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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.
360 Episodes
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Text me what you thought of the show 😊 Meal prep sounds simple until you’re dealing with rotating shifts, fatigue, overtime, and missed breaks. This is where most plans fall apart. In this episode, I share a simple, flexible approach that reduces decision fatigue and makes food easier to manage—even on your hardest days. In this episode: Why meal prep becomes overwhelming on shifts Why calorie counting and strict plans fail A simple 3-step system: Decide, Shop, Pre...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 Caffeine can feel like energy for shift workers but in reality, it’s mostly masking fatigue. In this episode, we break down how caffeine really works and share simple timing rules to protect your sleep quality so you can wake up more recovered and have more energy outside of work. We cover: How caffeine blocks adenosine, so your brain can’t properly sense fatigueWhy “caffeine is using you” when your timing is offHow caffeine absorption peaks and wh...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 We talk with Roger Sutherland about what crushing debt, poor spending choices and shaky trust in leadership feel like on the front line. Then we pivot to the body, unpacking why modern “me time” often keeps us wired and how simple changes can help shift workers recover. • pressure on frontline health and emergency services and what underfunding does to morale • why “no money” arguments inflame anger and erode trust • government debt, big proj...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 "Lifing" teaches us "keep moving, keep coping, and keep distracting" ourselves until the body finally forces a pause. I share a raw story from the pool that reveals how breath, rhythm, and silence can unlock real nervous system recovery for first responders and anyone under chronic stress. • a personal moment where emotion rises without warning during a quiet swim • how CO2 tolerance training and slower breathing support stress regulation&nbs...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 Support the show ---------------------------- YOU CAN FIND ME AT Website Instagram LinkedIn Shift Work Health and Wellbeing SeminarsOne2One Coaching_____________________ 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 indire...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 Support the show ---------------------------- YOU CAN FIND ME AT Website Instagram LinkedIn Shift Work Health and Wellbeing SeminarsOne2One Coaching_____________________ 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 indire...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 Shift work can make alcohol feel like the easiest “off switch” but your biology doesn’t agree. In this episode, we unpack the Sober Curious mindset and why even “normal” drinking can disrupt your sleep, mood, metabolism, and recovery as a shift worker. We cover: The sober curious approach as a mindset, not a labelWhy shift workers often drink on autopilot after night shifts or stressful daysAlcohol as a neurotoxin and the rebound effect that fuels ...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 We dig into why Monday mornings feel so rough, and why the answer sits in your circadian rhythm rather than willpower. We also take on the daylight saving fight and ask whether locking Australia to standard time could reduce real health risks. • circadian misalignment from weekend sleep-ins and later nights • sleep anxiety and why early wake-ups spiral • building rhythm through routine and training consistency • swimming as moving meditation and breath c...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 I challenge the biggest blue light belief and explain why the real danger is not whether you nod off, but what light does to melatonin and your circadian rhythm. I break down how your eyes feed the brain’s master clock and why managing light is one of the most powerful health tools a shift worker has. • the two separate eye systems for vision and biology • how IPRGC cells send light information to the suprachiasmatic nucleus • why morning daylight anchor...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 I mark World Sleep Day 2026 by cutting through the myth that poor sleep is just part of shift work and lay out a simple plan to protect brain and metabolic health. I explain the glymphatic system, hunger hormones, and the practical gear and routines that turn rough sleep into real recovery. • why poor sleep isn’t a badge of honour • glymphatic cleanup and beta amyloid risk • insulin sensitivity, ghrelin and leptin changes • signs of true sleep quality v...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 I break down why timing beats diet for shift workers and how aligning meals to your body clock cuts cravings, supports sleep and trims your waist. We explain the science behind intermittent fasting and time-restricted eating, then give simple rules to thrive on changing rosters. • difference between intermittent fasting and time-restricted eating • why alignment to circadian rhythm matters more than long fasts • what happens when you eat at biological n...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 I share a science-backed routine to flip a wired brain into real rest, using EMDR-style bilateral audio, low-profile sleep buds, and simple breath work. We explain why exhaustion sleep is not restorative sleep and how to create a clean transition from shift to bed. • sympathetic overdrive keeps the brain scanning for threats • difference between passing out tired and restorative sleep • how bilateral audio taxes working memory and calms thoughts • using...
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 push past fear talk and culture wars to focus on what steals our best selves: chronic sleep loss, overwork, and the easy drift into a “new normal.” A retired cop, a veteran nurse, and a creator with a no-fuss meal prep method share tools that actually help. • leadership gaps and morale strain in shift-heavy workplac...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 In this episode I explore the bittersweet reality of leaving policing and other frontline roles, sharing lived experience and practical ways to reclaim health, identity and purpose. You can honour what the job gave you, let go of what harmed you, and build a life that aligns with your values. • bonds shaped by proximity not permanence • missing adrenaline but not politics and paperwork • translating high-pressure skills into new careers ...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 We unpack why most shift workers don’t have a sleep problem, they have a shutdown problem, and how a four‑minute S.L.E.E.P. routine creates a reliable off‑ramp from adrenaline to deep, restorative rest. We keep it simple, practical and repeatable so you can fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. • identifying the real issue as shutdown, not insomnia • difference between melatonin sleep and exhaustion collapse • why consistency trains the nervous sys...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 We share a simple way to fix chaotic sleep in a 24/7 life, led by coach and former police veteran Roger Sutherland. Hot showers, light exposure, breathwork, and better meal timing help shift workers sleep deeper, recover faster, and feel human again. • why sleep hygiene beats chasing eight hours • warm shower and scent cues that tell the brain to sleep • 4-7-8 breathing to calm the nervous system • treat between-shift sleep as naps, not marathons • dayl...
Text me what you thought of the show 😊 I share six essential books that help shift workers cut through diet myths, understand circadian biology, tame artificial light, refine sleep timing, and navigate hormones in midlife. The core message is rhythm: align light, food, sleep, and hormones to get energy back. • nutrition without extremes and why quick fixes fail • circadian basics from cells to daily habits • how artificial light at night disrupts melatonin and metabolism • flexible sleep anc...
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...
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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?) 👏