SUPPORT SOURCES
Healthy from the Start Resources for Shiftworkers
Sometimes we need additional support in achieving our health and wellbeing goals - seeking out specialist sources of support, such as an exercise physiologists, can help you in meeting your physical activity needs.
There’s lots of information available to get you started on your physical activity journey, but sometimes we can require additional help. Specialist support can assist in tailoring physical activity to suit your individual needs – this can be particularly important if you have medical conditions or injuries that make exercising difficult. An exercise physiologist is a great source of support – you can search for an exercise physiologist in your local area here.
If you’re incorporating regular exercise into your lifestyle for the first time or starting up with physical activity again after a long break, it’s important to start small and build up gradually. Our bodies can take a period of time to adapt to new health and wellbeing behaviours, and setting smaller, more achievable goals to begin with will keep you more motivated in the long run. It’s also a good idea to chat with your general practitioner if you’re considering making any major changes to your health or wellbeing routine.
A note on supplements
It’s not uncommon for shiftworkers to use supplements to assist in supporting their health and wellbeing. Some of these supplements are used specifically in relation to physical activity (e.g., pre-workout before exercise, magnesium for recovery etc.). It’s important that you prioritise getting your vitamins and minerals through nutrition as much as possible, rather than relying on supplementation. If you do need to supplement your diet, this should be done under the guidance of a healthcare professional (e.g., general practitioner, dietitian).
Supplements that are used in advance of workouts to boost performance (e.g., pre-workout) can contain very high levels of caffeine and other stimulant substances like guarana. These should be used under the guidance of a healthcare professional, and avoided in the hours before bed as they can make it really difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. Read more about the right way to use caffeine as a fatigue management tool here.
” I knew that pre-workout gave me an energy boost, but I’d never really thought about how much caffeine was in it. When I sat down and worked it out, I realised that, on top of my coffees and the occasional energy drink, I was having way more caffeine each day than I should. It’s no wonder I couldn’t switch off and get to sleep sometimes. ”
- Annabel, 23, young shiftworker.