05/10/2026
A little project I’ve been working on…
As a paramedic, I know first-hand how difficult maintaining good nutrition can be when you work shifts.
Early starts. Late finishes. Night shifts. Missed breaks. Eating at odd times. Too much caffeine. Getting home exhausted and realising you haven’t actually eaten particularly well all day.
And it certainly isn’t unique to the ambulance service.
Millions of people work shifts across healthcare, emergency services, transport, aviation, security, hospitality, manufacturing and many other industries.
As I’ve progressed with my nutrition studies, I’ve become increasingly interested in the relationship between shift work, nutrition, hydration, sleep, fatigue and energy levels
So I decided to turn that interest into something practical.
I’ve created the Shift Worker Nutrition Journal — a digital journal specifically designed to help shift workers record their eating and drinking patterns alongside their shifts, sleep, caffeine, hydration and energy levels.
The idea isn’t to tell people what they *should* or *shouldn’t* eat.
It’s about helping people become more aware of their own patterns.
Because when your working day doesn't follow a conventional 9–5 routine, your approach to nutrition often can't either.
It’s been really enjoyable taking something I experience professionally, combining it with what I’m learning academically, and turning it into a practical resource.
I’m looking forward to seeing where this goes.
Kelly
