Hand & Hand Mobile Massage |

Workplace Burnout: W.H.O. Identifies New Health Syndrome

Tom Saulnier — Sat, 15 Jun 2019 19:43:47 +0000

The World Health Organization now recognizes work “burnout” as an occupational phenomenon. The syndrome is included in the agency’s handbook of medical diagnoses, which guides health professionals around the world.
Symptoms of burnout includes feelings of exhaustion, cynicism about one’s job, and difficulty doing the job successfully. The WHO stressed that “burnout” is not classified as a medical condition.

Working too hard is now a recognized as an occupational phenomenon, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The agency, which guides many health providers and organizations, now includes “burnout” in its International Classification of Diseases Handbook.

The agency described “burnout” as a syndrome resulting from “chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.”

According to the WHO, doctors can issue a diagnosis of burnout if a patient exhibits three symptoms: feeling depleted of energy or exhausted; feeling mentally distanced from or cynical about one’s job; and problems getting one’s job done successfully. The WHO notes that burnout is to be used specifically “in the occupational context” and that it “should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.”

The agency said it plans to develop “evidence-based guidelines on mental well-being in the workplace.”

Burnout as a psychological term was first described in the mid-1970s, BuzzFeed reported, when psychologist Herbert Freudenberger used it to describe cases of “physical or mental collapse caused by overwork or stress.” Freudenberger ascribed the condition to “helping” professions such as nurses and doctors.

But today, many types of people can suffer from burnout, “from stressed-out careerists and celebrities to overworked employees and homemakers,” according to the National Institutes of Health. Last year, a Gallup survey found nearly 1 in 4 employees feels burned out always or often, with another 44 percent saying they feel burned out “sometimes.”

To Watch Video, please click on link or copy and paste link into your browser…https://www.cbsnews.com/video/how-to-know-when-youre-suffering-from-workplace-burnout/

Balancing the Body, Structural Integration

Tom Saulnier — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 22:22:45 +0000

IN THIS ISSUE: * Balancing the Body * Structural Integration * Easing Holiday Angst

Balancing the Body – by Rebecca Jones

For a child wobbling atop a two-wheel bicycle for the first time, getting it to remain upright is a scary challenge. But once that child has mastered the art of balancing on the bike, the body just remembers what to do. That’s the way it is with balance. Our body has lots of tools at its disposal to help us control our upright posture, and these tools function largely at the subconscious level.

However, when one of those tools fails to work properly, our system of balance can get out of whack. Problems with our feet and neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, can throw off our balance. Eye conditions can rob us of stereoscopic vision, which helps us properly locate ourselves in space. And, of course, inner ear problems can greatly affect our balance.

Many of these balance-affecting conditions are related to aging. In fact, it’s estimated that one of every three people older than 65 will suffer some kind of fall this year. And half those people will fall again within 12 months.

Bodywork can help. Certain modalities can improve and restore balance, particularly through reeducating the body in the most efficient ways to move. Just like our bodies once learned the best way to stabilize atop a bicycle, they can also learn new, better ways to stabilize aging feet and legs. Here’s a look at how two bodywork modalities–structural integration and the Feldenkrais Method–may help.

Structural Integration

Jane Elmore, MD, is a champion dressage rider, which means she spends much of her day perched atop a 1,200-pound prancing horse. Her safety absolutely depends on keeping her … Click here for full Publication Fall 2014

Balance, Happiness, Cold Prevention

Tom Saulnier — Sat, 04 Jan 2014 23:28:17 +0000

IN THIS ISSUE: * Balancing The Body – More than just Left and Right * Happiness Is Contagious – LOL! * Don’t Get Sick! – Tips to PREVENT most colds.

Happiness is Contagious

Maybe mom was right. Research suggests that surrounding yourself with friends and family who are happy can actually increase your own happiness.

Scientists at Harvard University and the University of California, San Diego, found that emotions, particularly happiness, have a viral effect in how they spread from one person to another. For every happy person in your physical social network, you have a 9 percent chance of increasing your own happiness. The effect is more pronounced the closer someone is to you geographically, and it does not seem to include electronic communications. The study, “Dynamic Spread of Happiness in a Large Social Network,” can be found online in the British Medical Journal (www.bmj.com).

This is especially good news considering the potential health benefits of happiness and positivity. A study published in Stroke magazine has indicated a “significant association” between optimism and a reduced risk of stroke. This is in addition to studies that have linked optimism to a healthier immune system, faster wound healing, and a lower risk of heart disease. While the exact cause of the benefits is not clear, one theory is that optimistic people are more likely to take care of their health. In addition, there is hope that teaching optimism could become part of a preventative program for various conditions.

What’s one way to get happy? Try massage! Exposure to stress, a contributing factor to unhappiness, over a long period of time can increase the rate of neural degeneration and increase the risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Luckily, a study from Umea University in Sweden has shown that just five minutes of massage has the potential to lower stress, and 80 minutes of massage has a tremendously positive effect on stress levels. Get massage, get happy, and cheer up your friends and family! …Click here for full publication Winter 2014

Stretch, Structural Integration, Rhamnose

Tom Saulnier — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 22:27:01 +0000

IN THIS ISSUE: * Stretch Out – A few precautions can prevent future pain * Structural Integration * Rhamnose – Think you know sugar? Think again.

Stretch Out

A few precautions can prevent future pain – by Kelli Crosby

You brush your teeth daily because you don’t want cavities or gum disease, right? Well, what do you do on a daily basis to prevent tension in your neck? Brushing your teeth offers you preventive dental care, but what if you could learn to be preventive with the rest of your body?

We all have bad daily habits we don’t even notice until something starts to hurt. These bad habits are the root cause of many painful conditions. To help prevent pain, however, we can turn these bad habits into good habits that can be worked into our daily routine. Here is some general advice that can apply to almost every part of daily living.

Don’t Slouch.

Slouching puts strain on your neck and can give you a headache. Your head weighs roughly 10 pounds-about as much as a bowling ball. Your spine is designed to balance that bowling ball when you’re in an upright posture. If you slouch, your muscles have to do more work to hold your head up, which makes your muscles tight and angry.

Sit Up Straight.

Sit in a chair with your hands on your hips. Slouch. Feel how your hips roll back (if you’re wearing jeans, you’ll be sitting on your pockets). Now sit up straight by moving your pelvis forward and centering your weight over your pelvis and off your buttocks.

Sleep on Your Back or Side.

Sleeping on your stomach makes you twist your neck and body in order to breathe. This twisted position is terrible for your spine, especially for prolonged periods during sleep. Check your pillow and make sure it has a thickness that will support your neck in a position neutral to the rest of your spine. Try a …Click here for full publication Autumn 2013