Sleep and burnout

Kaye and Tia, resident physicians from Psychiatry, visited the Medical Oncology office to continue their series on mental health. It's a big thing these days—and for good reason.


From left: Kaye, Rich (big head), and Karen


Roger, Nathant, and Mark Andō

Topics like physician burnout, caregiver fatigue, and depression in the workplace have gained traction, the subjects of many medical conferences and discussions across specialties.


Credit: Medscape National Physician Burnout, Depression, and Suicide Report (2019)

Kaye spoke about burnout and how to avoid it. Based on the routine diagnostic survey they conducted, many of us oncologists suffer from burnout. One of the ways to avoid burnout is adequate sleep. There's no actual defined time, but it should result to a relaxed, rejuvenated, and refreshed state. She shared tips for regular sleep.


Credit: Mervyn Leones (@louismervyn), screenshot of his Instagram story

I don't have problems with sleeping, but I've come to appreciate the value of good sleep. In fact, these past months, I've been reading and thinking a lot more about naps and sleep. I asked my brother Ralph to get me comfortable cotton elephant pants when he went to Bangkok. I bought a pair of pajamas from Uniqlo, which were on sale. I looked at duvet and duvet covers last night and ended the day by ordering online.


Credit: Pinterest

But nothing compares to peace of mind as key to good sleep. I remember Isaiah 26:3:

You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.

I hope you've had a good sleep last night!