Debunking Common Sleep Myths

Speaker 1 0:00

And welcome back to another episode of a Healthy Shift podcast . If there's one thing that's absolutely driving us all crazy at the moment and that is some of the rubbish , the absolute garbage which is being put out by fitness influencers on social media with large platforms , which is just not true Today I want to hit one of the most important ones . Today we are going to bask the common sleep myths . 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 . 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 . This is the podcast where we dig deep into the evidence-based strategies that help us shift workers not just survive but thrive in our very , very unique work environments . I'm your host , roger Sutherland , and today I'm going to be looking into a topic that is packed with misconceptions and myths , and that is the topic of sleep . Now , if you follow me , you know that sleep is my number one pillar of health . It's one of the most in fact , it is literally the most important thing that we can do for our body biologically .

Speaker 1 1:47

Now , at the moment , we are really struggling in the social media realm because there are people who seem to have massive platforms that are spewing absolute rubbish and they're complicating things , and it's no wonder that you are just so incredibly confused with what's right , what's wrong . That's perfectly natural , and the reason why it's perfectly natural is because you hear the simple things and you think , oh , that can't be right , it's too easy . And then you hear what these people are doing and it complicates things even further with this . You can't drink this at this time . You can't do that . You've got to wait and have your coffee for 90 minutes because it does this and you've got to do this and you've got to do that .

Speaker 1 2:33

Now , while we're in a unique environment as a shift worker , we are in a position where things are a little bit different for us because , biologically , we are a diurnal creature and we are designed to be awake during the day and asleep at night . So when we just flip meals and we eat at the different times , yes , it does matter . The time that you actually eat and it does . It makes a huge difference and research is fairly evident now , quite strong , that eating your majority of your calories into the first part of the day is the most beneficial thing for you to do biologically . Now , does it make a difference on fat loss ? Probably not , but what it does do is it increases a number of things metabolically for us . We actually are more satiated , which that may actually translate into fat loss , because you're not as hungry later on in the day because you've eaten majority of your calories early . We know that people metabolize and store nutrients earlier in the day far superior , wise , than they do when they do things at night . But what I'm saying is I just want everyone to just keep it really , really simple . If it doesn't sound right or it sounds like someone has discovered some massive new pathway , I'm going to tell you it's absolutely bullshit and it really is , because science around nutrition is very , very simple and we just need to stick with a Mediterranean diet , continue with the Mediterranean diet and just live that kind of lifestyle , and that is the best possible way that you can move forward .

Speaker 1 4:14

But today I want to talk about the sleep , because there's a lot of misconceptions . We all know how critical sleep is , and especially for us shift workers , but there really is just so much misinformation out there that can steer us in the wrong direction or have us believing the wrong things . So today I just wanted to go into and just bust some common sleep myths that might be holding you back from getting the actual sleep that you need . Now let's kick things off with myth number one , and this is one of my key ones for all of our shift workers . Myth number one is you can catch up with sleep on the weekend or on your days off .

Speaker 1 4:54

I know , as a shift worker , it is awfully tempting for us to just climb into bed when we know we've got the next day off and just sleep until we just can't stand being in bed any longer . But this is actually causing us more problems . This is one of the most common beliefs out there that you've had a crazy week of nights and days and afternoons and you may only have managed a few hours here and there , and you tell yourself , oh , it's okay , I'll just catch up with sleep on the weekend or on my days off , and then we'll catch up then . Does that sound familiar ? Well , unfortunately , it just does not work that way . Sleep is not like a bank account where you can just deposit and withdraw as needed .

Speaker 1 5:36

Sure , you might actually feel a lot better after a bit of a sleep in , but what it won't undo is the cognitive impairment , the mood changes or the health risks that are associated with sleep deprivation throughout the week . And instead of relying on catch-up sleep , it's far more effective to establish a consistent sleep routine , and that goes for even on your days off . And the reason for that is because this helps to regulate our circadian rhythm and it ensures that you're not always in a state of sleep debt . The earlier you get up , the earlier you go to bed , but the idea is to be in a regular routine and pattern every single day . That is how you thrive . This is what gets rid of that brain fog . This is what gets rid of that fatigue fog . This is what gets rid of that fatigue , that sleeping that you're having while you think that you're catching up on sleep . I want to make this quite clear you cannot catch up on sleep , all right . Once you've got the sleep debt , that's it . It's there . You can't just make a bigger deposit to catch up on it all . It doesn't work that way , full stop .

Speaker 1 6:42

Moving on to myth number two , and that is that snoring is harmless . Now , this myth is a particularly dangerous myth because , while snoring might seem like a minor inconvenience minor , did someone say minor ? It's a massive inconvenience . But what it can be is it can actually be a sign of a more serious health condition , which is called obstructive sleep apnea or OSA . Now , osa is when your airway becomes partially or completely blocked during sleep , which leading to repeated interruptions in breathing . Now you need to note that this condition can have a serious consequence , which will include an increased risk of heart disease , stroke , or you can even cause a sudden cardiac death . Trust me , snoring is not something that's cool or just annoying . It's actually something that needs to be seen . So if your partner snores loudly and snores regularly , it really is worth getting it checked out by a healthcare professional before or to try and avoid anything catastrophic happening overnight , and , trust me , this is a possibility .

Speaker 1 7:51

Moving on to myth number three , this is a very , very big one , especially for us shift workers , and I need people to be really clear on this point , and that is drinking alcohol helps you to sleep . Now , after a long and stressful shift or a period of high stress , a drink might seem like just a great way to unwind and make it easier for you to fall asleep . Now , while this might be the case , alcohol can indeed make you feel drowsy initially , but it actually disrupts the quality of your sleep . Alcohol affects the sleep cycle , in particular , that REM sleep , which is a really , really important and restorative phase where most of our dreaming occurs . And you might think , what does that matter ? It matters a lot , because this is our brain actually filing everything away , and it's something that's really , really important for us to get . And alcohol and cannabis and things like drugs don't help us to go through that natural REM sleep that we actually need to get the good , restorative sleep Now . This disruption can leave you feeling unrefreshed and groggy the next

Sleep Myths Debunked for Shift Workers

Speaker 1 9:00

day .

Speaker 1 9:00

So , instead of reaching for a drink and masking what the actual problem is , try winding down with a relaxing routine , maybe some light reading , meditation or listen to some calming music . We have to get rid of that blue light , suppressing that melatonin at night as well . Don't lie in bed scrolling on your phone , roll over and expect yourself to go to sleep . Do the best that you possibly can and , to coin Tom Coleman's phrase , if you create the environment , your body will in fact take care of the rest and put you to sleep . That's myth number three .

Speaker 1 9:34

Myth number four you can train yourself to get by on less sleep . This is actually dangerous and it's one of those myths that just won't die . And it's especially tempting for people who lead really busy lives or work irregular hours that some folks believe that with enough practice you can actually condition your body to need less sleep . But the truth is research is very clear on this that most adults need between seven to nine hours of sleep per night to function optimally . Consistently , getting less than this can just actually lead to a whole host of problems , which can include impaired memory and who is down for anything like dementia ? I don't think so . Now . It can reduce our cognitive function and increase the risk of chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease . Rather than try to cheat the system , it's just much better to prioritize your sleep and find ways to optimize your schedule so that you can get the rest you need . More work with less sleep is not a recipe for success . Good , solid sleep and a balance with work is the way to thrive in your life in a very , very big way . Don't watch these fit fluences that are actually going to tell you that you need to go to bed . You can go to bed at 10 o'clock and get up at 3 am , and you can do really well on it . You're actually setting yourself up for big problems when it comes to your biological well-being .

Speaker 1 11:04

Okay , myth number five is waking up in the middle of the night means that you're not sleeping well . Now I want to be clear . It's actually quite normal to wake up briefly during the night . We generally wake up in between each 90-minute sleep cycle . We just don't remember it because we just roll over and we go straight back to sleep . But this is quite common . In fact , most people wake up several times during the night , even though you don't remember it . So what's important is how quickly you're able to fall back to sleep . So a good sleeper will wake , roll over and go straight back to sleep and you won't even remember that . But if you wake up , turn over and then drift right back to sleep , that's perfectly normal and it is not something that you should worry about in any way whatsoever . However , if you are up for long stretches , it could be a sign of insomnia or another sleep disorder , and this is a time where , once again , you go and see a doctor and get a referral to a sleep specialist that can guide you around the best way to optimize this so that you do get back to getting that good sleep .

Speaker 1 12:10

Now let's talk about myth number six , and that is that older adults need less sleep . Now there's a common belief that as we age , we need less sleep . Well , it's true that older adults often experience a complete change in our sleep patterns , where we start to wake up earlier and the need for sleep remains the same . Most older adults still need about seven to eight hours of sleep per night . This is what the research tells us . So what often changes is the quality of the sleep , which can be affected by factors like health conditions . Medications can impact on this and also just the general lifestyle , but it's important as well that older adults prioritise a good sleep hygiene and address any issues that might be affecting their sleep quality as well . This , again , is another conversation to have with your general practitioner .

Speaker 1 13:04

Myth number seven , and the second last , is that sleep aids are harmless . Now many people will literally turn to over-the-counter sleep aids when they're having trouble sleeping and they think that this is a safe solution . There's a lot of people that I know , a lot of clients , that are taking rest of it , or nurses aid or no , not , no does , but other things that they're taking to put them off to sleep or going to see a doctor and a doctor prescribing the medications . These medications can have side effects and could also be very , very habit-forming . What these medications don't address are the underlying issues that are causing sleep problems in the first place . So , instead of relying on sleep aids , isn't it better to focus on improving your sleep hygiene , things like creating a comfortable and restorative sleep environment and sticking to a regular sleep schedule ? And also , don't forget , we need to manage stress effectively and , for God's sake , get rid of the blue light after dark . This is one thing that's causing us a major problem after dark . This is one thing that's causing us a major problem .

Speaker 1 14:07

Finally , we have myth number eight , and that is a good night's sleep means that you won't feel sleepy during the day . Really , even with a full night's sleep , it's normal to feel sleepy at times during the day , especially as a shift worker dealing with the regular hours . Now , the key is to understand your body's natural rhythm and recognize that a dip in energy level is a normal part of your daily cycle , particularly in the early afternoon . Now , we all do suffer from this , and it's not that oh , it's that postprandial response because we've just eaten , so now I feel sleepy . It's just that even if you didn't eat , you would feel sleepy anyway , because your body circadian rhythm literally goes through that slump at that particular point in time .

Speaker 1 14:57

Now , instead of reaching for caffeine or for sugar or some high density energy snack to push through , just consider taking a short nap . Energy snack to push through . Just consider taking a short nap . 20 to 30 minutes is actually going to really help you to just release that sleep pressure . The other thing that you could do is take yourself for a walk out in the daylight , engaging in some light movement and some sort of activity , which will actually help to re-energize you . All right , so there you have it .

Speaker 1 15:25

There's eight common sleep myths that I've actually busted . Now , as shift workers , understanding the truth about sleep is actually crucial to maintaining our health and well-being . So if you've heard of any other sleep myths or you've got any questions about improving your sleep , feel free to reach out , and if you found this episode helpful , please don't forget hit , follow , rate it and share it with your fellow shift workers to help them as well . You probably find that Jenny needs to hear this one . It's a really important one for her while she sits there in the mess room spruiking all about the fact that you don't need the sleep .

Speaker 1 16:01

I do want to say that I really enjoyed having you here today and I hope that we get to do this again on the next rotation . It's fun , and that is a wrap . Now remember , making small and consistent changes can lead to significant improvements in your shift work life . You've got this , so until next time , stay healthy , sleep well , stay rested , and I'll catch you on the next one . Thanks for tuning in to 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 .