Tis the season to stress: Docs’ top tips for navigating seasonal depression and burnout
Key Takeaways
Industry Buzz
“There's a clear correlation between less sunshine, shorter daylight hours, and depressed mood, [which] impacts everyone in healthcare.” — Kanwar Kelley, MD, JD
"We have to realize that the work we do really makes a difference in someone else's life. Focus on ‘what is the meaning for me in the work I do?’ That helps alleviate some of [my] stress.” — Sharon Shiraga, MD
“Remember, there is life outside of work, and there's a family that you need to attend to, and there are outside interests, and without those things, you're going to have a really hard time.” — Kanwar Kelley, MD, JD
Find more of your peers' perspectives and insights below.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year… or is it?
Winter can be a tough time for healthcare providers. Fewer daylight hours, heavy patient loads, and balancing work with family obligations during the holidays can be tough.
“There's a clear correlation between less sunshine, shorter daylight hours, and depressed mood. So I think it clearly impacts everyone in healthcare. The winter months kind of bring along their own sets of challenges,” Kanwar Kelley, MD, JD, a board-certified otolaryngologist and co-founder & CEO of Side Health, tells MDLinx.
More sick patients, more insurance woes
“Traditionally, in the winter months, that's when folks get sicker. There's more respiratory viruses, more viruses in general floating around in the universe. So people are getting sicker. They end up coming to the doctor more. That makes the winter months somewhat busier and makes it harder to manage the workload for the average healthcare worker,” Dr. Kelley explains.
Insurance can also add complications to the healthcare provider workload at the end of the year.
“There are also insurance-based changes that may occur at the end of year. There's usually a redetermination of insurance benefits. Some folks may be cycling off of insurance altogether. They may be losing their benefits. Others may be gaining benefits. Others may be changing benefits. So there's a rush at the end of the year to either get services while you still have insurance or before you change insurance,” he says. “So there's a lot to manage and mitigate.”
But there are things you can do to get through this time of year while avoiding burnout and seasonal depression. Here are some of the top tips and tricks of the trade.
Practice good sleep hygiene
Days with shorter hours, combined with shift work, can make the winter months a challenging time for those working in healthcare.
Sharon Shiraga, MD, a general surgeon with Keck Medicine of USC, says having a good sleep routine is crucial.
“You have to have a darker, quiet room, or use some kind of music or background noise to help you sleep. And the other thing is to wind down. Some people meditate, some people read a book or do some sudoku. It's hard to kind of wind down and kind of separate from that high intensity work. So I think having a wind-down routine is very important,” she tells MDLinx.
Related: Get a hobby! Leisure activities for busy residentsAssess your work environment
Working in healthcare is intense, but finding the right workplace that aligns with your values and goals can be one way to avoid burnout.
“I think what it takes is really finding a practice setting and a practice environment for the long term that is one [where] you are fulfilled and happy to go to work every day,” Dr. Kelley says. “That means working with a team of people, or hiring additional folks that are going to help you with administrative tasks [or] hiring additional staff to help you get through the day. [I] think for me, personally, that's had the biggest impact on my ability to practice.”
Make time for exercise
The challenges of the winter months can heighten stress. But moving your body outside of work hours can help.
“One of the things I really believe in, and I would like to be better at, is working out,” Dr. Shiraga says. “It means actually designating a time where you're not stressed, you're not working, and you spend time for yourself and do something active to increase your heart rate, to increase your physical activity, and to decrease your cortisol level. I think that's something that we can all do, and it really does help.”
It's all about balance
The field of medicine can at times feel all-consuming. But to avoid burnout and seasonal depression, Dr. Kelley says it is essential to remember to keep some work-life balance.
“Outside of work, you've got to find dedicated time for your family, your friends, your hobbies; you've got to take vacation,” Dr. Kelley emphasizes. “You can't just ignore vacation, [and] you've got to take care of yourself when you're sick. Too many doctors, for too long, have continued going to work when they're sick because they need to take care of their patients,” he says.
"Remember, there is life outside of work, and there's a family that you need to attend to, and there are outside interests, and without those things, you're going to have a really hard time."
— Kanwar Kelley, MD, JD
Remember why you do it
When you find yourself missing out on holidays or working long hours, it can be hard to see the bigger picture.
But Dr. Shiraga says remembering why you work in healthcare can be an excellent antidote to the stress of the winter period.
“Find what is the meaning of the work for us. As a doctor, and I can speak as a surgeon, burnout happens when there's a lot of things going on, unfortunate outcomes for certain situations. We have to know that we're here to help patients, and there is a meaning and meaningfulness behind doing this work,” she says.
“Sometimes we have to operate till 2 AM, 3 AM in the morning—literally manual labor, slaving away to do this work. But what's the meaning of this? We're helping somebody. We're saving lives. It's very meaningful work and I think we have to realize that the work we do really makes a difference in someone else's life. Focus on ‘what is the meaning for me in the work I do?’ That helps alleviate some of the stress.”
What this means for you
The winter months can be challenging for healthcare workers. Increases in illness, fewer daylight hours, and a heavy patient workload can contribute to seasonal depression and burnout. But there are tips and tricks to try and avoid it. Having good sleep hygiene, assessing the work environment, exercising, finding work-life balance, and looking for meaning in the work can help reduce stress.