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Back to Episodes[255] - How Shift Timing Impacts Your Health - What the Science Informs Us
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Shift work disrupts our body's natural 24-hour clock (circadian rhythm), affecting metabolism, hormones, and how we process food, which increases risks of weight gain, diabetes, and heart disease.
• Insulin sensitivity drops at night, making your body less effective at handling sugar during night shifts
• Cortisol levels remain elevated during night shifts, making fat storage around the belly more likely
• Hunger hormones (leptin and ghrelin) become imbalanced, making you feel hungrier than you should
• Rotating shifts that change too quickly or rotate backwards cause even worse disruption
• Avoid eating large meals between 9pm-6am to reduce weight gain and digestive issues
• Use bright light during shifts to stay alert, but dim lights after shifts to prepare for sleep
• Develop a consistent wind-down routine after night shift
• Use blackout curtains and consider melatonin (consult your physician)
• Keep meals, sleep times and activity consistent every day, even on days off
• Forward rotating shifts (days→afternoons→nights) are better than backward rotations
• Consider creatine supplementation to support mental clarity during night shifts
For more support, join the Shift Workers Collective private online community at ahealthyshift.com.
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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 Championsâ„¢ Framework.
Shift Work Championsâ„¢: https://join.ahealthyshift.com/shift-work-capability
Website: https://ahealthyshift.com.au
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roger-sutherland
Instagram: @a_healthy_shift
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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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