Shift workers play a critical role in keeping us safe and healthy while also helping businesses run more efficiently. But the irregular hours and high demands of these roles come with unique challenges that traditional health & wellness programs often fail to address. YourCoach health coaches have already proven to make a meaningful difference for shift workers.
Whether it’s a physician navigating the emotional stress of their day-to-day work, coupled with long, late hours, or a firefighter struggling to maintain regular sleep, YourCoach health coaches listen deeply and support behavior change that’s sustainable and impactful. Some YourCoach health coaches are even shift workers themselves, and lend their own personal experiences and empathy to their approach. In this blog, we’ll explore how YourCoach health coaches can empower shift workers to manage stress, improve sleep, and build sustainable habits for long-term wellbeing.
Health coaches help healthcare workers manage the stress of shift work.
Meet Erin. She’s a recent grad who now works in a fast-paced emergency department and is typically staffed on 12-hour evening shifts. Not only is Erin struggling to adjust to this new schedule, but she’s finding the stress of the many life-or-death situations packed within her shift to be overwhelming. She’s proud of the work she does, but at the end of her shift she’s carrying the weight of that work with her. Luckily, her team partners with YourCoach, giving her access to a dedicated health coach, who happens to be a retired nurse.
Alongside her YourCoach health coach, Erin has been able to unpack the emotional burden of her job, identifying signs of burnout in her day-to-day and building strategies to combat this and fight emotional fatigue. They co-created a personalized post-work routine to decompress and set boundaries between her shifts and her personal life. The impact was transformative. Erin started sleeping better and started using grounding techniques during high-stress moments at work. She began showing up with more presence and resilience, for her patients and herself.
Health coaches support transportation workers with implementing healthier habits despite difficult schedules.
Meet Emil. Emil spends his weeks behind the wheel and he loves that his job gives him the opportunity to be on the go, always. The downside: long hours on the road means less time to prepare healthy meals and bring in exercise. He’s tried over and over to lean into healthy strategies, but just keeps falling back on fast food and fatigue. Emil knew it was time to make a change and heard he had access to YourCoach health coaching through his employer.
Working with a YourCoach health coach was transformative. His coach made a deep effort to understand Emil’s struggles, to acknowledge these challenges with empathy, and to hear him out on opportunities where he might be able to sneak in sustainable, healthy habits. Together, they found creative ways to prioritize movement, like short walks on rest stops, and explored simple meals he could pack with him ahead of trips. Not only that, but his health coach served as an accountability partner, checking in when habits became tough to maintain so they could figure out a pivot that helps keep Emil’s health the priority. Rather than overhauling his lifestyle overnight, these long-term changes made a meaningful difference in Emil’s health & wellbeing, including significantly decreasing his chronic pain, allowing him to take longer trips and more shifts.
Health coaches implement sustainable sleep strategies for firefighters.
Isaiah loves the adrenaline and camaraderie of being a firefighter. But the rotating shifts, overnight calls and nights spent at the firehouse have left his sleep in shambles. On his off days, he finds it equally hard to fall asleep and stay asleep. Worse, it’s affecting his ability to focus at work and it’s impacting his mood at home.
Isaiah started working with a YourCoach health coach to specifically improve his sleep habits, even with his unpredictable schedule. Together with his coach, they built a toolkit of sleep hacks that Isaiah had learned would be most effective. They took stock of his light exposure in his sleep spaces, explored tools to help limit that, discussed adjustments to his nutrition that might help him ease into sleep and incorporated some mindfulness tools to help him decompress. Through trial, error, and steady accountability, Isaiah was able to improve his sleep habits significantly, making him feel sharper and more alert at work and at home.
Health coaches support mental & emotional wellbeing for security workers.
Paul works overnight security shifts. While the job is quiet, the solitude has begun to impact his mental health & wellbeing. Not only that, but his evening schedule made it even more difficult to stay in touch with friends and family, both in person and over the phone. He feels disconnected, struggles with motivation, and notices an increase in feelings of anxiousness.
Paul started working with a YourCoach health coach who helped him see and understand some of the impacts his job was having on his health & wellbeing. Through coaching sessions, Paul explored ways to build connection into his routine, like joining an early morning run club and scheduling time in advance with friends and family on his time off. His health coach also helped him track his mood, uncovering patterns that revealed how his habits and social connections were impacting his mental health. Over time, Paul started feeling more grounded and supported. His health coach helped him improve more than just his health, but also his sense of belonging.
Shift work is essential. But the health and wellbeing of each and every one of these shift workers is essential as well. YourCoach health coaching provides personalized, outcomes-driven support that ensures shift workers don’t need to sacrifice their own health and wellbeing to do their job. If you’re interested in learning more about how to provide health coaching to your organization and your employees send us a note to team@yourcoach.health.
FAQs
Q: How does YourCoach.Health support the unique challenges of shift workers?
A: Shift workers face challenges that can’t be solved with one-size-fits-all solutions. Think: unpredictable hours, emotional stress, and disrupted sleep. YourCoach provides health coaching that’s personalized to their realities with coaches who co-create flexible, practical strategies that work with shift workers’ schedules.
Q: Are YourCoach health coaches trained to support high-stress roles like healthcare or emergency services?
A: Yes! Many of them have been in those roles, themselves. Our coaches come from diverse professional backgrounds, including healthcare, and bring deep empathy and real-world experience to their work. With certifications and ongoing training, they’re equipped to help clients navigate the emotional, physical, and mental demands of high-pressure jobs.
Q: What results can organizations expect when supporting shift workers with YourCoach health coaching?
A: Health coaching for shift workers leads to measurable improvements in sleep, stress management, energy levels, and overall wellbeing, outcomes that directly impact job performance, retention, and safety. Our Observational Outcomes Study shows clear evidence: when employees are supported with personalized coaching, they feel better, show up stronger, and stay healthier long term.