Stress in Healthcare Workers: Tips on How to Reduce Stress

Are you a healthcare worker that’s experiencing stress? If so, you’re not alone. It’s a stressful field in general, and the pandemic only makes things worse. A recent survey was administered by Mental Health America which yielded some alarming results. Here’s what they found about stress in healthcare workers:

“…93% were experiencing stress, 86% reported experiencing anxiety, 77% reported frustration, 76% reported exhaustion and burnout, and 75% said they were overwhelmed.” – source here from www.healthcarefinancenews.com

These are some very high numbers, and it looks like we need some assistance. We wrote this article to help our fellow healthcare workers find some ways to improve their mental health and stress levels.

We spend almost all of our time caring for patients, clients, or our own families. This tends to lead us to forget about ourselves. If we are unhealthy – mentally, emotionally, or physically – our jobs are harder. Take a looks at these tips to help yourself so that you can feel better and provide the best healthcare imaginable!

Stress in Healthcare Workers: Tips on How to Reduce Stress

Exercise

I’m sure this is a no brainer, but getting enough exercise is greatly beneficial to mental health, overall mood, and reducing stress. This is a nice article if you want to read more. Oftentimes, we healthcare workers are so busy that we don’t allow enough time to take care of our physical health. Try to schedule enough time for a workout routine. You will see awesome results on both physical and mental health. The stress will melt away quicker than you think!

Try to Eat Better: Stress in Healthcare Workers

A lot of people use food as a coping mechanism. This usually doesn’t entail eating a salad to make yourself feel better – it’s more likely to be fast food or something else unhealthy. Doing this will certainly give you instant gratification, but it’s hurting you in the long run. Try to slowly work healthier foods into your diet. As you do this, you will feel better and start to see improvements in your mood. Food really is a great medicine – as long as you choose the right stuff.

Change Attitude

It’s harder than it sounds – but if you find yourself thinking pessimistically on a regular basis, do your best to redirect your thoughts. If you have a client, co-worker, or really anything that is bothering you, try your best to put a positive spin on the situation. Thinking optimistically will help you be in a better mood which will ultimately enhance stress levels!

Use Relaxation Techniques: Stress in Healthcare workers

Try meditation, yoga, forest bathing, simply listening to music, or any other relaxation technique that you see fit. We are all so busy that it’s tough to find time for something that seems unnecessary, but if you are stressed, I guarantee that this will make you feel better. If you can, set aside 30 minutes in the morning or evening to use a relaxation technique of your choice. You can even try this on your lunch break or drive into work.

Get Rest

This is another obvious one, but if getting enough sleep is essential for mental health and improving stress. I know I’ve gone many nights with 4 hours of sleep only to wake up to a 16-hour swing shift then do it all over again. This is very common in the healthcare field, so we have to do our best to make sure we are sleeping when we can.

Spend Time with Friends/Family

Speaking of no sleep and long shifts – that tends to lead to little time for the people we love. Try to make a schedule that makes time for your loved ones. Keeping up with relationships is a great way to enhance mental health and reduce stress levels. If you can do a fun activity once a week with family and friends, you will see a big change in how you are feeling on a regular basis.

See Where You Stand: Stress in Healthcare Workers

We mentioned a survey from Mental Health America. If you’re interested in taking surveys to learn more about stress levels and mental health, check them out here. They have a work-health survey as well as many other mental health options. Take a look and see where you stand. Knowing more about yourself will only help in the long run!