one that you could think oh , that might work for me . So if you enjoyed this episode , please hit that follow button so that you know and turn on your notifications , and if you do , I'd be ever so grateful if you would leave a review on the podcast , because your feedback helps me reach more shift workers who need support , and the more that we have supported , the better your shift working lifestyle and your office will be .

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So , until next time , take care and stay healthy . I will say , though , I really enjoyed having you here today , and I hope

Building Healthy Shift Work Habits

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we get to do this again on our next rotation , and that's a wrap . Remember , making small , consistent changes can lead to significant improvements in your shift work life . You've got this , and until next time , stay healthy and stay rested . 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 .