[243] - You Don't Have to Do Shift Work Alone Anymore Artwork

A Healthy Shift | The Shift Work Podcast

It doesn't have to be this way.

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.

It doesn't have to be this way.

All Episodes

A Healthy Shift | The Shift Work Podcast

[243] - You Don't Have to Do Shift Work Alone Anymore

April 21, 2025 • Roger Sutherland | Shift Work Nutrition, Health & Wellbeing Coach • Season 2 • Episode 189

0:00 | 10:55

Text me what you thought of the show 😊

Feeling like you're doing shift work on your own? That ends here.

In this episode, I’m sharing something really close to my heart—something I wish existed decades ago when I was deep in the thick of rotating shifts, missed birthdays, sleepless nights, and the constant juggle of trying to stay healthy while working against the clock.

It's called the Shift Workers Collective, and it's an online community built specifically for people like us. This isn’t just another Facebook group or generic wellness program—it’s a space where shift workers can finally feel seen, supported, and understood.

After running a 21-day challenge that brought together shift workers from all over the world, I saw something incredible happen. People were sharing meals, swapping recipes, posting their sunrise views, encouraging one another through tough days—and no one wanted it to end. That connection? That sense of finally being around people who get it? That’s what inspired the Collective.

Inside, you’ll find:

Live expert sessions on sleep, nutrition, and mental wellbeing
Monthly Q&As where you can get real answers to your questions
Practical resources like recipe books, guides, and tips you can actually use
Dedicated spaces for healthcare workers, emergency services, and night shift crews
And most importantly—a 24/7 community that just gets it

Because let’s be honest—shift work isn’t just a job. It’s a lifestyle. And it can be bloody hard. But you don’t have to do it alone anymore.

If you’re ready to feel supported, heard, and connected, this episode is your invitation. Come see what happens when shift workers come together to lift each other up.

Click here to join the community: Shift Workers Collective – Community, Support & Education

Support the show

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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.

Shift Work Champions™: https://join.ahealthyshift.com/shift-work-capability

Website: https://ahealthyshift.com.au

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roger-sutherland

Instagram: @a_healthy_shift

___________________

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.

_______________________

Introduction to A Healthy Shift

Speaker 1 0:06

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 .

Speaker 1 0:38

Enjoy today's show . Well , hey , there , it's Roger here , and welcome back to A Healthy Shift , the podcast that supports shift workers just like you to thrive and not just survive . And today I'm excited . I want to have a real raw , heart-to-heart conversation with you and then tell you about our special project . So let me ask you something up front

The Loneliness of Shift Work

Speaker 1 1:06

. Do you feel like you're doing your shift work completely alone , like no one truly understands the exhaustion , the 3am hunger , the constant fatigue , the weight creeping on , the mood swings , the guilt of missing family events , or just the sheer mental load of trying to keep your life together while you are working in that 24-7 world ? Well , guess what ? I know that feeling because I've lived it for over 40 years , and that's why we've created something that I truly believe is going to change the game for shift workers all over the world . So today's episode is all about just that . It's about you ready , the Shift Workers Collective , what it is , why I built it and why I think it's going to be the most valuable tool that you can have in your shift working toolbox . Let's be honest here Shift work can be a really lonely business . You're awake when the world sleeps , you're off when your partner is working , you miss out on things , you fall behind on your health and sometimes you just feel like no one gets it at all and , worst of all , you're expected to just carry on like it's normal , like this is sustainable , like this won't take its toll at all . But I'm telling you it does , and pretending otherwise is not helping you in any way whatsoever . Here's the truth Support is the missing piece . One of the things that I've seen over and over again is this that when shift workers

Support: The Missing Piece

Speaker 1 2:54

have support , everything changes . We eat better , we move more , we sleep smarter , we connect , we feel less isolated and we really do start to take back control .

Speaker 1 3:06

Now , in February , I ran a 21-day shift work challenge and it was literally a total game changer . The community was sharing their meals , they were sharing recipes , they were encouraging each other , they asked questions , they supported each other , there was accountability , there was laughter , we were sharing memes and then there was just so many aha moments . And if there's one thing that I really loved more than anything was everybody was out there sharing their sky before screen pictures , sharing their sunsets , and we were getting them from all around the world , and everyone loved it and was really , really engaged with it . And do you know what happened at the end of the challenge ? It was three weeks , it was 21 days and it flew . People just didn't want it to end . They felt seen , they felt heard , they actually felt connected to other shift workers who got it . And that's when it hit me I just have to build something that gives shift workers that

Introducing the Shift Workers Collective

Speaker 1 4:11

level of support , 24-7 .

Speaker 1 4:15

Enter the Shift Workers Collective . So here it is , the Shift Workers Collective . What is it ? It's an online membership community built for shift workers by a shift worker who's been there and back again . Now , this is not just another Facebook group . This is a private , supportive , expert-led space where you can finally get the help , advice and connection that you've been craving .

Speaker 1 4:45

So let me just walk you through exactly what's inside . So what's included ? There will be a monthly webinar Each one will be shift work specific , will be shift work specific , designed to help you to tackle topics like sleep , fatigue , nutrition , stress , mental health , movement supplements , you name it . And not only that , but because you're part of the community , conversation will lead to bringing more webinars around about the topics that you want . All you got to do is ask , and I'd be more than happy to do it , because I'm in there to support you , the shift worker . There will be live Q&A sessions with me . You get direct access to me . Ask your questions and you're going to get real answers from someone who has lived experience . I know what it feels like . No matter what you mention , I've been there . I've done that Well , other than childbirth , breastfeeding , so on and so forth . But I can certainly support you in many , many ways . There will be tools and resources , downloadable PDFs . There'll be cheat sheets , snack guides , and we will support you with what you're doing with your meals to make sure that you are eating the right things at the right time . You name it , it's going to be in there . I'm also making my seven recipe books available to anybody that subscribes .

Speaker 1 6:17

So this is written specifically for shift workers Quick , high protein , portable , delicious Yep , even for night shift , and I'm also have created two private rooms and I've done it for two specific groups because I know what it means to these two particular groups to have their own channel . So there will be a channel in there for frontline health , for nurses or doctors . You can go in there . You can discuss your own specific problems away from everybody else and support each other where you will get it . There will also be a first responders channel as well , which will have paramedics , will have police fireys , whatever Anybody who's a first responder . You're all in the position where you will go into that group .

Speaker 1 7:09

Once you prove who you are , then we can put you into that group as well , which will be a safe environment for you to discuss and become a community together . Let's get the frontline all back communicating and chatting amongst themselves and in a courteous way where everyone's learning from each other as to what the expectations are . You'll also get free replays of all external webinars . So if I run any paid webinars outside of the collective , I will post those webinars for free into the group for people to be able to watch and learn from as well . So once you pay the subscription to the collective . You won't have to be paying for additional webinars as well , because you'll be getting them regardless .

Speaker 1 7:59

And , most importantly and I can't emphasize this enough the most important thing that you are actually going to get in the collective is a community that actually gets it and gets you . You are no longer alone 24-7, . The community will be there . I can almost guarantee that there will always be someone around to have a chat with . You've got a space to be heard , a space to be supported and people who will lift you up .

Speaker 1 8:29

Now , why does this matter and why have I created this ? I'll tell you why Because we can't keep doing this alone anymore . We can't keep struggling , staying silent and pretending that we're just absolutely fine and it will actually come good . You were never meant to carry the weight of shift work alone . When you hear oh , that's what you signed up for . That is not what you signed up

Why This Community Matters

Speaker 1 8:54

for , and I'm here to support you .

Speaker 1 8:56

The Shift Workers Collective is a community that I honestly wish I had decades ago . You never know what you might pick up in there . You never know what you might see or hear or whatever , and it might just be a missing piece to help you to get going . Why not just post and run a step challenge through your Apple Watch or through your Garmin or through your Android ? We can set up groups along those lines . I'm all ears to support you , however you want to be supported .

Speaker 1 9:28

So if you're tired of trying to piece it all together by yourself , if you really are truly ready to thrive and not just survive and crawl from one shift to the other , if you have a look in the show notes , you'll see the list , the link .

Speaker 1 9:44

So come and join us inside the Shift Workers Collective , because now you literally don't have to do this anymore on your own . All right , exciting times ahead . That's it from me today . So if this episode resonated with you , please share it with another shift worker who needs to hear it . And don't forget , check the show notes for the link to join the show , the shift workers collective . I'll see you on the inside until next time . Stay safe , stay well and remember a healthy shift is a better shift .

Closing and Call to Action

Speaker 1 10:22

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 .