Welcome 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 . Enjoy today's show . Well , hey there , and welcome back to A Healthy Shift . I'm Roger Sutherland , and today I'm talking about a really simple thing , but a seriously powerful strategy for better sleep a sleep mask . Now , I know what you're thinking , really , roger A mask , yep , a sleep mask . And I'm here to tell you why . It could literally be one of the most underrated tools for a better sleep , especially for you , the shift worker . So let's get into it .

Speaker 1 1:16

Light pollution is everywhere , so let's start with the problem , and that is light pollution . Now , what is light pollution ? Well , we live in a world that is constantly lit up with artificial light these days streetlights , phone screens , standby lights on those televisions in the bedroom that glow from the hallway , even the moon on a clear night , and your brain . I'm here to tell you your brain doesn't know the difference between sunlight and that light coming in under your bedroom door . It is literally just seeing the blue light . Light at night , especially that artificial light

The Problem with Light Pollution

Speaker 1 1:58

, which is anything that you turn on or is running with electricity after dark , suppresses melatonin , which is the hormone that helps your body to know when it's dark . Now this makes sense , doesn't it ? Because if your body is seeing light , why would it release a hormone to tell it that it is dark ? It doesn't , and any form of light in your bedroom , where you are supposed to be sleeping , actually reduces melatonin by approximately 50% . Now , when melatonin gets suppressed , your body doesn't shift into that deep sleep or that sleep mode properly , and for shift workers , who are already trying to sleep outside of the normal circadian hours , this will make things even worse . So how does light disrupt our sleep ? So let's talk about what actually happens biologically Now .

Speaker 1 2:56

Melatonin production starts when your eyes stop detecting light . Even small amounts of light , like that glow from a power board in your bedroom or that early morning sunlight creeping in through the curtains , can literally be enough to completely mess with it . Your body clock relies on darkness to stay in rhythm . Think about that clock that's in your bedroom . Or looking at your phone , you are giving a direct signal of light into your eye . When light sneaks in , it literally confuses that internal clock . You sleep lighter , you wake up a lot more often and over time , it has an impact . You end up feeling run down , you end up foggy and completely out of whack . So what is there that we can do ? And this is where the sleep mask comes in , because a high quality sleep mask completely blocks out all light , even that little bit sneaking in through the blinds or around your eye socket .

Speaker 1 4:01

And this isn't just about comfort .

How Sleep Masks Block Light Disruption

Speaker 1 4:04

I need people to understand that . This is about sending a clear signal to your brain it's dark , it's time to sleep , and your body will not see any light and will release a strong stream of melatonin to signal darkness to the body and to help you to sleep . So when should we actually wear a sleep mask ? I'm going to say this , I'll put it on the table , honestly every single time you sleep what ? Every time ? That's right . Every single time that you sleep . If you're on night shift and you're trying to sleep during the day non-negotiable . If you're going to bed early and the sun's still up , non-negotiable , even if you're sleeping at night but there is ambient light in your room , you also need it here , and here is a simple test to tell you if it's dark enough in your room for you to sleep . Pay attention , I want you to hold your arm out at full length in front of your face and I want you to turn your hand to face you . Can you see your hand ? If yes , it's too light and your melatonin is being disrupted and you are probably not getting the deep , restorative sleep that you need . So for those of you that open the windows , open the blinds and love to feel the light and the air and everything coming in , this is disrupting your deep sleep , your restorative sleep . This can be a reason why a lot of people don't sleep properly and wake up tired .

Speaker 1 5:41

Now , what makes a good sleep mask ? Because there's hundreds of them out there and I know that some of you probably a lot of you will have tried a sleep mask , but not all sleep masks are created

Finding the Right Sleep Mask

Speaker 1 5:54

equal . You want a sleep mask that A fully blocks out light . It's got to be pitch black , you've got to be able to open your eyes , and it's pitch black . It doesn't press on your eyes , ladies , those lashes that you're putting on your eyes . We don't want those to be touching , because that just becomes annoying . We also need one that stays in place if we move around . We need to be able to lie on our side , on our back , lying in a coma position . We want the mask to stay in place and to be comfortable and it needs to feel really comfortable so that it doesn't interrupt sleep in itself .

Speaker 1 6:32

And if you want to know because I know you're going to ask me , if you want to know what my go-to is , it's the Manta Sleep Mask . Now , it's , hands down , the absolute best mask that I've ever used . It provides total blackout , it has zero pressure on your eyes and it's perfect for long , deep and undisturbed sleep . Now I use the Manta Sleep Mask Pro . It's great for side sleepers because the eye cups are flattened by the side and you can literally put it on . And I can tell you a funny anecdotal story to go with me and my Manta Sleep Mask Because I was on night shift , woke up , wanted to know what time it was reached for my phone kept tapping the screen , couldn't work out why , I couldn't see the time , thought my phone was broken or had gone flat , but no , I still had the sleep mask on . That's how comfortable a Manta sleep mask is . You just forget that it's there Totally Best investment ever .

Speaker 1 7:40

So if you're serious about your sleep and this is what I will say to you as well so many people come to me time and time again and they talk to me about I can't sleep , I have problems sleeping , and when I sit down and talk to them about and go back into all of the different whys and wherefores around sleep , it's then that we understand that there is a contributing factor that's causing the problem ambient light in a bedroom .

Speaker 1 8:09

Please , I beg you , keep that test in mind when you go to bed tonight or today or this afternoon or whenever . Hold your arm out at full length , turn your hand to face you and , if you can see your hand , it's too light and that shows you how much light pollution there actually is around these days . So if you're serious about your sleep , get yourself a sleep mask . It is literally one of the best investments that you will ever make , shift worker or not , make it part of your routine . Once again , our body thrives on routine . Putting the mask on tells our body it's sleep time . But if you're a shift worker , it's one of the simplest things that you can do to protect your sleep and your health , and you can check out the exact mask that I use by heading over to my website at ahealthyshiftcom and click on the recommended product page , which is under resources , and you will find the Manta Sleep Mask right there .

Speaker 1 9:20

That's it from me .

Simple Test for Bedroom Darkness

Speaker 1 9:21

Thanks for listening and , as always , take care of yourself . Remember , put your arm out , hold your hand up If you can see your hand . It's too light in your room . Get the Manta Sleep Mask . It's on the website . 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 .