Circadian Rhythm Support for Shift Work

Speaker 1 0:00

Without any doubt whatsoever , the number one reason why we really struggle as shift workers is because we are not in line with our circadian rhythm , which is our internal biological clock . If we could actually line up with it , we wouldn't have half the problems that we do . But by the very nature of shift work , it makes it incredibly difficult to line up with our circadian rhythm , our internal biological clock . But we as shift workers are the ultimate self-sabotages because we just feel so rubbish that we just write it off to shift work . Rubbish that we just write it off to shift work . What you're actually writing it off to is a really poorly aligned circadian rhythm and that is why you feel so garbage . Today's episode I'm going to talk about how you can support your circadian rhythm to literally dominate shift work . Shift work can be brutal , but it doesn't have to be welcome to a healthy shift .

Speaker 1 1:14

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 a Healthy Shift podcast . I'm Roger Sutherland , your host . I'm a veteran shift worker of four decades and a certified nutritionist who is absolutely passionate and dedicated to helping shift workers not only survive but thrive in the demanding 24-7 work environment . I honestly believe that we can , and today or this week , in my social media world , I'm going to be addressing the circadian rhythm because I honestly feel , the more you understand the reason why you feel so rubbish is because you're not aligned to your circadian rhythm . If we could align to it as much as we possibly could , we can literally start to dominate our shift working life . So today I'm looking into something that is incredibly powerful for our health and energy as a shift worker , and that is our circadian rhythm .

Speaker 1 2:39

Whether you're on night shifts , whether you're on early mornings or rotating schedules shifts , whether you're on early mornings or rotating schedules , I am here to help you to better understand that working with your body's natural clock can make a massive world of difference . So let's get right into it . I think the best place for us to start today is to understand what the circadian rhythm actually is . So let's break it right down . Let's picture it like an internal clock that manages your body's essential processes . Everything in your body responds to this internal clock Everything from sleep cycles to energy peaks , our digestion , even your mood and , most importantly , your mental health .

Speaker 1 3:27

Now your circadian rhythm operates on a 24-hour cycle . Circadian circa dn is Latin for about a day , and that's literally how long your circadian rhythm runs about a day . Literally just over 24 hours it runs , and ideally we align it with natural daylight . So when it's bright outside , your body gets the cue to be alert and active , and when it's dark , it knows it's time to start winding down and prepare for rest . But here's the catch Our body is not designed for shift work . Working odd hours throws this natural cycle completely off , and what this does is it leads to fatigue , it leads to brain fog , difficulty sleeping and it even impacts on our mood , mental health , digestion , cardiovascular disease and all sorts of biological issues . It's especially tough on night shift workers because we're asking our bodies to stay alert when it naturally wants to rest and recover . But let's not stress here . These are strategies that you can use to support your circadian rhythm even when you're actually on shift . To support your circadian rhythm even when you're actually on shift Now I want you to listen carefully and you will start to understand where it is that you go wrong and what causes the problems , because us shift workers are the ultimate self-sabotagers that cause us all sorts of issues . And when you listen to this today , you will hear where you actually go wrong and how you go wrong . So let's look at why daylight exposure matters so much for us , because daylight is like a master controller for our circadian rhythm .

Speaker 1 5:15

One of the best ways to anchor your body's clock , regardless of what time of the day you're working , is to get exposure to natural light , especially as early in the day as you can , or as soon as you wake up . Aim for about 15 to 20 minutes of sunlight each day as a minimum . If you can and you hear me talk about this all the time head outside and take yourself for a walk around the block , or just go to the window and sit in the window with the light coming through it , right up against it , which will allow that natural light to hit your eyes . Not the lights inside . It's got to be the light from outside . It is literally 500 lux versus about 10,000 lux of light . The difference is enormous because this helps your body to reinforce the timing of your circadian rhythm and it will keep it in sync , which has a super positive knock-on effect on your energy levels , your mood , your digestion , your mental health . It makes a massive difference .

Speaker 1 6:26

If your shifts make daylight exposure tricky , then consider investing in something like a device called a Retimer 3 . If you go to my website and you have a look at the menu at the top where it says resources under recommended recommended products , you will see that on there I have the retimer 3 , which is a super comfortable pair of what are light glasses that have the proper light that you actually need , going directly into the eye . Now , these are perfectly safe and scientifically tested and what they do is they will give you the correct light that your brain needs . Your biological clock needs for that 20 minutes , and that's all you need in the morning . And they're ergonomic , they're comfortable . I've been testing them . You can walk around the house with them and these are absolutely ideal . So while you're getting ready , you can actually wear them and you will feel so much better during the day .

Speaker 1 7:30

And if you're in the Northern Hemisphere , this is something that you need to seriously look at , because you have extended periods of darkness and , in fact , your light during the winter months is so minimal that you need to get earlier light even before it gets dark . That earlier light , because if you wait until the light comes , it can be too late . All right , so make sure that you check out the Retimer 3 , which is actually on my website , linked off the website . You can have a look there and you'll get a discount for going through the website there as well . There , and you'll get a discount for going through the website there as well . Now , what this does is these devices mimic natural sunlight . They mimic the colors of the natural light that we need . That gives your body the wake-up signal that it needs . Remember , our eyes only see blue-green light blue in that melanopsin cell in the eye . So what we need is we need to stimulate that with that light . The most important . It's not about normal light , it's about getting blue light .

Speaker 1 8:36

Now let's get some practical tips for managing light exposure while we're on night shifts . Here's where we get into the specifics for night shift workers , because exposure to light at those times and at the right , right times is actually critical to help us . So during your shift , you can actually use light to stay alert , and here's how . So , before your shift , get as much natural light exposure as possible during the day . This anchors your body's natural circadian rhythm and starts you off feeling awake and alert . Daylight is always going to be the best medicine ever for you getting outside During your shift .

Speaker 1 9:16

What we need to do is we need to have and I know it's impossible , but we need to have zero blue light overnight , because this is a melatonin disruptor and we need to stop that . But that's a whole episode in itself . But what we need to do is we need to be very careful with the light exposure that we get overnight and as we're winding down towards the end of the shift , we need to be even more careful . So , as we get towards the end of our shift , what we need to do is we need to start dimming the lights right down . Or , as another solution , you can wear blue light blocking glasses and again , you guessed it on my recommended products on the website . There you will find blue light blocking glasses which I know have been scientifically tested and are highly recommended for shift workers to wear on their way home from those nights or after their afternoon shifts to help them to block that blue light , which then allows melatonin to secrete . Now this will help to signal to the body that it's time for us to actually wind down . Remember and always keep this foremost in your mind .

Speaker 1 10:29

The key here is to keep your internal clock as consistent as possible every single day , because all of this is about gently steering your body's natural rhythm rather than letting it get too far out of sync . And I've said this before , but we are the greatest sabotagers . We go to bed at all different times , we get up at all different times , we get light at different times , and we cause ourselves so much grief that our poor internal clock , which can't see and only responds to blue light , has absolutely no idea where it should be in time and space , and therefore it then has problems with what to release and when and causes all of those biological issues that we , as shift workers , suffer from . So the key here is to literally align with the day nine as much as you possibly can when you can , and stay as consistent and as regular as you possibly can . Now , one of the most important things that we need to do is to sleep , and we need to create a sleep-friendly environment post-night shift . So let's talk about that because , once your shift is over , getting quality rest during daylight hours can be one of the toughest things that you need to do . So , to help , let's just make sure that you create a truly sleep-friendly environment , and here are a few essentials .

Optimizing Sleep for Shift Workers

Speaker 1 11:57

Now , when I say a sleep-friendly environment , I always want you to apply this rule Hold your arm out , turn your hand to face you and , if you can see it , it's not dark enough . You literally need pitch black . All right , not it's darkening or it's reasonably dark . It needs to be pitch black for you to sleep properly . How can we achieve this ? Blackout curtains or roller shutters or those slide blinds that pitch black everything out . These block out daylight . Daylight is the problem , and we need to make it easier for your body to settle into deeper sleep .

Speaker 1 12:41

Get a white noise machine , because if you're easily disturbed by outside noise or the hot water service kicking in and out or the heater kicking in and out that clicking noise that fridge drives you absolutely bananas A white noise machine can help to drain them out and keep your sleep completely undisturbed . Trust me , I still , to this day , use a white noise machine every single night . Not loud , it's very soft , but your brain focuses on that and you don't hear all of those other noises . You just continually sleep and when you wake , you just go back to sleep because your brain's still focusing on it . You don't notice all the other noises . A white noise machine can be an absolute game changer .

Speaker 1 13:26

The next thing , because if your room is not as dark as what I specified before , as in , you can see your hand if it's being held out in front of your face . If those blackout curtains you've got are not enough , you need to get a comfortable eye mask . And let me just recommend a comfortable eye mask that I have tried and used for the last five years and think it is absolutely amazing , and that is the Manta Sleep Mask . Now , the Manta Sleep Mask , you can lie on your side , you can lie on your back , you can lie on your front , it doesn't matter how you lie . The Manta Sleep Mask is incredibly comfortable . It has fantastic eye cups . Ladies , your eyelashes will not hit it . You can open your eyes underneath it without even realizing that they are there and causing a problem . You know it , without even realizing that they are there and causing a problem , without even realizing that you're wearing the mask . It just seems like it's pitch black and you've opened your eyes in pitch black . The Manta Sleep Mask again . If you go to the resources on the top of my website , ahealthyshiftcom , and you scroll down to where it says Recommended Products , you'll see the Mantle Sleep Mask on there . If you go through there , you'll get a discount on that , and they're located in Australia now , so they are actually shipping very quickly . The best investment you will make as a shift worker is a Mantle Sleep Mask , trust me . So by setting up a dark , quiet place , what you're essentially doing is telling your body hey , it's nighttime , let's get some rest , and that is even if it's nine o'clock outside . It makes that much difference .

Speaker 1 15:05

The next thing I want to talk about is the power of napping . Shift work often means broken or shortened sleep , so naps can be your shift's power play . Napping strategically is the key , though . If you're just looking for a quick recharge , a short , 20 to 30 minute nap is perfect . It's enough to boost your alertness , get rid of that foggy , tired , can't cope feeling , and it won't leave you feeling groggy . The reason why you do feel groggy is because you've gone longer than 30 minutes and you go into a deeper sleep cycle , so don't be afraid of napping 20 to 30 minutes , you might think , oh , that's not enough . It's actually the perfect amount , well-researched and well supported by science . If you have more time , go for a full sleep cycle . How long is a sleep cycle ? 90 minutes , and that's why I talk about 90 minutes as a sleep cycle all the time . This allows you to go through that and wake up more refreshed , because we tend to stir in between each 90-minute sleep cycle .

Speaker 1 16:11

Naps can be an unbelievably effective tool to keep your body energized and functioning , especially during tough shifts . You don't have to tough out the whole day . You can have a 20 to 30 minute nap and it can literally be a complete game changer . But use them wisely and the good old nap will become your power play .

Speaker 1 16:30

As a shift worker , we need consistent habits for our off days , and this one's important Try to keep your body in a rhythm , even on the days when you are off . A lot of shift workers literally find that by having wildly different sleep patterns on off days only makes this transition back to work harder , and we feel like rubbish on our days off . So how do we smooth things out ? First of all , stick to a similar sleep and wake time every time it's possible . Whatever that looks like , stick to it . This keeps your circadian rhythm from getting too far out of sync . And expose yourself to natural daylight early in the day and dim your lights in the evening to help your body to differentiate between day and night . Because consistently consistency is the name of the game here right ? The more you can maintain a 24-hour cycle and maintain a rhythm in that , the better your body functions , the better you will actually feel , because your body learns that rhythm . It's just like when we go overseas and we suffer for jet lag .

Speaker 1 17:44

The first thing we need to do is , when we go overseas into a new place , is we get up early , we go for breakfast early , we get out and about , we're moving around all day in the light and then we sleep really well at night , and that's how we are resetting it in a different time zone . And we can do the same in shift work as well , and I want you to remember this . To sum things up , small changes will make a massive impact . I promise you that Because , as shift workers , we are literally working against the natural designs of our body . But that doesn't mean that we're completely powerless , and what we need to do is stop self-sabotaging , because small changes like managing your light exposure or just creating a restful environment for sleep , getting a strategic nap in at exactly the right time and staying consistent on off days , can all make a huge difference , because each little adjustment that you make will help your body stay more aligned with its natural rhythm and , in turn , your body will repay you with more energy , with better focus and a healthier sleep in the long run . So , all right . That wraps up our deep dive into the circadian rhythm for shift workers , and I want you to remember this aligning with your body's natural rhythm doesn't mean a complete overhaul . All right . It's about making small and consistent changes , whether it's getting more daylight exposure , dimming the lights at night or finding a great place and time to have a nap , for what works for you , for what shift you're on , because these adjustments can literally transform your experience as a shift worker .

Speaker 1 19:31

Now , if you found the tips in this podcast helpful , could you do me a favor ? Would you please share the episode with a fellow shift worker , because the more people that we have on the same page with this , the better we're actually all going to be , because if other people , if you got any benefit out of it . You can rest assured , someone else will as well . And , as always , please don't forget to hit follow so that you are notified when new episodes drop and stay updated on evidence-based strategies for shift worker wellness . So thank you so much for tuning into a Healthy Shift podcast . If you want more tips on thriving with shift work , follow us on social media and subscribe to a healthy shift podcast for new episodes each week . Now , if you would really like help to make a bigger change , you can check the show notes for details on my one-to-one coaching program , which is bespoke and will help you personally . All right , it's designed specifically for shift workers , just like you . So until next time , stay safe , stay healthy and remember you can thrive on shift .

Speaker 1 20:44

I'm Roger Sutherland , and here's to you to thriving , and not just surviving in your shift working life . 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 a healthy shiftcom . I'll catch you on the next one 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 .