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Health & FitnessNutritionEducationSelf-Improvement

A Healthy Shift | The Shift Work Podcast

Roger Sutherland | Founder, A Healthy Shift | Night Shift & Sleep Specialist | Shift Work Educator

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.

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  • 21 episodes
  • a few times a week
  • Avg 21 min
  • English

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  • S2 · E334
    Sunday · 22 min

    [420] - Why I Loved Shift Work After 40 Years | The Benefits Nobody Talks About

    Text me what you thought of the show 😊 Why I Loved Shift Work After 40 Years | The Benefits Nobody Talks About Shift work gets plenty of negative attention. Poor sleep, fatigue, disrupted routines and the challenges of working outside normal hours. But after more than 40 years working shifts with Victoria Police, there were things about shift work that I absolutely LOVED. And I reckon we don't talk about them nearly enough. In this episode of A Healthy Shift, I'm changing the conversation and sharing the positive side of shift work that often gets overlooked. One of the biggest benefits for me was being able to do ME before my job got whatever was left. Working afternoon shifts meant I could get to the gym, go swimming, enjoy an early walk in the daylight, organise appointments, prepare meals and get things done before heading to work. I'd already looked after myself, and that made me happier to turn up to work. I also loved the freedom of having weekdays off, avoiding the weekend crowds and not having to squeeze my entire life into Saturday and Sunday. Of course, shift work comes with genuine health challenges. We can't ignore the effects of disrupted sleep, circadian rhythms and fatigue. But recognising those risks doesn't mean we can't appreciate the benefits. In this episode, we explore: Why afternoon shifts were one of my favourites. The freedom of getting things done before starting work. The benefits of having weekdays off. Why putting yourself first can change how you feel about going to work. How to make the most of your roster through sleep, daylight, movement and nutrient timing. Why we need more positive conversations about shift work. Whether you're a nurse, police officer, paramedic, emergency services worker, FIFO worker or anyone working a rotating roster, permanent nights or afternoon shifts, this episode offers a different perspective on shift work life. After four decades of working shifts, I can tell you it wasn't all doom and gloom. There were some bloody good benefits too! Now I'd love to hear from you. What's YOUR favourite shift to work? Days, afternoons or nights? And why? Hit the link "Text me what you thought of the show" and let me know And if you know another shift worker who genuinely loves their roster, share this episode with them. Support the show ---------------------------- 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. _______________________

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  • S2 · E333
    Thursday · 16 min

    [419] - Part 5 - What Does a Shift Work Capable Organisation Actually Look Like?

    Text me what you thought of the show 😊 Across the last few episodes, I’ve talked about what I believe is missing in the way many organisations support their shift-working workforce. In this episode, I want to turn that conversation around and look at what we could actually build instead. What does a shift-work-capable organisation look like? For me, it isn’t an organisation where nobody gets tired, nobody struggles with nights, and we somehow remove the biological challenges of working around the clock. That isn’t realistic. It’s an organisation where people are given more than a roster. They’re given the education to understand what that roster is asking of their biology and practical strategies to help them manage it. In this episode, I explore what that could look like from the moment someone joins a 24/7 workforce: shift-work-specific education, advice that reflects the reality of their actual roster, leaders who understand the demands their people are facing, and credible knowledge that remains available where the shift work actually happens — including at 3 am. I also discuss the role of developing people from within the workforce who understand the roster, workplace and culture because they live it themselves. Not as clinicians or workplace health experts, but as educated Shift Work Champions™ who can help keep good conversations and credible information alive while understanding the boundaries of their role. Importantly, building capability isn’t something an organisation does once and considers finished. It means continuing to listen to the workforce, learn what’s working, identify what isn’t, and review, refine and expand the approach over time. My vision is simple: I want us to reach a point where handing someone their first shift-work roster without also teaching them how to manage it seems completely outdated. We may never remove the challenges of shift work, but I believe we can become much better at preparing and supporting the people we ask to do it. Learn more about Shift Work Champions™ and download the updated Executive Brief using the link below. Support the show ---------------------------- 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. _______________________

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  • S2 · E332
    October 11 · 16 min

    [418] - Part 4 - What Happens After the Shift Work Seminar?

    Text me what you thought of the show 😊 Bringing someone into your organisation to educate your shift-working workforce can be incredibly valuable. I’ve seen firsthand what happens when people finally understand why they’re struggling with sleep, fatigue, light exposure, caffeine, eating overnight and recovery around their roster. But there’s another question I think organisations need to ask: What happens after the seminar? In this episode, I explore the difference between creating awareness and building genuine internal shift work capability. A great education session can change the way people think, challenge some of the myths that have existed around shift work for decades and give workers practical strategies they can start using immediately. But people return to work, rosters continue, new employees arrive, managers change and, over time, that initial awareness can fade. That doesn’t mean the education failed. It means education needs somewhere to go. I discuss why workforce education should be viewed as the beginning rather than the entire solution, why practical application around the actual roster matters, and how developing the right people from within the workforce can help credible shift work knowledge remain accessible long after the external educator has left. Because one of the principles that sits at the heart of Shift Work Champions™ is: If the knowledge leaves the room with the educator, you only rented it. The real opportunity is to move from delivering education to building capability — something that can be reinforced, reviewed, refined and sustained from within the organisation. Learn more about Shift Work Champions™ and download the updated Executive Brief using the link below. Support the show ---------------------------- 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. _______________________

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  • S2 · E331
    October 8 · 15 min

    [417] - Part 3 - Who Actually Owns Shift Worker Health in Your Organisation?

    Text me what you thought of the show 😊 Who actually owns shift worker health inside a 24/7 organisation? Is it Health and Wellbeing? Safety? HR or People and Culture? Operations? Leadership? Or does responsibility ultimately sit with the individual shift worker? In this episode, I explore why I think that question is so important — and why the answer often isn’t as clear as organisations might expect. Shift work doesn’t fit neatly into one department. Fatigue might become a safety issue. Unplanned absence becomes an operational issue. Overtime and backfill have a financial impact. Someone struggling with their health may need wellbeing support, while someone eventually leaving the roster becomes a retention and recruitment issue. The consequences can appear across the organisation, while the person experiencing all of it is standing there at 3 am trying to get through their shift. I believe shift workers absolutely have personal responsibility for their own health and behaviours. But I also believe we can’t expect people to manage what they’ve never been taught to understand. That’s why I think organisations need to look beyond who “owns” shift worker health and ask a slightly different question: who owns the responsibility for building shift work capability? I discuss what proactive shift work education could look like, why credible knowledge needs to exist where the shift work actually happens, and the opportunity to develop people from within the workforce who understand the roster, workplace and culture because they live it themselves. This isn’t about replacing leaders, health professionals, fatigue systems or existing workplace support. It’s about building an additional layer of sustainable shift work capability from within. Learn more about Shift Work Champions™ and download the updated Executive Brief using the link below. Support the show ---------------------------- 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. _______________________

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  • S2 · E330
    October 1 · 15 min

    [416] - Part 2 - You Gave Them a Roster, But Did You Teach Them How to Work It?

    Text me what you thought of the show 😊 We’re very good at teaching people how to do their job. But are we teaching them how to manage their life around when we’re asking them to do that job? In this episode, I explore what I believe is one of the biggest capability gaps inside 24/7 organisations: we give people a roster, train them in policies, procedures, systems and safety, and then largely leave them to work out the biological demands of shift work for themselves. I spent more than 40 years working 24/7 shifts, and I know exactly what that can look like. You learn through trial and error, copy what the people around you are doing and gradually develop your own way of surviving nights. But with what we now understand about circadian biology, sleep, light exposure, caffeine, movement and nutrient timing, I believe we can do much better than simply expecting people to “work it out”. I also discuss why having a fatigue management policy isn’t the same as teaching someone how to manage fatigue, and why generic health and wellbeing advice often fails to account for the realities of a shift-working life. Most importantly, I look at what happens after that initial education. A great seminar can create awareness and start important conversations, but if we want that knowledge to remain within the organisation, we need to think beyond the room and begin building genuine internal shift work capability. Because giving someone a roster tells them when to work. It doesn’t teach them how to shift work. Learn more about Shift Work Champions™ and download the updated Executive Brief using the link below. Support the show ---------------------------- 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. _______________________

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  • S2 · E329
    September 27 · 34 min

    [415]- Your host on Radio 3AW - Talk Back Radio 28-09-2026

    Text me what you thought of the show 😊 This morning I joined Tony McManus on Australia Overnight for a conversation that went somewhere I think we need to go more often. What is shift work like for the people waiting at home? The conversation started with a powerful email from the wife of a retired police officer who had worked shifts for more than 42.5 years. She spoke about lying awake waiting to hear his car pull into the driveway, the impact his shifts had on their daughter, and how some of those effects have remained even after his retirement. It really struck a chord with me. For more than 40 years, I was the shift worker. But my family lived that roster too. Tony and I talked about the impact shift work can have on partners and children, the anxiety of waiting for someone to get home safely, and the way working nights can disconnect you from normal family life. We also heard from listeners across nursing, ambulance, policing and transport who shared their own experiences. And that led us into a much bigger discussion. We train people extensively to do their jobs. We teach them the equipment, policies, procedures and safety requirements. Then we hand them a roster requiring them to work against their biology, often without properly teaching them how to manage it. How to sleep. How to manage light. When to eat. How to move. How to manage fatigue. And how to build some sort of normal life around an abnormal working schedule. After more than 40 years of frontline shift work, this is the gap I am now trying to change. This was a great conversation about shift work, fatigue, family life and why we need to do much more to support the people who keep Australia running around the clock. Support the show ---------------------------- 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. _______________________

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  • S2 · E328
    September 27 · 18 min

    [414] - Part 1 - The Hidden Cost of NOT Educating Your Shift Workers?

    Text me what you thought of the show 😊 What does it cost an organisation to educate its shift-working workforce? That's an easy number to see. It appears on a proposal, gets allocated to a budget and requires someone to approve it. But there's another number that's much harder to see: what does it cost NOT to educate your shift workers? In this episode, I explore the hidden organisational cost of leaving employees to navigate the biological demands of shift work largely through trial and error. From fatigue and presenteeism to unplanned absence, overtime, backfill, retention, operational performance and workforce risk, the cost doesn't necessarily disappear because an organisation chooses not to invest in education. It may simply show up somewhere else. I also explain why workforce education should be the beginning rather than the end — and why A Healthy Shift developed the Shift Work Champions™ Enterprise Framework to help organisations build sustainable internal shift work capability. Learn more about Shift Work Champions™ and download the updated Executive Brief using the link below. Support the show ---------------------------- 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. _______________________

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  • S2 · E327
    September 24 · 12 min

    [413] - Can You Actually Adapt to Night Shift?

    Text me what you thought of the show 😊 Can You Actually Adapt to Night Shift? “I’ve been doing night shift for years. My body is used to it.” But does feeling comfortable working nights mean your biology has actually adapted? In this episode, I explore the important difference between becoming experienced at working night shift and true circadian adaptation. He explains why our internal body clock doesn’t automatically adjust to a roster, why daylight and days off can make complete adaptation difficult, and why even permanent night workers may still experience circadian disruption. The goal isn’t to fear night shift or believe there’s nothing you can do. It’s to better understand your biology so you can make more informed decisions around sleep, light exposure, movement, nutrient timing and recovery. It doesn’t have to be this way. Support the show ---------------------------- 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. _______________________

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  • S2 · E326
    September 20 · 14 min

    [412] - The First Day Off After Night Shift — What Should You Actually Do

    Text me what you thought of the show 😊 The First Day Off After Night Shift — What Should You Actually Do? You’ve finished your final night shift and now you need to transition back to days. So, what’s the best way to approach that first day off? In this episode, I explain why the sleep after your final night shift may need to serve a different purpose from the sleep between consecutive nights. He explores recovery sleep, daylight, movement and meal timing, and how each can help support the transition back towards a daytime routine. Most importantly, this isn’t about following a perfect formula. It’s about understanding what you’re trying to achieve, prioritising safety and recovery, and finding a strategy that works with your roster and your life. It doesn’t have to be this way. Support the show ---------------------------- 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. _______________________

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  • S2 · E325
    September 17 · 19 min

    [411] - Nobody Taught You How to Work Shifts — And Thats the Problem

    Text me what you thought of the show 😊 Nobody Taught You How to Work Shifts — And That’s the Problem Shift workers are trained to do their jobs, but how many are actually taught how to work shifts? In this episode, I explore one of the biggest gaps in 24/7 workplaces: understanding the biological reality of working when the body expects to sleep and trying to recover when the rest of the world is awake. Drawing on more than 40 years of frontline shift work, I discuss why generic health advice often fails shift workers, the importance of understanding sleep, daylight, movement and nutrient timing, and why different rosters require different strategies. Because good shift work education shouldn’t just give people rules. It should help them understand why, so they can make better decisions around the roster and life they actually live. It doesn’t have to be this way. Support the show ---------------------------- 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. _______________________

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  • S2 · E324
    September 13 · 28 min

    [410] - Eating Jet Lag: What Changing Meal Times Could Be Doing to Your Health

    Text me what you thought of the show 😊 Night shift doesn’t only disrupt when you sleep. It can completely change when you eat. One day you’re eating dinner at six in the evening. The next, you’re having a main meal at two in the morning, eating breakfast after work and then trying to return to daytime meals on your days off. Researchers call this “eating jet lag”: the difference between the timing of your eating window on workdays and days off. In this episode, I examine a new study involving more than 104,000 adults. Among the male participants, each additional hour of eating jet lag was associated with a 14% higher risk of cardiovascular disease and a 21% higher risk of coronary heart disease. No significant association was detected among women. This was an observational study and it was not conducted specifically in shift workers, so it cannot prove that changing meal times causes cardiovascular disease. But it raises an important question for anyone whose roster repeatedly shifts their eating across the day and night. I also discuss a 2025 randomised laboratory trial examining daytime-only eating during simulated night work. The study found that people who ate across the day and night experienced changes in several cardiovascular risk markers. These changes were not seen in the daytime-eating group. The trial was small and involved healthy people who were not actual shift workers. It does not prove that every night worker should fast throughout their shift. However, it adds controlled evidence that meal timing can influence how the cardiovascular system responds to circadian disruption. In this episode, I cover: What eating jet lag means Why shift workers may experience large changes in meal timing How food helps regulate clocks throughout the body What the latest cardiovascular research found The important limitations of both studies Why overnight grazing can extend your eating window How to create more consistent meal-timing anchors Why workplaces share responsibility for supporting healthier eating patterns The aim is not to create a perfect eating schedule. It is to understand your current pattern and reduce unnecessary changes where your roster and personal circumstances allow. Start by recording the times of your first and last calories across several shifts and days off. That includes meals, snacks, energy drinks, soft drinks and milk or sugar added to coffee. Your roster may force you to work against your biological clock. But with some planning, it does not have to control every part of when you eat as well. If this episode helps, share it with a colleague who works nights. Learn more about evidence-based shift work education, coaching and workplace programs at A Healthy Shift. Scientific references Le Folcalvez, X., Obeid, E., Palomar-Cros, A., et al. (2026). Eating jetlag based on meal timing discrepancies and risk of cardiovascular disease using the prospective cohort NutriNet-Santé. Communications Medicine, 6, 453. Chellappa, S. L., Gao, L., Qian, J., et al. (2025). Daytime eating during simulated night work mitigates changes in cardiovascular risk factors: Secondary analyses of a randomized controlled trial. Nature Communications, 16, 3186. Support the show ---------------------------- 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. _______________________

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  • S2 · E323
    September 10 · 20 min

    [409] - Is Night Shift Bad for Your Health?

    Text me what you thought of the show 😊 Is night shift bad for your health? The research linking night shift work with circadian disruption, poor sleep, metabolic dysfunction and increased long-term health risks gives us good reason to take the question seriously. But there’s an important part of the night shift conversation that often gets missed. In this episode of A Healthy Shift, I look at two issues every night shift worker should understand. First, feeling good on permanent night shift does not necessarily mean your body has biologically adapted to working at night. Research examining permanent night workers found that complete adjustment of the circadian melatonin rhythm was rare. You can become very good at functioning on night shift without becoming fully circadianly aligned to it. Second, what happens when we actually teach shift workers how to work with their biology? Shift workers are trained extensively to do their jobs, but very few are properly taught how to manage sleep after night shift, light exposure, caffeine timing, meal timing, movement and recovery around a 24/7 roster. That distinction matters. Night shift creates a biological challenge. But that doesn't mean every additional behaviour that makes night shift harder is unavoidable. In this episode, I discuss circadian misalignment and permanent night shift, why feeling adapted isn't necessarily biological adaptation, what night shift research can and cannot tell us, and how sleep, daylight, artificial light at night, caffeine, movement and nutrient timing can influence the experience of working nights. Most importantly, this isn't about pretending we can make night shift biologically harmless. It's about bridging the gap between circadian science and the reality of the person working at 3am. Because millions of nurses, police officers, paramedics, emergency service workers, factory workers, miners, transport workers and other 24/7 employees can't simply stop working nights. They deserve more than being told, “Night shift is bad for you.” They deserve to be taught how to do it better. Support the show ---------------------------- 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. _______________________

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  • S2 · E322
    September 6 · 22 min

    [408] - You Don't Have to Feel Stressed to Be Stressed

    Text me what you thought of the show 😊 What if some of the biggest stressors in your life don’t actually feel like stress? For shift workers, stress isn’t only a difficult boss, a busy shift, financial pressure or feeling overwhelmed. Your body can be dealing with physiological stress even when you feel perfectly fine. In this episode of A Healthy Shift, I look at the stress we often don’t recognise. Working through the biological night. Circadian misalignment. Artificial light at night. Scrolling on your phone when your body is expecting darkness. Poor or mistimed sleep. Eating at times your metabolism isn’t expecting food. And the metabolic consequences that can develop over time. I also explore visceral fat and why the conversation about weight needs to go beyond appearance. Excess visceral adipose tissue is biologically active and is associated with inflammation, insulin resistance and increased cardiometabolic risk. But not all hidden stress is biological. What happens when the way you’re living no longer reflects what you say matters to you? When your limited time away from shift work is being spent on obligations, relationships or priorities that don’t align with your personal values? In this episode: Why feeling relaxed doesn’t necessarily mean your body isn’t under physiological strain How shift work can create circadian misalignment Why artificial light at night matters How daylight helps anchor the circadian system The relationship between sleep, metabolic health and shift work Why visceral fat is about more than body size or appearance How our relationships, priorities and personal values can contribute to stress Why some shift work stress becomes so normal that we stop noticing it Practical areas where you can reduce unnecessary load without trying to eliminate stress altogether The question to take away from this episode isn’t simply: “Do I feel stressed?” It’s: “What is my body having to deal with?” Because when something has become normal, that doesn’t necessarily mean it has become biologically harmless. It doesn’t have to be this way. Support the show ---------------------------- 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. _______________________

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  • S2 · E321
    September 3 · 16 min

    [407] - Stop Replacing Shift Workers. Start Asking Why They're Leaving.

    Text me what you thought of the show 😊 Stop Replacing Shift Workers. Start Asking Why They're Leaving. If your organisation is constantly recruiting shift workers to replace the people who are leaving, there may be another question worth asking: Why are they leaving in the first place? Staff turnover in 24/7 workplaces can have many causes, including leadership, pay, career opportunities, workload, workplace culture and personal circumstances. But there is another factor leaders should consider. How much is the experience of living around shift work contributing to good people eventually saying, "I can't keep doing this"? In this episode of A Healthy Shift, I draw on more than 40 years of frontline shift work to explore the connection between shift work, chronic fatigue, work-life balance and employee retention. Sometimes people don't leave because they hate their profession. They leave because they're exhausted by the life that has developed around it. Poor sleep becomes normal. Days off become recovery days. Exercise disappears. Relationships become harder to maintain. Friends stop seeing each other. Family time suffers. And eventually a worker who once loved their job starts questioning whether they can continue living this way. For organisations struggling with staff turnover, unplanned leave, fatigue and morale, recruitment is only one side of the equation. Retention requires asking what is happening to the people you already have. I explain why helping shift workers understand sleep, daylight, movement, nutrient timing and fatigue management can give them greater control over life around their roster. And importantly, the goal isn't simply to make people better at working. It's to help shift workers have more energy to do the things they love outside work. Because when shift workers have more energy outside their shift-working life, they're in a better position to thrive within it. This final episode in the four-part Shift Work Champions™ series also brings together the Enterprise Framework: workforce education as the foundation, followed by developing Shift Work Champions™ to help build sustainable internal shift work capability. Shift Work Champions™ won't solve every cause of employee turnover. But if the experience of working shifts is contributing to good people struggling or considering leaving, it's a factor worth addressing. In this episode Why constantly recruiting doesn't necessarily solve a retention problem The difference between leaving a profession and leaving the life surrounding shift work How chronic fatigue can affect life outside work Why days off can gradually become recovery days The relationship between shift work education and sustainable work-life balance Why generic 9-to-5 health advice often doesn't fit 24/7 workers The role of sleep, daylight, movement and nutrient timing Why "Control the Controllable" matters for shift workers Moving workplace wellbeing from reactive support towards preventative education How Shift Work Champions™ builds internal shift work capability Why employee retention has to consider the human being behind the turnover statistic If you're a CEO, operational leader, People & Culture leader, HR professional or wellbeing manager dealing with staff turnover in a 24/7 workforce, ask yourself: How much of our retention problem is connected to the way our people are experiencing life around shift work? Learn more about Shift Work Champions™ and the Enterprise Framework below "Because it doesn't have to be this way." Support the show ---------------------------- 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. _______________________

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  • S2 · E320
    August 30 · 40 min

    [406]- Your host on Radio 3AW (w/special guest Antony - Runway Pickleball) - Talk Back Radio 31-08-2026

    Text me what you thought of the show 😊 I join Tony McManus on 3AW’s Australia Overnight for a lively conversation about the “pub test,” government spending, Victoria’s debt and the pressure facing police, nurses, paramedics and teachers. We also bring the conversation back to shift work health, including a practical overnight food option that can provide protein without a heavy meal. Then we speak with Antony from Runway Pickleball about why pickleball is growing so quickly in Australia. We discuss how easy it is to learn and how it can help shift workers and first responders stay active, have fun and build social connection outside work. REGISTER YOUR INTEREST FOR OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES PICKLEBALL https://link.systemisedtoscale.com/widget/form/uAiPmaNrpwP4I3V5hYDF You can find Runway Pickleball at runwaypickleball.playbypoint.com/ Runway Pickleball - 8 Sabre Ct, Tullamarine VIC 3043 To learn more about my evidence-based support for shift workers and Shift Work Champions™ framework, visit ahealthyshift.com Support the show ---------------------------- 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. _______________________

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  • S2 · E319
    August 30 · 16 min

    [405] - What If Your Shift Work Expert Was Already on Shift?

    Text me what you thought of the show 😊 What If Your Shift Work Expert Was Already on Shift? Who does a shift worker turn to at 2am when they're exhausted, struggling with night shift and wondering how much longer they can keep doing it? Usually, it's the person working beside them. That conversation might contain years of experience. But it can also contain outdated advice, workplace myths or the familiar response: "That's night shift. You'll get used to it." What if that conversation could be different? In this episode of A Healthy Shift, I explain the thinking behind Shift Work Champions™ and why building internal shift work capability could change the way 24/7 organisations support their people. Following more than 40 years of frontline shift work, I understand that the people employees already trust are often working right beside them. They know the roster, the workplace, the pressures, the culture and what actually happens at 2am. Shift Work Champions™ builds on that existing trust by developing selected employees with deeper shift work education, clear boundaries, practical resources and ongoing support. They aren't doctors, psychologists, nutritionists or workplace health police. And they're not there to replace existing health, safety or wellbeing services. They're educated peers who can help keep good shift work conversations alive after the initial workforce training has finished. This episode explores the difference between bringing expertise into an organisation and building capability within it. I explain why workforce education provides the foundation, while Shift Work Champions™ can help reinforce that knowledge on shift, in the workplace and in real time. Because if all your shift work knowledge disappears when the external educator walks out the door, what happens next? In this episode What a Shift Work Champion™ actually is What a Champion is not Why shift workers often turn to trusted colleagues for advice The difference between external expertise and internal capability Why lived workplace context matters How Champions reinforce shift work education The importance of scope, boundaries and appropriate referral Why selecting the right Champions isn't simply about choosing the "healthiest" employees How internal capability can help education survive staff turnover Why Champions need development and ongoing support How everyday conversations can influence workplace culture Why the goal is capability rather than dependency on an external provider If you're responsible for employee wellbeing, fatigue management, People & Culture, HR or a 24/7 operational workforce, consider one question: Who are the people your workers already trust? Your future Shift Work Champions™ may already be on shift. Learn more about Shift Work Champions™ and the Enterprise Framework through the link in the show notes. Because it doesn't have to be this way. Support the show ---------------------------- 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. _______________________

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  • S2 · E318
    August 27 · 16 min

    [404] - Your Shift Workers Don't Need More Motivation. They Need Understanding.

    Text me what you thought of the show 😊 Your Shift Workers Don't Need More Motivation. They Need Understanding. Are your shift workers really unmotivated, or have they simply never been taught how to work shifts properly? Many 24/7 organisations invest in employee wellbeing, fatigue management and health education, yet still struggle with chronic fatigue, unplanned leave, poor morale and staff turnover. The problem may not be motivation. In this episode of A Healthy Shift, I challenge the idea that exhausted shift workers simply need more discipline, better habits or another wellbeing initiative. After more than 40 years of frontline 24/7 shift work, I have seen how often people are placed onto night shifts, rotating rosters and long shifts without ever being taught how those working hours affect their biology. We train people to do their jobs. But who teaches them how to build a healthy life around the hours they're required to work? I explain why understanding must come before behaviour change, why generic 9-to-5 health advice often fails shift workers, and why overwhelming already-fatigued employees with more tasks can make the problem worse. I also introduce the four biological signals at the foundation of A Healthy Shift: sleep, daylight, movement and nutrient timing, and explain why simple education around these areas can give shift workers greater control over the things they can actually influence. The episode also explores an important principle for both workers and organisations: Education enables responsibility. An employer can't go home with a worker and make them sleep, exercise or prepare their meals. But expecting people to successfully manage the biological challenges of 24/7 work without first educating them is a very different matter. This is where Shift Work Champions™ builds on workforce education by helping organisations develop internal shift work capability, keeping practical, evidence-based conversations alive on shift and in real time. If you're responsible for a 24/7 workforce and you're dealing with fatigue, burnout, unplanned leave, staff turnover or employees struggling with their roster, perhaps the question isn't: "How do we motivate our people?" Perhaps it's: "Have we ever properly taught them how to work shifts?" Learn more about Shift Work Champions™ and the Enterprise Framework through the link in the show notes. Because it doesn't have to be this way. In this episode Why motivation isn't necessarily the problem in fatigued workforces Why shift workers need understanding before behaviour change The problem with applying generic 9-to-5 health advice to 24/7 workers Why explaining the "why" makes practical strategies easier to implement Sleep, daylight, movement and nutrient timing as biological signals Why A Healthy Shift teaches "Control the Controllable" The difference between individual and organisational responsibility Why education enables responsibility How Shift Work Champions™ can reinforce education inside the workplace Building internal shift work capability rather than relying on one-off wellbeing initiatives Support the show ---------------------------- 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. _______________________

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  • S2 · E317
    August 23 · 14 min

    [403] - Why One-Off Shift Work Training Isn't Enough for 24/7 Workforces

    Text me what you thought of the show 😊 Why One-Off Shift Work Training Isn't Enough for 24/7 Workforces What happens after your workplace shift work training ends? A seminar can create awareness. It can give shift workers those important lightbulb moments where they finally understand why they struggle with sleep, fatigue, nutrition, recovery and life around a 24/7 roster. But what happens three weeks later? Three months later? Or when a new employee starts six months later? In this episode of A Healthy Shift, I explore why one-off shift work training should be the beginning of an organisation's strategy, not the end. After more than 40 years of frontline 24/7 shift work, I believe most shift workers aren't lacking motivation. They've simply never been properly educated about how working outside conventional hours affects their biology or what they can practically do about it. I discuss the difference between providing information and building internal shift work capability, why education enables individual responsibility, and why expecting chronically fatigued workers to remember and implement everything from a single wellbeing session is unrealistic. I also explain the thinking behind Shift Work Champions™: educating the broader workforce, then developing people within the organisation who can help keep those conversations alive on shift, in the workplace and in real time. If your organisation is dealing with shift worker fatigue, high staff turnover, unplanned leave, poor morale or a workforce struggling with the demands of 24/7 work, this episode asks an important question: What happens after the training? Learn more about Shift Work Champions™ and the Enterprise Framework through the link in the show notes. Because it doesn't have to be this way. In this episode Why one-off shift work training has limitations Why most shift workers were never taught how to work shifts The difference between workforce education and internal capability Why fatigue isn't simply a motivation problem Why education enables responsibility What Shift Work Champions™ are, and what they are not How organisations can keep shift work education alive after the educator leaves Why sustainable shift work support needs to extend beyond another wellbeing presentation Support the show ---------------------------- 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. _______________________

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  • S2 · E316
    August 20 · 25 min

    [402] - Creatine for Night Shift Workers: Could It Help When You’re Sleep Deprived?

    Text me what you thought of the show 😊 Creatine for Night Shift Workers: Could It Help When You’re Sleep Deprived? Could creatine monohydrate help night-shift workers maintain cognitive performance when they’re tired and sleep-deprived? Creatine is best known for its role in strength, muscle and exercise performance. But a growing area of research is examining something very different: creatine, the brain, and sleep deprivation. And this could have implications for people who work through the night. In this episode of A Healthy Shift, I look at new research investigating whether creatine supplementation can reduce some of the decline in cognitive performance that occurs during sleep deprivation. A 2026 randomised, double-blind crossover study put healthy adults through 21 hours of sleep deprivation and found that a single dose of creatine monohydrate reduced deterioration in several measures of cognitive performance. But does that mean shift workers should start taking creatine before night shift? Not so fast. I break down what the research actually shows, where the evidence is still lacking and why we cannot assume that results from experimentally sleep-deprived healthy adults will automatically apply to nurses, paramedics, police, emergency services, transport workers and others working night shift. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why creatine isn't just about muscle and exercise performance • The role of creatine and phosphocreatine in cellular energy availability • What happens to cognitive performance during sleep deprivation • What the new 2026 creatine and sleep deprivation study found • Why earlier research from 2006 and 2024 also matters • Why creatine may become more interesting when the brain is under metabolic stress • What the research could mean for night shift workers • Why the current evidence does NOT prove creatine improves night shift performance • The difference between experimental creatine doses and typical daily supplementation • Why creatine should never be viewed as a replacement for sleep • What research we still need specifically in real-world shift workers The evidence around creatine and sleep deprivation is promising, but it remains preliminary. A 2026 systematic review identified only five eligible studies examining creatine supplementation during acute sleep deprivation. While the overall findings were favourable, researchers concluded that more high-quality research is needed. For shift workers, the question is an important one. Could creatine monohydrate eventually become another tool for supporting cognitive performance when the sleep-deprived brain is being asked to perform during the biological night? We don't have a definitive answer yet. But it's a question worth investigating. Listen to the full episode for an evidence-based look at creatine, night shift, sleep deprivation, fatigue and cognitive performance without getting ahead of the science. Scientific references and further reading are available with the accompanying blog at ahealthyshift.com Support the show ---------------------------- 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. _______________________

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  • S2 · E315
    August 17 · 35 min

    [401]- Your host on Radio 3AW - Talk Back Radio 17-08-2026

    Text me what you thought of the show 😊 Night Shift Health: Blood Tests, Nutrition, Creatine & the Best Diet for Shift Workers What should shift workers be doing to protect their health when working nights, rotating rosters and irregular hours? In this episode of A Healthy Shift | Shift Work Podcast, I join Tony McManus on 3AW Australia Overnight to answer real questions from people working around the clock. I explain why regular health checks and blood tests are worth discussing with your doctor, particularly when ongoing fatigue can easily be dismissed as “just shift work.” The conversation covers markers and issues including blood glucose, HbA1c, vitamin D, iron, thyroid function and the importance of establishing your own health baseline. We tackle one of the biggest questions shift workers ask: what is the best diet for night shift? Rather than another restrictive fad diet, I discuss why a sustainable way of eating matters, the evidence supporting a Mediterranean-style eating pattern, and why food timing becomes particularly important when working through the biological night. The discussion also explores why daylight is such an important biological signal, how our modern indoor lifestyle can work against our circadian rhythm, and why I describe getting your exposure to light and darkness right as your “light diet.” Plus, listeners call in with their own experiences of night shift, rotating rosters, early starts, nutrition and fatigue. I discuss creatine monohydrate and the growing interest in its potential role beyond the gym, including cognition during periods of sleep deprivation. In this episode: Why shift workers should consider regular health checks and blood tests Why feeling tired shouldn't automatically be blamed on shift work Blood glucose, HbA1c and metabolic health Vitamin D, iron and thyroid considerations Why eating at 2am is biologically different from eating at 2pm Night shift snacking and food availability The best sustainable diet for shift workers Mediterranean-style eating Why daylight matters to circadian health My “light diet” Creatine monohydrate, fatigue and cognition Sleep, sleep apnoea and other reasons shift workers may struggle Practical lessons from long-term shift workers who call the show Whether you work permanent night shift, rotating shifts, early mornings or irregular hours, this episode is about understanding what your body is dealing with and making practical decisions that fit the life you actually live. Support the show ---------------------------- 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. _______________________

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