The study proposes that Sudarshan Kriya Yoga is a practical and effective measure in preventing stress, insomnia and burnout for medical doctors and can be easily implemented.
Oslo, 8 February 2024 – Physicians are exposed to high stress and strain that results in burnout, which affects them, their families, their patients, and the entire health care system. Physician burnout has a profound impact on patient care and costs the healthcare system in the U.S. alone approximately $4.6 billion annually in lost productivity. Healthcare systems worldwide are increasingly recognizing the importance of addressing physician burnout to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of healthcare delivery.
Previous work has shown that both institutional and individual measures are required to mitigate physician burnout. Researchers focused on the latter and conducted a randomized controlled study to evaluate the potential effectiveness of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY), a breathing and meditation-based program, to increase wellness and decrease burnout on medical doctors.
The study, published on 31 January 2024 by researchers from the University of Oslo, Oslo University Hospital, and Akershus University Hospital in Norway, as well as Dokuz Eylul University and Ege University in Turkey, proposes that SKY could be a practical solution to decrease physician burnout.
In the study, 129 medical doctors were randomly assigned either to SKY or psychological stress management education of equal length (90 minutes each for three consecutive days). After the 3-day training, both groups had weekly one-hour follow-up sessions for eight weeks. The participants were evaluated in the beginning of the study, right after the training, and at the end of the 8-week period.
Compared to the control group, participants in the SKY group had significantly decreased levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. The SKY group also showed significantly increased professional fulfillment, as well as significant decreases in work exhaustion, interpersonal disengagement, and burnout.
One of the senior authors of the study, Prof. Soili Marianne Lehto, a psychiatrist working at the University of Oslo and Akershus University Hospital, says that “It is quite promising that a brief intervention provided such a clear positive impact on mental wellbeing of medical doctors”. “We are looking forward to conducting future studies to better understand the physiological and psychological mechanisms underlying these effects”, she continues.
Prof. Fahri Saatcioglu, one of the corresponding authors of the study, points out: “Our data suggest that SKY could be considered as a preventive measure or used to mitigate stress and burnout in physicians. As a practical and cost-effective program, SKY may be a feasible tool to mitigate stress and burnout also in other health professionals”.
The study is published in the prestigious JAMA Network Open.
About SKY – Sudarshan Kriya Yoga
SKY is a powerful breath and meditation program that eliminates stress and emotional blocks in the system. Over 70 independent studies conducted on four continents and published in peer review journals have demonstrated a range of psychological and physiological benefits from practicing SKY as taught by The Art of Living Foundation. For more information on the research on SKY, please see www.aolresearch.org.
About The Art of Living Foundation
The Art of Living Foundation (AOLF) was founded in 1981 by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and operates in 180 countries. It is one of the largest independent, humanitarian nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in the world. The AOLF holds a special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations (UN), and is active in numerous other international bodies and committees in the areas of health, education and sustainable development. The priorities include aid projects in developing countries, trauma and stress management in crisis areas and rehabilitation programs for victims of violence and prison inmates. In addition, yoga and meditation classes are offered. A key component is the Sudarshan KriyaTM, a health-promoting breath-based program. For further information visit www.artofliving.org
Press contact
Art of Living Bureau of Communication
Tel: +49 151 43101428
E: abc@artofliving.eu
http://www.artofliving.org
Research contact
University of Oslo
Prof. Fahri Saatcioglu
Tel. +47-22854569
E: fahris@uio.no
