ASOURCE Times

Maintaining one's own health is a medical responsibility

“One of the roles of medical professionals is to promote and practice health. No,” Professor Takao emphasizes.
“I continue to exercise not only because I like exercise, but also because I want to tell my patients and the people around me that it is okay to exercise.”
Medical workers are engaged in high-stress work, but "that doesn't mean that you can relieve stress by smoking. As a person in charge of the health of others, you have to embody health management that protects your own health." says Professor Takao. Also, controlling your physical condition is the foundation for continuing the work you want to do, and it also leads to your own evaluation at the workplace.
In medical care, it is natural for medical professionals to form a team with the patient at the center and treat the patient from multiple angles by making use of their expertise. Under these circumstances, "Medical professionals must manage their own health and make efforts to play a role, while at the same time respecting team members and considering whether anyone is being overworked or not. It is also necessary to think about the balance. With consideration and mutual support, if members are not feeling well, they can cover each other by saying, "I'll take care of it." is".

First, take a good look at yourself and your lifestyle.

Professor Takao advises that the first step in managing your physical condition is to "observe whether you are feeling well or not, and if you are not feeling well, when will it get worse?" “Even if the causal relationship between lifestyle habits and stress is unclear, such observations are important. I always tell my patients the importance of finding ways to improve their physical condition and putting them into practice. If you have severe menstrual cramps, you should be able to try using the pill, which is easier for you to try because you are a medical practitioner.The job of a medical practitioner is to support the patient so that he or she can heal on his or her own. The same is true for

Most importantly, make sure you get enough sleep

Dr. Takao says that the most important thing is to secure sleep time. When she herself was working at a university hospital, she was unable to sleep well due to shift work and emergency surgery. That's right.
“If you just get enough sleep, there is a high chance that you will be able to spend a happy time, so ask for the cooperation of your family and get some sleep, such as entrusting housework to your mother, saying, ‘My mother is not feeling well today, so I want to sleep well, so please take care of me. Even if you live alone, the time you can relax at night is precious, and you may want to stay up late and do something, but I want you to have the feeling that sleep is the only way to stay in good shape.”

Incorporate a little exercise into your life and practice it frequently

The next important thing is exercise habits. "I make sure to set aside time to go to the gym, but if that's not possible, I'd like you to move frequently. When commuting, wear comfortable shoes and walk at a speed that makes you sweat a little. Stand on your tiptoes on the train." "Taking the stairs to get around, striding down the hallway, or doing squats in the elevator if you're alone, are all ways to get more exercise." By increasing your heart rate and using your muscles, your sympathetic nerves become active, and at night, your parasympathetic nerves become dominant, making it easier to fall asleep.
Dr. Takao recommends moving the shoulder and hip joints, which are the largest joints in the whole body. Both the shoulder and hip joints are ball joints in which the head of the bone on one side is spherical and fits in the glenoid. Since these joints are connected to the surrounding large muscles, moving the ball and socket joints activates many muscles, which can alleviate stiff shoulders and lower back pain (see illustration). “Baseball players rotate their shoulders and hips before they go to bat. That’s because simple exercise moves your muscles, improves blood flow, and warms your body. It's a good deal if you keep it."

If you have any concerns about changes in your physical condition, please consult a medical professional nearby.

If you try physical and mental observation, sleep, exercise, etc., but your physical condition does not improve, "It would be better to consult a medical professional nearby as soon as possible. This is a big advantage compared to the general public. The good thing about medical staff is that they can help each other even if they just say hello when they pass each other in the hallway.”
Dr. Takao says that there are many things that only medical professionals can do, not only for patients, but also for the general public who do not come to the hospital, and for colleagues who work with them. “This work is a precious thing that can contribute to society, and I am always conscious of how valuable it is.”