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.
I address the profound impact of losing two police officers in the line of duty and how it affects the entire law enforcement community. As a 40-year veteran and father of a serving officer, I share personal reflections on processing grief within the Blue family.
• It's okay to be vulnerable and express emotions when facing tragedy • Allowing yourself to feel isn't weakness—it's being human • Simple breathing exercises can help during overwhelming moments • The murder of a police officer impacts the entire Blue family worldwide • Support organizations like Aussie Frontline and Overwatch Collective provide crucial resources • Aussie Frontline's Pay it Forward program sends supportive messages to struggling officers • Overwatch Collective's app connects officers with peers and professional support • You are never alone—reaching out is a sign of strength
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.
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 wellbeing so they have more energy to do the things they love . Enjoy today's show and welcome to today's episode of a healthy shift podcast . I'm your host , roger sutherland .
Speaker 1
Now today's episode is going to be different . It's not about routines . It's not about sleep or nutrition well , it kind of is , but it's about looking after ourselves . And it's about looking after ourselves and it's about something that has shaken the Blue family to its core . In the last week Now , two police officers went to work just like they always did , and one of them for a very , very long time and was two weeks out of retirement , and the other one was on a temporary
Now the aftermath of something like this is really , really hard to put into words . Unless you are , or you have been , a police officer , it is almost impossible for you to truly understand the impact that it has on you . The pain runs unbelievably deep . It is very , very difficult , even if you didn't personally know the officers involved . It hurts , it makes us stop and reflect on our own time in the job . It makes us remember just how many times we walked out the door , we kissed our loved ones goodbye and we never gave a thought as to whether we'd ever come home again . But they were sitting at home and they were always thinking that . And in these moments , our hearts absolutely break , and it's not just for the officers , but it's for their families , their parents , their grandparents , their brothers , their sisters . What about their children ? Because they are all part of the police family too .
Speaker 1
Now , over the past few days , I've had an incredible amount of messages and calls . I'm here for the people . I make no secret of the fact that I've spent a long time in the Blue family 40 plus years and I put it out there that if people wanted to talk , I'd be the ear , and they have , and I'm truly humbled by that . The year , and they have , and I'm truly humbled by that . I've actually put my business aside to take each one , to listen and to be the voice that some needed to hear , because when something like this happens , it literally shakes everyone .
I've spoken to people that I don't even know on the phone through my messages . It's been really quite incredible , but I am truly humbled that people have reached out , and things like this always leave us asking questions that we will never , ever truly have the answers to , and the main one is why . What on earth makes someone pick up a gun and ambush and take the life of another human being , especially someone who was simply doing their job , representing the expectations of their community . And let's not forget that they're being paid to do a job , to look after you and to represent your community .
Speaker 1
Now I'm going to be totally honest here , and I think it's important that I am . I've had my moments in the past few days , and what I've learnt in my own journey is this that is okay . I was a brother in blue for over 40 years . I am also the father of a current serving police officer , and I've got people that I care deeply about who are still serving today . So I do want to say this to every one of you listening you do not have to hold your head high and just absorb it . It's okay to let the emotions come . It's okay to let them wash over you and release what you need to release . That's not a weakness , that's being human , and you absolutely should let that happen . And I want to let you know that it's not just you . There are a lot of people that are looking at you , that are hurting as well , and being vulnerable is actually what can open them up and actually help them as well , and it's really important . If you are really struggling , try this . Just sit quietly , close your eyes and focus on breathing deeply through your nose , deep down into your stomach , and then breathe out through your mouth and make sure that your out-breath is longer than your in-breath through your nose Always in through your nose , always out through your mouth and just sit in silence for a few minutes and just let yourself be and , if you need to talk to the people that you need to talk to , listen to those who need you and , above all , be vulnerable , because being vulnerable honestly opens up a whole new world of connection and healing for everybody , not only for you , but for those that are around you , and that is
The murder of a police officer doesn't just impact their family or friends . It impacts the entire Blue family and that family is big . It is very big . There are hundreds and hundreds of thousands of us and you can reach out to any single one of them . You are never alone . I can guarantee to you any single one of them that you message will respond , because that's what we do . It's a tough period of time , but I want you to know it's okay . It's okay for you to be vulnerable .
Speaker 1
Before I wrap this up today , because I did just want to make this extremely short , I just want to bring some awareness for you listening to this of two absolutely incredible organizations who are making a real difference for the frontline . One of them's here in Australia and the other one is in the USA . So you're covered . The first one here is the Aussie Frontline . It's called Aussie Frontline and it's here in Australia . They're a not-for-profit and they're doing amazing work selling merchandise , running events to raise funds to fund sessions for the frontline members who need that support . I can attest to actually sending a person to them to reach out that has turned their whole life around because of it and you know who you are and I know you listen to this and I'm incredibly proud of you for doing that ,
because reaching out and getting that support and getting that help is incredible . And I can also say that out of that organisation there is Matt Newlands , and Matt Newlands is a former police officer and now counsels and does it extremely well . And I've had Matt on the podcast as well , so you can go and have a look for the episode with Matt Newlands and he will talk about it .
Speaker 1
One of the coolest things and I mean really cool things that the Aussie Frontline does here is they have what's called a Pay it Forward program . If you know someone who's doing it a little tough in the Frontline , you can actually nominate them , buy a t-shirt and the Aussie Frontline will send it to them with a message that we've got your back , you are part of the family and we are looking after you . We are here for you . Don't ever forget that , and I think that's incredibly cool as a program . For every T-shirt that's purchased through the Aussie Frontline , $10 of it goes towards those counselling sessions . I think it's really important .
Speaker 1
The second one is the Overwatch Collective , which is in the USA . I've communicated with Greg often and in fact Greg has checked in on me over the last few days as well , all the way from central USA . It impacts deep . We are brothers all over the world and I think it's fantastic that someone from there that I've communicated with has reached out and asked me how I'm doing , and that is the type of person that Greg is and the Overwatch Collective are . Now they've built their own app . They have many resources on their website . They also sell merchandise the same way that the Aussie Frontline do , but the app is really cool and I've had Greg on the podcast before as well Greg Grogan . You can go and have a look and have a listen to it , and Greg talks all about the Overwatch Collective and what it actually does .
Speaker 1
Overwatch Collective and what it actually does , but in their app you can actually go in there and your ID has whether you're blue , whether you're red , whether you're green representing what organization you actually come from , and there's rooms set up in there that you can go into these rooms through the app and there's always someone there to chat with . That is super cool and I think it's something that's really important for people to learn that you're never alone . So to go to the trouble of developing an app and parking relevant podcasts , relevant blogs , having trauma-informed counselors in and around and available , and they've managed to find trauma-informed counsellors and therapists and psychologists in every single state in the USA to be able to support them , and I think that's something that's pretty special as well . Now , just like the Aussie Frontline , they also raise funds through merchandise and campaigning and running events and they give back in the form of sessions that support those on the Frontline as well , and I'm a massive fan of both of these organizations and I will link to both of them in the show notes . I beg you , please go and check them out and support the work that they do , because it's really , really special To everybody listening .
Speaker 1
Whether you're serving , retired or connected to the police family in any way whatsoever , it's really important that you understand it's okay to hurt , it's okay . Important that you understand it's okay to hurt , it's okay to feel , but , more than anything else , it's okay to reach out , because we're all
here , because none of us have to carry this alone . Thank you for joining me today on a healthy shift . I'll be back very soon with some more , but for now I just beg you all , please take care of yourselves , look after each other , because you are one great big family and we're all here for you . Thank you for listening . If you enjoyed this , 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 .
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