In today's episode I'm joined by educator, clinician, Myotherapy & Musculosketal Therapist Emerys Goldsworthy as we dive deep around the topic of the vagus nerve and it's role in regulating the nervous system.We discuss how shift workers - as a result of disrupted sleep and circadian patterns, can experience vagus nerve dysfunction which can present as a myriad of symptoms such as fatigue and gut complaints.To watch the episode on YouTube CLICK HERE. To learn more about Emrys, including...

Shift work causes havoc on our health in a number of ways, but there other factors which can play a role. In this episode, Alex Stewart from Low Tox Life discusses the impact of toxins in our food, personal care products, and environment on our hormones and health. She emphasizes the importance of making informed choices and reducing our toxic load. Alex provides practical strategies for choosing safer personal care products, reading labels, and cooking nutritious meals. She also highlights...

Did you know sunlight therapy, also referred to as heliotherapy, was used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by dermatologists and ophthalmologists as a therapy to heal many conditions? In fact, the healing properties of sunlight was even embraced in hospital settings as patients were moved outside in the sun, in lieu of being left indoors under artificial light.Hard to imagine here in Australia (and in many countries around the world), as sun is often demonised as the number one cause...

A great conversation with medical doctor, GP Registrar and decentralized health educator Dr Max Gulhane around the topic of preventative health care and why we need to be adding additional strategies to the sleep-nutrition-exercise equation when it comes to optimising our health. Having spent time working in the emergency department in hospitals around Australia, Max was able to experience first-hand the negative effects of working through the night and into the early hours of morning whilst...

In this podcast we talk to Dr Emily Manoogian, a postdoctoral researcher and chronobiologist from the Salk Institute in San Diego, California, as she shares research on how time restricted eating (TRE) improved the health of firefighters.Results from this randomised controlled trial, titled The Healthy Hero's Study, is the first of it's kind as it involved real-life shift workers in their workplace setting as opposed to being a laboratory.In this interview we discuss:- Why shift workers are...

In this episode we're talking with Sleep Researcher and PhD candidate Alexandra Shriane from the Appleton Institute at Central Queensland University on her latest research titled - 'Healthy sleep practices for shift workers:  consensus sleep hygiene guidelines using a Delphi methodology'. As a former Paramedic from the QLD Ambulance Service, Alexandra brings a personal background of shift work to her research which makes for a refreshing conversation! Published in the journal, SLEEP, her...

This interview was recorded for members of The Healthy Shift Worker Club, but is too good not to share far and wide!Chloé is a small animal vet and surgeon based in the UK where she graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in London in 2012.  She is also the founder of VetYogi – an online membership site for veterinarian professionals.In this interview with Chloé, we discuss:- What inspired her to take up yoga.- The different styles and disciplines of yoga.- How it supports the nervous...

Shift work is tough, incredibly tough.  It's why those that work outside the traditional 9-5 model are prone to developing chronic health conditions.In this episode, Dr Keshav Grover shares his personal story of working a variety of shifts in a high-stress hospital environment and how this stress has become "normalised", which ultimately led to the burnout of both himself and his fellow shift working family members.Topics discussed include stress, medical errors, patient care and ratios,...

We're continuing on from episode number 105, where we discuss the correlation between declining hormone levels and the difficulties experienced by many shift working peri-menopausal and menopausal women in wanting to lose weight.We talk about the influence of another sex hormone - progesterone, and how it's decline leads to an elevation in the stress hormone cortisol, and subsequent increase in the distribution of belly fat.We then wrap up the episode by discussing 3 ways to help lower rising...

Are you going through peri-menopause or menopause and struggling to lose weight whilst working 24/7?  If so, you're not alone!  There are 1000's of women worldwide who are struggling with this scenario too.In this episode, I explain how declining levels of estrogen can lead to insulin resistance, and the subsequent rise in the distribution of fat around the body, along with offering 3 tips to help minimise this weight gain. To learn more about Audra's work, or to get in contact,...

We've been told that in order to be healthy, we must eat 3-meals a day with snacks in between.  But is this really how we're meant to be eating... or is it just supporting the Big Food industry and actually contributing to weight gain and poor health outcomes? In this episode, I explain why eating continually actually contributes to perpetually high blood sugar and insulin levels, making it near impossible to lose weight. To learn more about Audra's work, or to get in contact,...

Navigating meal intake when on the night shift can be very confusing, especially when health advice can be very conflicting.  For example, being told to "flip your meals", as in having your heaviest meal around midnight. In this episode, I explain why this is not the best thing to do and why. To learn more about Audra's work, or to get in contact, visit: https://healthyshiftworker.com/ Individual Consultations https://healthyshiftworker-book-an-appointment.as.me/schedule.php Online...

For shift workers, those overwhelming feelings of fatigue or low energy levels throughout the day (or night) is, hands down, one of the BIGGEST struggles faced by those who work around the clock - all over the world. There are, of course, a myriad of factors that can contribute to fatigue - but one area which is often overlooked is the use of synthetic medications. To learn more about Audra's work, or to get in contact, visit: https://healthyshiftworker.com/ Individual...

Is it possible to be our own health experts?  Is health really that complicated? Today we discuss the term 'autodidactic', and how adopting this trait can provide us with all the tools and resources to take control of our own shift work health. Early Shift Breakfast Inspiration - Overnight Oats: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lkl9_3-jX6c To learn more about Audra's work, or to get in contact, visit: https://healthyshiftworker.com/ 21-Day Kickstart...

In today's episode, we're opening up the conversation around becoming your own health advocate, why this is important, and 3 things that can be implemented straight away to make this happen. It's because if we can learn anything from the last 2-years, we cannot rely on outsourcing such an important role as our health. To learn more about Audra's work, or to get in contact, visit: https://healthyshiftworker.com/ 21-Day Kickstart...

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 Listen In

Headaches and night shift are quite synonymous with one another, as is often the case, after a string of early shifts. In this episode, Audra shares some of the causes of headaches (besides the obvious of sleep deprivation), along with some suggestions on how to reduce your chances of getting them in the first place. Listen In

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 Listen In

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 Listen In

Today we’re talking about the benefits of exercise when it comes to managing our mental health – in particular around the topic of PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder with Beck Lawther, a Police Officer with the Victorian Police Service based in Melbourne. Beck is also the co-founder of Triple Zero Fit, a personal training Listen In

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 Listen In

Are you struggling to lose weight whilst working 24/7?  If so, this episode is for you! Today I’m talking with Associate Professor Maxine Bonham who is a registered nutritionist and research academic at Monash University in the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food here in Australia.  Maxine is currently involved in research examining some of Listen In

Are you a shift worker living in Brisbane or know someone who is?  If so, this podcast is for you! In conjunction with the launch of my new book ‘Too Tired To Cook’, I’m super excited to announce my first ever Healthy Shift Worker Live Event in Brisbane, which is open to the general public! Listen In

In today’s episode, we’re talking all things chrononutrition with Dr Jonathan Johnston from the University of Surrey, in the United Kingdom.  Dr Johnston is a world expert and researcher in the field of chrononutrition, and has led many studies looking at the links between circadian, metabolic and nutritional physiology including the analysis of timed meal Listen In