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A Healthy Shift Podcast with Roger Sutherland
Welcome to A Healthy Shift, the podcast dedicated to helping shift workers and night shift workers take control of their health, well-being, and performance.
I’m Roger Sutherland, a veteran of over 40 years in shift work. I know firsthand the unique challenges that come with working irregular hours, long nights, and around-the-clock schedules. I combine my lived experience with the latest science to help shift workers and night shift workers not just get through the job, but truly thrive.
In each episode, you’ll learn practical, evidence-based strategies to improve your sleep, nutrition, movement, stress management, and overall health. Shift work and night shift don’t have to mean poor health, fatigue, and burnout. With the right knowledge and tools, you can live well and perform at your best.
If you’re working shifts or nights and want to feel better, sleep better, and take back control—this podcast is for you.
343 Episodes
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Text me what you thought of the show 😊 An edited version of my segment on 3AW Melbourne, Australia Overnight. Talking shift work and anything else that comes up along the way. We move from public trust and “cashies” to why organisations say there’s “no money” for staff wellbeing, then dig into mornings, social jet lag, and simple fixes that make Monday feel human again. Roger shares practical, low-cost tools for energy, sleep, and stress relief that anyone can try tomorrow. • everyday ethics...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 We break down why most pre-workout powders are expensive caffeine with underdosed extras, then lay out a simple, research-backed routine that suits shift work and real recovery. We explain energy balance, protein timing, caffeine dosing and sleep so you can train smarter. • the problem with proprietary blends and label padding • why energy balance drives fat loss, not powders • the only reliable acute aid being caffeine, with proper dose ranges • beta-a...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 We shine a light on the quiet creep of dysfunction in shift work and how easily poor sleep, stress, and compassion fatigue become the “new normal.” We share lived experience, biological facts, and simple steps to set boundaries, protect sleep, and feel seen. • toxic leadership and why feeling seen matters • why “common” is not “normal” in sleep, stress, and mood • slow creep from fatigue to gut issues to anhedonia • compassion fatigue explained and earl...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 I examine how performative activism, DEI optics, and the exclusion of police from community spaces erode trust while frontline workers carry the load. The focus turns to funding basics that actually help shift workers: staffing, fatigue management, mental health, and visible, competent service. • personal experience of organisational failure across policing and emergency services • how pride and DEI drift from lived reality and become staged content • w...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 We confront how discipline gets misused as a management shortcut across police, nursing, paramedicine and the military, and why that destroys trust on the floor. Roger shares personal experiences from four decades on shift to map the pattern and lay out a practical fix grounded in real leadership. • misuse of discipline as a performance tool • the cost to trust, safety and honesty • operational amnesia among managers • fatigue, staffing and training gap...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 We dig into how breath shapes stress and sleep, why weekend late nights wreck Monday, and how to reset your body clock with light and routine. Roger shares how breathwork helped him move past PTSD and offers a simple exercise drivers can use right now. • shift work coaching and Roger’s background • homemade burgers as a bridge to meal prep • acronyms and why clear language lowers stress • chronotypes and the late to early shift with age • Sunday night i...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 Stress shuts down the thinking part of the brain and pushes us into automatic reactions. In this episode, I explain how nasal breathing helps bring the prefrontal cortex back online so you can pause, reset, and respond instead of reacting. I share simple scripts you can use in arguments, cravings, and work pressure so you can shift from overwhelm to clarity in real time. What You Will Learn: What stress does to heart rate, breathing, and focusWhy the pre...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 Most fitness plans are designed for people with stable schedules, not rotating rosters. In this episode, I explain why one-size-fits-all programs collapse for shift workers and what actually works instead. I break down an evidence-based, flexible approach that fits your roster, lowers pressure, and builds real momentum through simple habits, light timing, and mindset-first coaching. This is practical, realistic support built for the way shift workers tru...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 Night shift weight gain is not about discipline. It is biology. In this episode, I explain how circadian disruption affects metabolism, why insulin resistance rises after dark, and how hormones like cortisol, leptin, and ghrelin drive cravings, hunger spikes, and fat storage when sleep is short. I draw on my decades of 24/7 policing and my work as a certified nutritionist to break this down into simple actions that fit rotating rosters. What You Will Lea...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 Feeling better on shift does not start with strict diets or perfect routines. It starts with habits that actually fit real shift work life. In this episode, I share the approach that kept me healthy through more than 40 years on rotating rosters. I explain how decision fatigue shapes your evenings, why small routines create stability no matter your schedule, and the circadian anchors that help your body recover faster, think clearer, and maintain steady ...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 We explore FIFO life through real rosters, heat, and health, then pivot to policing priorities, youth crime, and whether small rules can shift big behaviours. Practical tips on hydration, sleep, and electrolytes sit alongside a candid look at bail, parents, and community work. • FIFO rosters, site culture, and family impact • Heat stress, hydration strategies, and electrolytes • Night shift sleep anchors, caffeine timing, and light use • Policing triage...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 There is a persistent myth that officers leave because they cannot cope. In this episode, I challenge that belief and explain why it is culture, not character, that pushes good people out. I talk about what happens after the badge comes off. The silence. The loss of identity and belonging. The constant vigilance that does not simply switch off when the job ends. I also unpack why slogans and surface-level wellbeing initiatives fail, and what real leaders...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 Silence in the workplace is often mistaken for professionalism or resilience, but in my experience, it’s one of the biggest drivers of burnout, resignations, and long-term psychological harm. In this episode, I share my personal experience of reporting harassment, facing retaliation, and living through what’s known as sanctuary trauma—when systems designed to protect people end up causing more harm instead. I talk openly about what happens when policies ...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 We break down how to live inside a two days, two nights, four off roster so you feel human again. I share a practical plan for swing days, night shifts, and the first day off using light, timing, and targeted naps to reduce fatigue and protect recovery. • why the 2-2-4 roster limits circadian disruption • how to handle the swing day without wrecking nights • the difference between power naps and sleep inertia • safe caffeine use across night shifts • tw...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 We unpack why day sleep so often fails for shift workers and how to align rest with biology instead of willpower. Practical rules cover darkness, cooling, expectations, caffeine timing and a simple wind-down that sticks. • circadian misalignment makes daytime sleep lighter and shorter • abandon seven to nine hours as a day-sleeper target • plan a core sleep block plus a top-up nap • make the room pitch black and eliminate LEDs • cool the room and beddin...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 A raw look at how artificial light at night raises cancer risk for shift workers, told through the story of a veteran nurse and the science of melatonin. We share practical steps to protect circadian health at work and at home, and why workplaces must act. • known links between blue light at night and hormone‑sensitive cancers • melatonin as darkness signal, DNA repair and immune support • night work as an occupational health and safety issu...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 In this episode, I guest on 6PR Perth weekend radio with Christina Morrisey We dig into why shift work collides with human biology and how to reclaim energy, sleep, and family life with small, smart changes. Practical steps on light, meals, hydration, and boundaries make brutal rosters more livable without fancy gear or gimmicks. • costs of night shift on body and mood • eating on sun time and fasting overnight • why catching up on sleep bac...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 Creatine isn’t just for athletes. In this episode, we explore how creatine supplementation supports cellular energy, brain function, and decision-making during night shifts, long hours, stress, and sleep loss. You’ll learn how creatine helps keep ATP (cellular energy) available when sleep is short, why this matters for focus and reaction time on long shifts, and how to use creatine safely alongside good sleep, nutrition, and hydration. In this episode, w...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 A guest appearance on 3AW "Nights" with Karalee Katsambanis We share practical tips for making shift work sustainable using light, timing, movement, and breathwork. I explain how to anchor your body clock, fuel smarter, and use naps to crush fatigue without wrecking sleep. • why anchoring wake time resets energy and mood • the light diet for circadian alignment • timing meals over macro obsession • protein and fibre breakfast for satiety • the 25-minute...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 We call out the quiet signs that shift work is changing you, from short fuse to numbness, and lay out simple, science-backed steps to get you back to steady. Sleep, light, movement, food, boundaries, and connection form the plan you can start today. • Year-end reality check on frontline stress • Subtle warning signs across sleep, mood, patience • Why distraction and busyness can mask depression • The three-question self-audit to get honest • Light diet ...
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Rog is amazing! His career in the emergency services space means his podcasts not only offer practical advice but it actually stems from experiencing it! Even small changes are making a BIG difference in my life (Hydrate before you caffeinate anyone?) 👏