Tag Archives: shift work sleep disorder

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Do You Struggle With Broken Sleep? Why Your Diet May Be To Blame.

Ditching the processed foods not only help us to feel better (and shake off a few extra kilos!), but it also helps us to sleep better.

This is because most processed foods are:

  • Low in dietary fibre required to support optimal gut health. Poor gut health impacts the production of certain hormones and inhibitory neurotransmitters such as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glycine, which help to calm the nervous system and encourage better sleep. Lack of GABA also contributes to anxiety in a lot of people, which can make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep.
  • High in refined sugars which feed pathogenic bacteria leading to an imbalance of gut microbes, otherwise known as dysbiosis. For example, when there is an overgrowth of a yeast infection such as Candida, it causes inflammation in the gut. This in turn triggers production of cortisol – a stress hormone that also acts as an anti-inflammatory. When cortisol levels are elevated, it can contribute to insomnia because it dampens down production of the sleep-regulating hormone, melatonin.
  • Deficient in nutrients that play a role in sleep such as vitamins B1, B3, B5, B6, folate, magnesium, zinc, iron and calcium – all of which help to facilitate the many biochemical processes required to produce melatonin. For example, magnesium, calcium and vitamin B5 act as co-factors in the conversion of serotonin to melatonin.

So if you’re struggling with continual bouts of broken sleep (on top of working shift work), it might be time to take a good look at your diet. Because gut disturbances and nutrient deficiencies as a result of consuming foods that are highly refined and processed may be further contributing to your sleep disturbance – in addition to the shift work itself.

Audra x


References:

Ji, X, Grandner, M & Liu, J 2017, ‘The relationship between micronutrient status and sleep patterns: a systematic review’, Public Health Nutrition, vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 687-701.

Li, Y, Hao, Y, Fan, F & Zhang, B 2018, ‘The role of microbiome in insomnia, circadian disturbance and depression’, Frontiers in Psychiatry, vol.9, no. 669, pp. 1-11.

Smith, R, Easson, C, Lyle, S, Kapoor, R, Donnelly, C, Davidson, E, Parikh, E, Lopez, J & Tartar, J 2019, Gut microbiome diversity is associated with sleep physiology in humans’, PLOS One, vol. 14, no. 10, pp. 1-17.

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Sleep Deprivation And Headaches: Why A Subaru And An Audi Should Never Cross Paths!

If you’re shift worker who suffers from sleep deprivation then I certainly feel for you. Because not only is sleep deprivation incredibly hard to manage but it can also leave you feeling tired, unmotivated and physically exhausted.

But what if you suffer from sleep deprivation because you work shift work, and you suffer from headaches as well?

It’s kind of like a double whammy isn’t it?

Well I must admit that I’ve always been fairly lucky – rarely suffering from headaches despite many years of sleep deprivation. However all that changed last week when I drove my Subaru Impreza home from work and became involved in a car accident.

It was a case of the Subaru crossing paths with an Audi – which was never going to be pretty.

I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when a young driver decided to drive down a one-way street – the wrong way! As he ploughed right in front of my path I had just seconds to react and slam on the breaks to avoid impact – unfortunately without success. But we can be grateful as we both managed to walk away fairly unscathed apart from minor burns to my arms, and the odd scratch and jolt to our neck and shoulders.

Alas I can’t same the same for my beloved ‘Suby Subaru’. Between the air bags going off and the damage to the front of the car – Suby had to be written off by my insurers.

So you might well be asking – what has this got to do with sleep deprivation and headaches, and why am I sharing this story with you? Well it’s not to feel sorry for me or my car (although you can if you like), but as someone who rarely suffers from headaches – I had the unfortunate pleasure of experiencing the double whammy.

That is, sleep deprivation AND headaches both at the same time which left me utterly shattered.

My head was left spinning and replaying the events that happened just a few hours earlier, leaving me with little sleep that night.

And this really got me thinking. How do people who suffer from sleep deprivation manage to get sleep when they are enduring a painful headache as well?

Try these 4 simple steps:

1. Drink a large Glass of Water. Dehydration is one of the most common causes of headaches so a glass of pure fresh spring water should help relieve some of the pain.

2. Massage. Massages help relieve any stress and tension – particularly when applied to your head, along with your face and neck because it helps eradicate headache pain.

3. Aromatherapy. This really does work. Sandalwood, peppermint, eucalyptus, lavender, and a wide assortment of other natural oils can be used to reduce, if not completely eliminate pain. These scents can be found in oils, candles, and even soaps.

4. Take a Hot Shower. Stand in the shower and allow the hot water to cascade down your neck and back. This should loosen your muscles and allow for better blood flow which will certainly help reduce the pain.

5. Rest. Sometimes a headache is just your body telling you that you’re overworked and way too stressed. Give yourself permission to lie down in a dark room, shut your eyes, and just relax for awhile.

So the next time you’re experiencing sleep deprivation and headaches, try one of the simple and easy tips that I’ve just mentioned above. The good news is that when you begin to eliminate the pain, your chances of having a good night’s sleep should vastly improve – and that has got to be really good news if you work shift work!

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Sleep Deprivation: Why Getting 5 Hours or Less Sleep A Night Is Just Like Being Drunk!

As shift workers we’ve heard it all before – in order to feel healthier and have more energy, we must get more sleep.

But when you work crazy and irregular hours like we do, it’s certainly not an easy thing to do.

However in my quest to help you to become a much healthier and happier shift worker – I want to make sure that you fully understand just how important sleep is.

You see according to research, most adults need between 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night.

But what exactly does “need” mean?

Consider this:

If you’ve been awake for 17 hours straight, then your performance is equivalent to that of someone who has a blood alcohol-level of 0.05%?

Now that’s the legal blood alcohol limit for driving in many countries around the world!

So, getting 5 hours or less sleep a night (as many of us do far too often) – is just like being drunk.

Need more proof on how sleep can save your life?

Studies in Canada revealed that when clocks were put back at the start of daylight savings – there was a dramatic fall in the number of road accidents.

Pretty scary isn’t it?

So whatever you do – don’t make your sleep deprivation worse by running on little sleep day after day, week after week, year after year.

Stop and take stock of your sleeping habits right now.

Allowing your bodies to get at least 7 hours a sleep a night on a consistant basis is a BIG ask for anybody – and especially so if you’re a shift worker.

But even if can just manage to do it a couple of times a week – then it’s certainly better than not being able to do it at all.

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Can't Sleep Through The Night? A Shift Worker's Biggest Mistake!

If you’re a shift worker who is struggling to sleep through the night, then you’re probably walking around in a zombie like state of extreme exhaustion.

Of course there are many reasons why this may be so, but have you ever looked closely at your eating habits?

Because if you can’t sleep through the night, a shift worker’s biggest mistake can often be from consuming an excessively large meal before going to bed.

Eating a big meal is going to interfere with your sleeping mechanisms as a large meal requires a lot of energy for it to be digested properly.

In fact the absorption of possible stimulating agents in the diet plus the release of hormones in the intestines after the heavy meal can keep you awake for the greater part of the night. It can also alter the quality of the sleep that you have which is certainly not good news if you’re a sleep-deprived shift worker.

Some shift workers may even experience vivid dreams following a heavy meal at bedtime and are more likely to wake up feeling hung over and heavy.

So if you can’t sleep through the night, the best solution is to eat a very light snack of salad as the last meal of the day.

If you feel you must have something before going to bed try:

1. A glass of water
2. A vegetable juice or
3. A herbal tea

As any of these three drinks are probably the best and safest snack to have at this time of the day (or night) – depending on your roster.

In this way, not only are you giving your body and brain a rest, but your gastrointestinal tract is given a rest as well allowing for a more restful night’s sleep.

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Trouble Sleeping? Then Take Inventory On What Thoughts Are Going Through Your Head!

If you’re a shift worker who has trouble sleeping then there could be a myriad of reasons why this is the case, but today I’d like to discuss something that one of my subscribers recommended.

Now I don’t ordinarily ‘name names’ (so-to-speak), but I will tell you that ‘Eric’ replied to my one my ‘Healthy Shift Worker’ email tips, and shared with me what he does to help reduce his stress and get a good night’s sleep.

So, what was Eric’s recommendation?

To close the door to your bedroom and take a few deep breathes and think about all of the things that your hard work goes toward.

For example time with the family, vacations, hobbies, and anything else that makes you smile and enjoy life, because not only will this help you fall asleep – but it will help you to fall asleep on a good note.

Sometimes when we go to bed at night (or day) – depending on your shift schedule, it can be VERY HARD to get to sleep because our brains are working overtime. They can be buzzing with all of the things that happened at work that day, making it near impossible to fall asleep.

So I would like to ask each and every one of you who is reading this article right now, to take a leaf out of Eric’s book and be grateful and thankful for your shift working job.

Because many times we question ourselves why we get up at these ridiculous times of day and go into work to a job that we may not necessarily overly enjoy.

So just take inventory and remember your ‘WHY’.

Remind yourself ‘why’ you go into work each day and why you work so hard in your shift working job, because when you do – your whole mindset and attitude towards work can change for the better.

Not to mention it also helps you to get a good night’s sleep 🙂 Thank’s for sharing Eric!