Teachers Have Healthy Lifestyles But Suffer Psychosomatic Disorders

Teachers rather than other professionals tend to make psychosomatic complaints, revealed a Germany-based research. Teachers are bogged down by exhaustion, fatigue, headaches, sleep disorders, forgetfulness, pain, and irritability, according to sciencedaily.

In a research by Klaus Scheuch, a business manager at Center for Work and Health in Saxony, Germany, along with colleagues involving about 800,000 teachers, who were working in Germany during the 2012-13 school years, the study found that the lifestyle of teachers is healthier than people from other professions.

The study also showed that teachers have healthier cardiovascular systems than others, being more physically active. About 75% of teachers versus 66% of the general population were found to be active. Just 13% of the teachers were fat, as compared to 23% of the general population. Just 14% of the teachers smoked, as against 30% of the general population.

Yet, most of the psychosomatic disorders were found among teachers. The researchers explained that workplace health care professionals needed to approach physicians as well as psychologists, psychiatrists, and specialists for assistance in psychosomatic medicine. According to the study: "Teachers need qualified, interdisciplinary occupational health care with the involvement of their treating physicians."