Shift workers and irregular sleep: practical strategies

More than one in five Sydney workers on rotating rosters now report fewer than five hours of consolidated sleep on work nights, according to data released this week by the University of Sydney’s Sleep Health Lab.

The figure has climbed steadily since 2023 as hospitals, transport operators and hospitality venues extend 24-hour coverage to meet post-pandemic demand. Irregular hours clash with the body’s natural circadian signals, raising long-term risks of cardiovascular strain and mood disorders that local GPs see in growing numbers at clinics across the inner west.

Local anchors for better rest

Shift staff at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown have started using the early-morning loop around Centennial Parklands for 20-minute light walks before heading home, a habit encouraged by the hospital’s occupational health team since March last year. A few kilometres east, yoga studios along Crown Street in Surry Hills run 6 am classes aimed at night-shift nurses and security guards finishing at 5 am, giving participants a wind-down sequence before they attempt daytime sleep.

Evidence and workable steps

A 2025 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare snapshot showed shift workers lose an average of 1.8 hours of sleep per 24-hour cycle compared with day workers, with the gap widest among those aged 25 to 44. Local sleep physicians recommend anchoring wake times to the same clock hour on both work and rest days, keeping bedrooms between 16 and 18 degrees Celsius, and limiting bright screens for 90 minutes before planned sleep. Many rostered staff also book a single 30-minute session with a Surry Hills meditation instructor once a fortnight to rehearse breathing drills that shorten the time it takes to fall asleep after a late finish.

Anyone whose roster changes frequently should speak with a GP at a bulk-billing practice in their suburb before trying new supplements or drastic schedule changes.