A new study reveals as many as 60 percent of practicing physicians are stressed out, and that it can affect both their work and their personal lives.
The research done at the University of Rochester and appearing in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds that training physicians in mindful meditation and communication can lower their stress levels and help improve their overall well-being.
Internist Dr. Edward Stehlik called the training one of the most useful things hes done for his practice since receiving his medical training. “If you asked my patients, I think they would say I listen more carefully since the training and that they feel they can explain things to me more forthrightly and more easily,” he said.
Stress among doctors has been linked to increased medical errors and lawsuits as well as poorer patient care. Physicians in the study also report work stress affecting their personal lives, causing increased substance abuse as well as marital and family problems.
Besides meditation, other ways to naturally reduce stress include exercise, yoga and and taking herbal supplements containing valerian or passionflower.