Why Healthcare Workers Are Some of the Unhealthiest People I Know
- josht232
- Aug 25
- 3 min read
Ten years in the NHS has shown me a brutal truth: the staff meant to embody "health" are often the most burned out, overweight, and exhausted of all.
I’ve worked in the NHS for almost ten years.That’s ten years of night shifts, busy wards, endless bleeps, and conversations with colleagues huddled in corridors over lukewarm coffee.
And after all that time, I’ve noticed something that we don’t like to admit—something that eats away at the heart of healthcare: the people meant to be the pinnacle of health… often aren’t.
Walk into any hospital staff room and look around. You’ll see it everywhere:
Overweight colleagues slumped in plastic chairs.
Fatigue etched onto faces that look a decade older than they are.
Packets of crisps, chocolate bars, and energy drinks fueling the day.
Conversations that circle around anxiety, stress, and burnout more than anything else.
This isn’t just anecdote. It’s the culture. And it’s slowly killing us.
The Double Standard
We give advice to patients every single day. We talk about lifestyle, nutrition, sleep, stress. We warn about diabetes, heart disease, depression.
And yet, behind closed doors, many of us are living with the exact same problems. We’re exhausted. Overweight. Stressed. Running on caffeine and carbs.
Patients notice. Believe me, they do. When an overweight nurse tells someone to “eat better,” it rings hollow. When a doctor with bloodshot eyes says “you really need more sleep,” the irony isn’t lost.
And this matters. Because if healthcare workers can’t embody health, why should anyone else believe they can?
Why We’re Here
The reasons are obvious enough:
Long shifts that wreck sleep cycles.
Hospital canteens and vending machines stacked with processed junk.
Caffeine dependency to get through a 13-hour shift.
A culture that silently glorifies self-sacrifice and burnout as if they’re signs of dedication.
It’s not just unhealthy—it’s unsustainable.
Healthcare workers are the beating heart of the NHS, but right now that heart is clogged. We’re burning out, breaking down, and passing on the message—unintentionally—that chronic fatigue, poor diet, and stress are just part of modern life.
What’s at Stake
This isn’t just about personal health. It’s about credibility, accountability, culture, and the future of healthcare itself.
Imagine a workforce of doctors and nurses who:
Have real energy and clarity on shift.
Sleep properly and wake up rested.
Eat real food and avoid the horrendous vending machines.
Actually look and feel like the role models they’re supposed to be.
Think about what that would mean for patients. For trust. For the ripple effect in society when the people giving the advice actually live the advice.
The Reset We Need
I believe this can change - and HAS to change. Not with another HR “wellbeing initiative,” or another “free yoga class”, not with another glossy poster about “resilience”. Those things evidently don’t touch the real problem.
The change starts at the roots: food, sleep, light, rhythm, recovery. The fundamentals of health.
And that’s why I’m writing here. Because I want to cut through the noise, expose the toxic culture for what it is, and show a way back to something better—healthcare workers who are actually healthy.
If you’re a healthcare worker reading this and it stings a little, strikes a nerve, good. That sting is the first step. It means you know it’s true.
We can’t keep pretending that being constantly tired, overweight, or dependent on caffeine is just “part of the job.” It’s not. It’s a broken system. A broken culture. And fixing it starts with us. Don’t rely on another “policy change” or “guideline” to save you.
Because if the healers don’t heal themselves, what chance does the public have?
✦ This is part of an ongoing series where I explore health, lifestyle, and the culture of modern medicine through an ancestral lens. If you want to read more, subscribe to my Substack for free to get the next post straight to your inbox✦
Comments