Category Archives: HSW

The Healthy Shift Worker

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HSW 99 – Shift Scheduling and Chronotypes with Michael Wieden.

This week we’re heading all the way to Germany to chat with Michael Wieden, the founder of Aliamos, a company that works with organisations to improve the health and well-being of employees by taking into consideration the unique biological rhythms of individuals.

Things we discuss:

1. What is chronobiology, and why is it important for shift workers to understand its significance?
2. What are chronotypes and how do they influence our ability to work specific shifts?
3. How incorporating plant-based food options into workplace canteens is improving the health of employees.
4. Why the mindset of the employer is key in rolling out successful health and wellbeing programs.

Links mentioned on the podcast:
Michael’s website – http://www.wieden.com/ and https://www.aliamos.de/
Michael’s email – wieden@aliamos.de
Michael’s Instagram account – liquidworker

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How To Work Shift Work and Minimise Digestive Distress.

When it comes to health complaints amongst shift workers, one of the most common things that I hear from my clients is digestive discomfort.  This can come in the form of constipation, bloating or various other irritable bowel type symptoms.

Now to be honest, there could be a myriad of reasons as to why you may be experiencing digestive distress, but today I want to talk about one strategy that’s  … well, often overlooked if you work 24/7 – yet it can make a MASSIVE difference to how your gut feels and functions.

And if comes down to asking yourself “when (and how often) am I eating?”

Because when we work 24/7, we tend to eat 24/7 which can set us up for a whole world of pain – in a number of ways!

In other words, although we may be awake at 2am (well I use the term “awake” loosely here!), it doesn’t mean we should be eating at 2am, because of our innate biological rhythms as a human being.

I’ll use an analogy to help explain what I mean.

(more…)
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HSW 97: Becoming a Healthy Shift Worker with Roger Sutherland.

A healthy shift worker – myth or a reality?

In today’s episode, we discuss this exact topic with Roger Sutherland who has been a police officer for over 35 years, and is part of an emergency services family with a son, daughter and partner who also work 24/7.

Some of the things that we discuss include:

  1. Roger’s heart-warming story of how he wanted to become a police officer since he was 2-years old.
  2. Some of the health struggles he faced later in his career including being crippled in pain from Sacroiliitis, and what he did to overcome it.
  3. How years of poor dietary choices, sedentary behaviour and undervaluing his sleep would have been a contributing factor in the development of his poor health and chronic pain.
  4. What made the most significant change in his health when he began to prioritise it?
  5. What is LISS training, and how it has helped him to incorporate exercise and movement into his lifestyle, without adding additional stress to his body – especially when on the night shift.
  6. How a shift in mindset played a pivotal role in helping him to transition from being an unhealthy shift worker, to one that is now healthy.

Links mentioned on the podcast:

Roger’s Instagram Account – https://www.instagram.com/roger_suth/
Roger’s A Healthy Shift Instagram Account – https://www.instagram.com/a_healthy_shift/
The Oura Ring – https://ouraring.com/

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HSW 96: Veterinarian Wellness with Dr Nadine Hamilton.

This week we’re chatting with Dr Nadine Hamilton, a psychologist, author and leading authority in veterinary wellbeing based on the Gold Coast.  She is the owner of Positive Psych Solutions, a boutique psychology practise that specialises in supporting the health and wellbeing of veterinary and wildlife professionals, and author of the best-selling book “Coping with Stress and Burnout as a Veterinarian”. 

Nadine’s passion for the industry led her to set up Love Your Pet Love Your Vet – a registered charity designed to raise awareness about the issues within the veterinary industry.

I absolutely loved talking with Nadine in this episode – she has an absolute heart of gold and her devotion to this industry is nothing short of inspiring!

Some of the things we talk about include:

  1. Why there’s such a high incidence of burnout and suicide in the veterinarian industry.
  2. The 5 biggest driving factors contributing to these statistics based on Nadine’s doctoral research.
  3. What can be done to reduce these high suicide rates?
  4. What led Nadine to set up the charity Love Your Pet, Love Your Vet.
  5. Nadine’s Top 3 tips for coping with some of the emotional trauma currently surrounding Australia’s unprecedented bushfires.
  6. Details on a wellbeing conference coming up on March 21-22 in beautiful Kingscliff, NSW, specifically for veterinary professionals.

Links mentioned on the podcast:

Positive Psych Solutions

Love Your Pet, Love Your Vet

Reach Out Wellbeing Conference in Kingscliff, NSW:  21-22 March 2020

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HSW 94 – Project Sunrise and Jet Lag with Dr Sun Bin.

Today we’re talking all things jet-lag with Dr Sun Bin from the University of Sydney who is an epidemiologist and public health researcher, who has a particular interest in sleep and circadian rhythms.

Dr Sun Bin and her team are currently working on a research project with Australia’s largest airline, Qantas, called “Project Sunrise” to ascertain the feasibility of running non-stop 19-20 hour commercial flights from the east coast of Australia, to London and New York, with a special focus around passenger and crew well-being.

What you’re going to learn:

– What is Project Sunrise, and some of the aims of the research?
– What scientists are specifically monitoring throughout the flights, as part of the research.
– Why passengers are being encouraged not to eat during the biological night, to help reduce digestive discomfort.
– Some of the results and findings so far, along with future research plans.

Links mentioned on the podcast:

Australian Parliamentary Inquiry into Sleep Health Awareness

Stair walking is more energizing than low dose caffeine in sleep-deprived young women.

Dr Bin’s work and research

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