Welcome to A Healthy Shift | The Shift Work Podcast, the podcast helping shift workers thrive while changing how organisations think about people working in 24/7 environments.
Hosted by Roger Sutherland, Australia's Night Shift & Sleep Specialist, this is where evidence meets lived experience.
After more than 40 years of working rotating shifts with Victoria Police, followed by years studying nutrition, circadian biology, chrononutrition, sleep, human performance and women's health, Roger is on a mission to challenge the belief that fatigue, poor sleep, burnout and declining health are simply part of working shifts.
Because they don't have to be.
Whether you're a nurse, paramedic, police officer, firefighter, doctor, aged care worker, manufacturing employee, FIFO worker, miner, pilot, flight attendant, truck driver, dispatcher, or anyone working outside the traditional 9-to-5, this podcast will give you practical, evidence-based strategies to help you sleep better, improve your energy, optimise your health and perform at your best.
If you're a leader, manager, People & Culture professional, WHS specialist, or responsible for leading a 24/7 workforce, you'll discover a different way of thinking about shift work—one that focuses on building shift work capability from within through education, leadership and practical systems that create healthier people, stronger teams and higher-performing organisations.
Each episode explores topics including:
• Shift work • Night shift • Sleep after night shift • Circadian rhythm • Fatigue management • Shift worker health • Nutrition for shift workers • Chrononutrition • Recovery and resilience • Women's health and shift work • Leadership in 24/7 organisations • Human performance • Workplace wellbeing • Fatigue risk management • Building healthier, safer and higher-performing workplaces
This isn't another podcast offering generic health tips.
It's a podcast about changing the future of shift work.
Because healthier people create stronger teams.
Stronger teams build better organisations.
And it all starts by understanding how to work with biology, not against it.
What if you could enhance your cognitive function and metabolic health without feeling exhausted? Discover how Low-Intensity Steady-State (LISS) training, or Zone 2 cardio, can transform your life, especially if you are navigating the demanding world of shift work. On this episode of "A Healthy Shift," we unpack the science behind maintaining a heart rate at 65% of your maximum through activities like brisk walking, light jogging, or stationary biking. This moderate, consistent exercise pace not only burns fat as the primary fuel source but also boosts blood flow to the brain, fostering neurogenesis that is essential for cognitive function, memory retention, and protection against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.
We share practical tips to seamlessly integrate LIS training into your daily routine, ensuring it becomes an effortless part of your lifestyle without leading to burnout. Hear inspiring personal anecdotes and client testimonials that underscore the simplicity and effectiveness of this exercise modality. Whether you're on a treadmill, bike, or simply walking, the benefits of LISS training extend beyond physical health, offering enhanced mental sharpness and reduced cognitive fatigue. Make LISS training your game-changer for improved wellbeing and peak performance in your challenging shift work schedule.
Roger Sutherland is Australia's Night Shift & Sleep Specialist and the founder of A Healthy Shift.
After more than 40 years working rotating shifts with Victoria Police, Roger now helps organisations reduce fatigue risk, improve staff wellbeing and build healthier, safer and higher-performing 24/7 workplaces through evidence-based education, circadian biology and the Shift Work Champions™ Framework.
Disclaimer: Roger Sutherland is not a doctor or a medical professional. Always consult a physician before implementing any strategies mentioned in this podcast. Use of this information is strictly at your own risk. Roger Sutherland will not assume any liability for direct or indirect losses or damages that may result from the use of the information contained in this podcast, including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness, or death.
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Benefits of Low-Intensity Steady-State Training
Introduction to Low-Intensity Steady-State Training
Hello and welcome back to another episode of a Healthy Shift Podcast . Now I've spoken about this one before , but I want to talk about it again because we learn more and more about it , and when I bring a podcast to you that is evidence-based , what I want to do is I want to make sure that you , the shift worker , are right up to date with the current evidence . Now , today I'm going to talk more about what we've learned in relation to low-intensity steady-state training or LIS training . Now I talk about this quite often for my shift workers coming out of night shift . Let's dive into it a little bit more with what we have learned going forward .
Speaker 1
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 g'day everybody , and welcome back to A Healthy Shift , where I look into and bring to you evidence-based strategies to help you , the shift worker , to not just survive but absolutely thrive in your demanding lifestyle . I'm your host , roger Sutherland , and today I've got an episode for you that I'm actually really excited about . We're going to talk about something that I believe has been an absolute game changer for your long term health as a shift worker . It will really help with your mental clarity and , of course , your shift work performance . Now , this is a style of exercise that doesn't require you to push yourself to your limits how good is that ? But instead it allows you to work at a lower intensity , which gives you maximum health benefit . Rog , talk to me about this one . This is good . What we're talking about today is list training , and if you follow me for a while , you will know what list training actually is . But I'm going to dive into it and talk more about a lot of the other things around LIS training and how it benefits us more for brain health as well as for Alzheimer's .
Speaker 1
So what exactly is LIS , and why should you really care about it at all ? Let's have a look . What is LIS ? Well , lis L-I-S-S stands for Low Intensity , steady State Cardio . We've heard it before . It's called Zone 2 . Essentially , it's exercising at a consistent and moderate pace where your body uses fat as the primary fuel source . Now you're not sprinting or pushing yourself to the point where you're gasping for air . Instead , you're actually working at a level where you can maintain a conversation without getting too winded . Now , this might involve an activity that you might do like brisk walking or sitting on a stationary bike at this rate , swimming or even light jogging Anything that just keeps your heart rate very steady and sustainable at this 65% of your maximum heart rate over a period of time .
Speaker 1
Now you might be wondering , rog , how on earth does this apply to me as a shift worker , and what's the big deal with this LIS training ? Well , I'll tell you , lis is much more than just a workout for burning calories . It has powerful benefits for both your body and , even more importantly , as we learn , your brain , lis and cognitive function . What is the brain boosting power of low intensity exercise ? Well , when I first started looking into ways to move and to enhance my health through movement as a shift worker , lis training started to really stand out . Now , for someone who's been in the trenches of shift work for four decades , I know firsthand how mentally draining those long hours can be . Cognitive fatigue , brain fog and the lack of focus are issues we all deal with at some point . But this is where LIST becomes a game changer for us .
Speaker 1
So let's break down some key ways that LIST training benefits your brain and body . First of all , it boosts the metabolic flexibility and also brain health . Now , this training significantly improves your metabolic flexibility , and what this means is that your body gets better at switching between different fuel sources , particularly in using fat for energy . Now , this flexibility is incredibly important for your brain because it will really help to maintain your mitochondrial health . Now , mitochondrial , in case you're wondering , are those little powerhouses . Mitochondria , in case you're wondering , are those little powerhouses in your cells that generate energy , and healthy mitochondria are vital for our brain function . Now , as we age , or when we're exposed to the stresses from things like shift work and also circadian misalignment , our mitochondrial function tends to really decline , which will contribute to cognitive aging and a much slower brain function . So , by incorporating LIST training or a LIST session into your routine , you're actively working to keep those mitochondria healthy and your brain sharp . Number two , you get better brain flow to the brain .
Speaker 1
Now , one of the most important benefits of LIS training is how it improves the blood flow to your brain . When you exercise at a steady , moderate pace , your heart pumps more blood , delivering oxygen and essential nutrients to your brain . Now , this increase in cerebral flow stimulates neurogenesis , which is just a fancy word for the creation of when your brain starts to create new cells . Now , this happens primarily in the hippocampus , which is an area of the brain which is responsible for all of your learning and memory . Now , this is where it becomes vital , because we've got to protect this part of our brain , because it's crucial for preventing neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's . Now , neurogenesis also helps to improve memory retention and learning ability , which is something that's important for all of us , especially those juggling the mental demands of shift work .
Speaker 1
Now , it's important that you understand that , simply through circadian misalignment and poor sleep , we are really , really putting a lot of pressure on our brain and it's not going to be functioning properly . So what we need to be doing is doing the best that we possibly can to support it , and LIS training is one of those ways . Now , what LIS training also does is reduces inflammation , which is your brain's internal defense system . Chronic inflammation is a big player in our cognitive decline and it is linked to diseases like Alzheimer's and also other neurodegenerative conditions . So , luckily , what LIST training does is it helps to reduce this inflammation in your brain and body , because when you engage in low-intensity exercise , your muscles will release proteins which are called myokines , which are like your body's own defense system . Now , one of the key myokines released is called irisin , and this has a direct anti-inflammatory effect on the brain . So by doing something as simple as a steady walk or a leisurely bike ride , you're actively protecting your brain from inflammation-driven damage .
Speaker 1
Now , this is huge , especially when you think about the long-term effects of chronic stress , the poor sleep and all of those other challenges that come with shift work , not to mention circadian misalignment . So what we want to do is we want to be enhancing mitochondrial function and fat utilization . Want to do is we want to be enhancing mitochondrial function and fat utilization . And lastly and this is the big one this training boosts your mitochondrial function and helps your body to utilize fat more efficiently as an energy source . Now , this means that you're improving how well your cells , particularly in the brain , generate energy , because better mitochondrial function is directly linked with better cognitive performance and a slower rate of your brain aging . Now , this is a win-win , because you're helping your brain work more efficiently while you're ensuring that your body becomes more adept at burning fat for fuel , something which can be especially helpful for us shift workers managing weight and our energy levels .
Speaker 1
The last one that I want to mention , which is very , very critical to us as a shift worker research shows quite categorically that elevated triglycerides are present in our blood stream for up to 48 hours post finishing night shift . Now these triglycerides are literally fat in our bloodstream Overnight . Our body naturally elevates triglycerides and if we eat on top of that , then we add to that triglyceride content in our bloodstream . By doing LIST training stream , by doing LIST training this is LIST session for 30 to 45 minutes in the two days post night shift , we're in a position where we actually burn those triglycerides only for fuel out of our bloodstream , so therefore it basically cleans up our blood . This is very important for you to understand as a shift worker coming out of night shifts . If you do nights then you should really be doing a list session twice on the two days coming out of your night shift , one on each of those days to be clear , to burn those elevated triglycerides out of your bloodstream to prevent them from becoming a problem in your bloodstream , in causing like higher cholesterol and problems like that .
Speaker 1
Now let me just talk about my own personal experience with LIS and the difference that it actually made to me . It was incorporated to me , or it was included into me as part of an early phase of some of the training that I did as just a way to do a cardio . Now we've got to remember that this is called the fat burning zone , but you are not burning fat . It's important to understand that . You're not burning body fat to do this . You are literally burning the triglycerides or the fat in your bloodstream as fuel . Now if you go any faster and you would think , oh , faster is better , if I can get my heart rate up to 190 or 180 , I'm going to be so much better . Well , that's not right because you're sorry carbohydrate for fuel and that's all you're going to be burning . So we don't want to be doing that . What we want to do is we want to bring it right down before we start burning that glycogen , that carbohydrate in our muscle as fuel . What we want to do is we want to be just burning the fat . The other benefit of this is when you start LIS training at 65% of your heart rate .
I used to do it on a treadmill and walk and I would find that in time I had to raise the elevation of the treadmill and I also had to raise the speed . And this is because you are actually exercising your heart . You're keeping it at that rate for an extended period of time and you're actually exercising your heart to make it stronger . You're exercising the heart muscle . I was doing this twice a week and then what I felt like after night shift a couple of times was I thought , oh , I don't feel like pushing myself with any exercise today . All I really want to do I might just go and jump on the bike and do a few list sessions or do a list session coming out , and I would do that one night and then I would do it the next day and I'd think , geez , I actually feel really , really good doing that . And it's not even hard . Like you hardly raise a sweat . You can hold a conversation on the phone . You can literally watch something on TV on the TV on the treadmill or on your iPad . If you take your iPad with you or something like that , there's so much that you can do .
Speaker 1
It's not a difficult exercise and this is the beauty of it and why it works so well for a shift worker because we're tired , we're fatigued , we don't really want to be doing much , but I can assure you that jumping on the bike or jumping on a treadmill for 30 minutes and pedaling at 65% of your heart rate is going to actually make such a huge difference to you as a shift working individual , and you will find that you will function so much better . And you will find that you will function so much better . So if we incorporate that into the two days coming out of our night shifts , you will find that you will actually feel so much better . And I'll give you another hint about coming out of night shift as well Coming out of night shift in the first two days , coming out of night shift is not the time to go and get a blood test done . I can guarantee to you , on those two nights your doctor will almost have a heart attack looking at the triglyceride levels in your bloodstream . Go and get your blood test . After all your days off , that's the time to get your blood test done . All right , there's a little hint for you .
Speaker 1
So how do we incorporate LIST training into our everyday routine . How do we get started with LIST training and begin reaping these benefits ? And it's actually really , really simple . All we've got to do is find our list range . So we want to aim to keep our heart rate at about 65% , or somewhere between 60% and 70% of your maximum heart rate , and a quick way to estimate this is to subtract your age from 220 . So go 220 minus your age equals and whatever that number is , multiply that by 0.65 , and that will give you your actual 65% of your maximum heart rate , your actual 65% of your maximum heart rate . If you are five beats either side of that , absolutely ideal , and that's where you want to be . So you want to get your treadmill and walk on your treadmill or jump on your bike and pedal your bike until you get your heart rate up to that 65% . Start the clock and maintain that Exercise three to four times a week .
Speaker 1
Doing this , you do not need long sessions . All you need is 30 to 45 minutes of steady state exercise wrist walking , going , swimming , stationary bike or even just light jogging . Make sure that you are tracking your progress . Use a heart rate monitor or a smartwatch to make sure that you're staying in that low intensity zone , and the key here is consistency . You're building long-term benefits here . The other thing that I've also found is if you're at a gym that's got one of those bikes or treadmills that has the hand grips on it that give you your heart rate , they're actually fairly close to your heart rate and good enough for this kind of exercise to use it .
Speaker 1
The next thing you've got to do is you've got to literally schedule it and incorporate it into your routine , make it part of your day . This doesn't have to be in your gym session , but it's the sort of thing that you could literally do for 30 minutes as a warm-up . It's not going to exhaust you . It's not what you'd call a heavy cardio session , so you could actually do it . And remember , we're only burning the fat for fuel . We're not actually burning the glycogen . So therefore it leaves the glycogen for a resistance training session . It's something as simple as a morning walk or cycling to work or whatever .
Speaker 1
The beauty of LIS is that it's low impact and it's just really , really easy to integrate into your daily life , and as a shift worker , we find it so easy on our tired and fatigued and desynchronized bodies . It's such a good exercise for you . I cannot emphasize it enough . So there you go . So my final thoughts on it all is list training is just more important than just a workout . It's powerful . It has a sustainable energy strategy for enhancing your cognitive function , protecting your brain and improving your metabolic health . For me , it's been a real cornerstone of how I take care of my own health and I can't recommend it enough for shift workers who want to thrive and not just survive . So if you're serious about your long-term health and you want to stay sharp mentally , give LIS a go , because I can tell you , your future self will thank you for it . I have advised and told in fact , every single client I've told . But the clients that have actually started incorporating this list training into their every week session two sessions a week have got enormous benefit out of it and they come back to me and they cannot believe how easy it is and the difference that it actually makes for it and I get so many thanks for it . All right , so there you go .
Speaker 1
That's it for today's episode of A Healthy Shift . I really hope that you've enjoyed today's show and don't forget please hit , follow and share with fellow shift workers so that we can get further evidence-based strategies out there and will really help to get shift working environments thriving and not literally crawling and surviving from one shift to the next . I really enjoyed having you along for the ride today . Pardon the pun , thank you . I hope we get to do it again one day , because I really did enjoy it . And until next time , take care of yourself , keep moving at 65% of your heart rate and maximum heart rate and don't forget please , as a shift worker , stay safe and stay healthy . 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 . You
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