Shift Work and Mental Health Impact

Speaker 1 0:01

Welcome back to another episode of A Healthy Shift , the podcast , which is dedicated to helping shift workers not just survive but thrive . I'm your host , roger Sutherland , and today our topic is one that often doesn't get the attention that it truly does deserve . That is , the connection between shift work and our mental health . Now , in today's episode , I'm going to be giving you something to really think about . Is it the exposure that's destroying us , or is it the circadian misalignment that comes with shift work that really impacts ? 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 well-being so they have more energy to do the things they love . Enjoy today's show and welcome back to the show Now .

Speaker 1 1:23

We all know that working outside that traditional nine to five schedule comes with a very , very unique and a set of its own challenges . But how deeply do these challenges impact on our mental well-being ? Hello , shift workers , we are presently completely burnt out and suffering from severe mental health . Now , today , what I really want to do is I want to unpack the role of circadian misalignment the debate between whether it's the exposure or the misalignment itself that is actually affecting us and touch on a topic that is particularly relevant for our frontline heroes , and that is compassion fatigue . And , of course , I'll be sharing some evidence-based strategies to help protect your mental health in the face of these challenges . So let's get right into it .

Speaker 1 2:18

So , first of all , I really want to talk about circadian misalignment . What is it ? Our bodies are designed to follow a natural rhythm , a 24-hour cycle , which is known as the circadian rhythm . Now , we are diurnal creatures . We're awake during the day and we are asleep at night . Well , we should be , but this rhythm is dictating everything from when we feel awake and alert to when we're ready to actually hit the hay . But when you are a shift worker , especially those of you working nights and we all know what that feels like your body clock is constantly at odds with our external environment , and this is what's called social jet lag . Now you are trying to sleep when your body thinks it should be awake , and vice versa , and this causes severe conflict internally to that circadian rhythm . Now , this misalignment doesn't just throw off your sleep patterns . Research shows that it can also have quite a profound impact on our mental health . When your circadian rhythm is disrupted , it literally affects the production of hormones like cortisol and melatonin , which are both at opposite ends of the day , and these play crucial roles in regulating our mood and our stress level .

Speaker 1 3:40

Chronic circadian misalignment , which is brought about by shift work , has been linked to an increased risk of depression , anxiety and even more severe mental health disorders . Food for thought , isn't it ? It's something to really think about , but here's where the debate gets interesting . Ask yourself this question Is it the circadian misalignment itself that's driving these mental health issues , or is it the exposure to the stresses that come with shift work ? Let's just break that down a little .

Speaker 1 4:14

Some experts will argue that the mental health challenges that shift work face are more about the types of exposures that we are getting through our irregular workouts Things like social isolation and the stresses of our job rather than the misalignment of the circadian rhythm alone . Essentially , that they will say that it's the lifestyle and environment that come with shift work that are , in fact , the culprits . Have a think about it Stress from our shifts . We're chronically short staffed , we're burning out , we get overtime , we are missing our partners and our families , we are exhausted and we're not getting quality time and we're separated from our friendship groups . It makes it really really hard . We're missing events . These things here all impact severely . Are we giving to our families what we promised to give in the early days ? Only you can answer that . Now , all of these things compound , and they really really do take their toll . On the other hand , other researchers will believe that the circadian misalignment is actually the root cause , and when your body clock is out of sync , it triggers a cascade of biological and psychological changes that make you more vulnerable to mental health issues . And , as always in research , the truth probably lies somewhere halfway , somewhere in between . The misalignment of your circadian rhythm sets the stage , which creates a biological vulnerability , and then the stresses of the job actually amplify this risk , and this is the problem . So , if you think about it , our shift work creates the misalignment that leaves us incredibly vulnerable . So some of the things that we're exposed to are actually causing us more problems .

Speaker 1 6:10

So let's now turn our attention to a topic that I want to talk about in particular that is really close to my own heart and that is compassion fatigue . Now , I only learned about compassion fatigue recently when I interviewed Dr Veronica around compassion fatigue , and I think it's something that I hadn't really learned anything about before , and once I learned about it , it was an absolute light bulb moment for me and in fact , it will to you nurses , paramedics and , in fact , the police as well . In particular , it will to a lot of other communities , but to this understand that this is a real severe contributing factor . This understand that this is a real severe contributing factor . Now , this is something that our first responders and frontline health workers will know all too well , or do they ? Let me just explain when I speak about this , it might just be a light bulb moment for you , especially for you frontline health high doctors , high nurses and also our first responders .

Understanding Compassion Fatigue and Mental Health

Speaker 1 7:18

Compassion fatigue is a form of secondary traumatic stress that comes from caring for others . Now , this may be in distress day in and day out . It's that deep emotional and physical exhaustion that comes from the constant exposure to suffering , coupled with that feeling that you just are never doing enough , and it's more , in fact it's even higher on the scale than burnout . It is literally the gradual erosion of your empathy , your hope and your compassion over time . Now , for shift workers in these high-stress , high-stakes roles , compassion fatigue can be incredibly debilitating . It may actually lead to depression .

Speaker 1 8:05

Now , I don't want you to think of depression as something that well . This is something that I've learned myself recently . I personally suffer from what they call high-functioning depression . I always thought that depression was something where you sit in the bedroom in the dark and you sob into your hands and you can't cope . Depression can come in a number of forms and in fact , I suffer from high-functioning depression , which has been caused by PTSD , and that high-functioning depression means that what you do is you highly function in another area , outside of that , to distract you from the actual trauma that you've been exposed to . This is why people who suffer from depression or say that they are depressed , when you look at them you can say I don't know what's the matter with you , mate . You look all right , you've got the world's best life , everything's going really well . You look up and about you look all right , you've got the world's best life , everything's going really well . You look up and about . You look happy . What are you talking about with depression ? And what this is is this is the wrong opinion of what people see around . Depression , high-functioning depression , is literally masking depression , and it's really , really hard to live with , because you can be up and about and then you can crash and burn in a massive way , and that's something that I suffer from personally and it's something that you , too , may actually be suffering from without realising . So if you feel like this is something that , hang on a second , that makes sense to me , go and seek help in relation to it and just have a conversation with your general practitioner around that or your physician . It can also lead to anxiety and even PTSD , which is where I ended up , and because it's often misunderstood or unrecognized , many workers don't go ahead and get the support they need until it's too late .

Speaker 1 9:50

Compassion fatigue is something and I want you to really think about this , particularly you nurses , paramedics and police . Have a think about it . Where you are in a position where you are constantly caring for other people at the sacrifice of your own health yourself , and where you use the term I am so burnt out , I've got nothing left to give , you might actually have already crossed over the burnout stage and you might be in compassion fatigue . Compassion fatigue needs help and you need to get the help that you can . You won't fight your way out of it yourself . So I want you to have a really good think about whether you are someone that is calling yourself burnt out because you look at the patients and you think I really can't be bothered today , like I just cannot be bothered with you . And if you're having more of those days of I just don't give a rat , you know F than there are not , then this may very well be your warning sign to really start thinking about getting some help and having a conversation with your doctor . Okay , I've talked about that .

Speaker 1 10:57

Compassion fatigue , my episode , the podcast with Dr Veronica , and I will put the episode into the show notes for you to have a listen to . I think it's really really important that people have a listen to and learn and understand about compassion fatigue , because compassion fatigue is beyond burnout . Keep that in mind . It is actually scientifically graded beyond burnout , so that's something that is really important for you to understand . But here's the good news there are strategies that we can use to protect our mental health and mitigate the risks of both circadian misalignment and compassion fatigue or our mental health . So what can we do so . Let's look into some evidence-based strategies that can really help to safeguard your wellbeing , because I personally feel that this is something that we as shift workers particularly first responders and frontline health doctors , et cetera we need to make sure that we are protecting that mental health with a work-life balance , because it will get you , I can promise you , it will sneak up on you and it will bite you when you least expect it , and if you don't look after it and exercise it your mental health , then you will find that you will suffer , and it's an awful long way back , trust me , I know .

Practical Tips for Shift Workers

Speaker 1 12:17

So the first thing that we've got to do and you know what I'm going to say here is prioritise sleep , and that's easier said than done , right , but it is crucial . Create that sleep-friendly environment . You need a sleep sanctuary . It's got to be dark , it's got to be quiet , it's got to be cool . Use blackout curtains , earplugs , white noise machines I've talked about this over and over again and block out all of those disturbances and stick to a sleep schedule as much as you possibly can , even on your days off .

Speaker 1 12:48

The next thing that we need to do and do not underestimate this I've just recently read a book which has given me so much insight into this , and we must look at our light exposure management In our world . Today we are living in what is known as a twilight world , and that is , we don't have sufficient light during the day to reset our circadian rhythm and then we have too much blue light exposure at night which confuses it and this is causing us all sorts of problems with circadian misalignment . So to help to regulate your circadian rhythm , you've got to get as much natural light exposure as you can during your waking hours . This is why I say sky before screen that blue light from your phone . It's not enough blue light to actually reset your circadian rhythm in the morning Bizarre , but it is too much blue light at night . Those lights inside your house do not have sufficient lighting to actually reset your circadian rhythm . The light outside does . Get that coffee and go and sit outside , or go for a wander around your backyard and have a look at your plants , or pat your dog and get that daylight into your eyes early . It's amazing how much better you will actually feel and it will early . It's amazing how much better you will actually feel and it will . So when you're working nights , use bright , blue-driven lights to stay alert during your shift and dim the lights as you wind down to help to signal your body that it is time to sleep . And I will be talking more in the future around circadian lighting in both your workplace and your home , because this is going to be the key to health moving forward .

Speaker 1 14:35

The number three is physical activity . Regular exercise is an incredibly powerful tool for managing stress and improving your mood . If we were to aim for just a simple 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days of the week , it doesn't have to be intense . Even just a brisk walk for 30 minutes can do absolute wonders for your health and well-being . Try it , it makes such a difference as well . And here's that you can couple number two with number three there . Get outside , go for a walk for 30 minutes in the daylight . Look how easy that is . Get outside , go for a walk for 30 minutes in the daylight . Look how easy that is . Now . Number four is the happy clapper side mindfulness and relaxation techniques . I know you're going to say , yeah , I haven't got time for that . Yes , you do , because you're scrolling on your phone for an hour . You've got time to do a 10-minute meditation or mindfulness or some deep breathing exercises , minute meditation or mindfulness or some deep breathing exercises . Practices like mindfulness , meditation or deep breathing exercises can really help you to manage stress and also to prevent that compassion fatigue . It puts a barrier between the stimuli and your response to it . It's quite incredible the difference that learning properly to meditate will actually make to you , and you know what . It only takes five or ten minutes a day to make a massive difference , and everyone and I say everyone has five minutes a day . So there you go .

Speaker 1 16:07

Social support . Don't underestimate the power of just connection . Reach out to your colleagues or your friends or family members who understand the unique challenges of shift work , and sometimes just talking about what you're going through can provide relief . This is important , but it's also important that we put boundaries in place between our work and our home . It doesn't mean that we can't talk about work when we're at home , but what I'm saying is it's really important that there is a boundary between work and home so that we don't end up with the crossover with absolutely no boundaries between each , because once we lose those boundaries , our mental health starts to really suffer because we are always in that sympathetic work mode Bang , bang , bang . We've got to keep going all the time . So that's really , really important . While social support , we are as humans , we need connection and we need to be around people . It's really important , and I don't care what you say . If you say to me , no , I don't like people , I don't want people around me , you're already in a position where you are far gone . You're in a position where you do because humans need that interaction from other people , whether it's the opposite sex , the same sex or whatever it is . We need to be around friends , we need to be around colleagues , we need to be around people and have those social connections , because the more isolated we are from that , the more damaged our mental health becomes .

Speaker 1 17:29

The next thing and the last thing , which is most important and I highly , highly encourage people to do this and that is to seek professional help . If you really are struggling , don't hesitate to seek professional help . I can assure you , and I will be quite clear with you , that over the last three years , I've seen a psychologist every two weeks and I've seen a psychiatrist once a month , and I do it and it helps enormously . I'm not afraid to admit it and I'm not ashamed to admit it either , but that's what I've done and it's got me to where I am today and it really really helps . The more people that stand up and get help , the better everyone will actually be . It's not a sign of weakness , it's actually a sign of strength to go and get that help . Therapists and counsellors who specialise in working with shift workers or with first responders can seriously offer tailored strategies that will help you to cope . I promise you , and if you go and see one and you think , oh no , that didn't really work , it wasn't really any good , you may not have connected with them . Get another one , or just find someone who is actually trauma trained , someone who understands the role that you do and works in that role with people that work in that role that you do , and that will make a big difference . All right , we've gone on long enough with that . Just in conclusion here I want you to remember this , and this is really important Remember that your mental health is just as important as your physical health and by taking these proactive steps to manage the challenges of shift work , you can actually protect your wellbeing and continue to thrive in your role .

Speaker 1 19:07

Thanks for joining me today on Healthy Shift . If you found this episode helpful , please , I beg you , share it to your stories , share it with your colleagues , let everybody know , and your friends and anyone else who might actually benefit from it . And don't forget hit , follow and turn on your notifications so you never miss an episode . And until next time , take care of yourself and each other . You've got this .

Speaker 1 19:33

I will say this too . I really enjoyed having you here today and I hope that we get to do this again on our next rotation . And that's a wrap . Remember , making a small , consistent change can make significant improvements in your shift work life . You've got this Every time . Until next time , stay healthy , stay rested and I'll catch you on the next one . 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 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 .