Effects of Meditation on Mental Health and Cardiovascular Balance in Caregivers

Background: Caring for a loved one can be rewarding but is also associated with substantial caregiver burden, developing mental outcomes and affecting happiness. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a four-week, 16-h presential meditation program on physiological and psychological parameters and vagal nerve activity in high-burden caregivers, as compared to a control group. Methods: A non-randomized repeated-measures controlled clinical trial was conducted. Results: According to the ANCOVA results, the global happiness score (F = 297.42, p < 0.001) and the scores for all subscales were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group at 5 weeks. Anxiety levels were also significantly reduced in the experimental group (F = 24.92, p < 0.001), systolic (F = 16.23, p < 0.001) and diastolic blood (F = 34.39, p < 0.001) pressures, and the resting heart rate (F = 17.90, p < 0.05). HRV results revealed significant between-group differences in the HRV Index (F = 8.40, p < 0.05), SDNN (F = 13.59, p < 0.05), and RMSSD (F = 10.72, p < 0.05) in the time domain, and HF (F = 4.82 p < 0.05)) in the frequency domain, which were all improved in the experimental group after the meditation program. Conclusions: Meditation can be a useful therapy to enhance the mental health and autonomic nervous system balance of informal caregivers, improving symptoms of physical and mental overload.

Myśl twórcy nowożytnej idei olimpijskiej Pierre’a de Coubertina w kontekście współczesnych wyzwań wychowania fizycznego dzieci i młodzieży w Polsce

W artykule przedstawiono postać i poglądy twórcy nowożytnej idei olimpijskiej – Pierre’a de Coubertina na zjawisko przeciążenia umysłowego uczniów oraz rolę sportu w rozwoju człowieka. Rozwój ten opierał na kalokagatii – antycznym ideale wychowania wszechstronnego. W książce Pédagogie sportive(Pedagogika sportowa) francuski myśliciel ukazuje w jaki sposób aktywność fizyczna i sport może wpływać na rozwój moralny, społeczny i zdolności umysłowe. Refleksje i postulaty reformatora edukacji sprzed wieku okazują się być aktualne wobec współczesnych wyzwań wychowania fizycznego dzieci i młodzieży. Dotyczy to m. in. ograniczania w szkolnej edukacji naturalnej potrzeby ruchu u młodszych uczniów, sedenteryjnego trybu życia, hipokinezji, niechęci uczniów do uczestniczenia w lekcjach wychowania fizycznego, braku odpowiedniej infrastruktury sportowej do podejmowania aktywności fizycznej w szkole czy niedomogów edukacji zdrowotnej. The thought of the creator of the modern Olympic idea, Pierre de Coubertin, in the context of contemporary challenges of physical education of children and youth in Poland The article presents the figure and views of the creator of the modern Olympic idea - Pierre de Coubertin on the phenomenon of mental overload of students and the role of sport in human development. This development was based on kalokagathia - an ancient ideal of comprehensive education. In his book „Pédagogie sportive” (Sport Pedagogy), the French thinker shows how physical activity and sport can influence moral, social and mental development. The reflections and postulates of the reformer of education from a century ago turn out to be up-to-date with contemporary challenges of physical education of children and youth. These include limiting the natural need for physical activity in younger students, sedentary lifestyles, hypokinesia, students' reluctance to participate in physical education classes, lack of adequate sports infrastructure for physical activity at school, and deficiencies in health education.

Psychická pracovná záťaž ako rizikový faktor pracovného prostredia

The authors of the article provide an overview of relevant legal regulations in the field of mental workload and occupational health and safety in the conditions of the Slovak Republic. The article deals with the manifestations of mental workload, a risk factor in the work environment, such as stress, fatigue, monotony and mental overload. It includes recommended procedures and methods of assessing mental and sensory workload in terms of work characteristics and work environment, as well as recommended measures to reduce the level of excessive mental workload.

Pemetaan dan Rancangan Intervensi Untuk Beban Kerja Mental Overload pada Dosen IAIN Palangka Raya

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pemetaan dan rancangan intervensi untuk beban kerja mental overload pada Dosen IAIN Palangka Raya. Jumlah subjek pada penelitian ini adalah 31 orang yang terdiri dari Dosen PNS dan Non PNS yang memiliki beban kerja dalam melaksanakan Tri Dharma Perguruan Tinggi minimal dalam satu Tahun Ajaran terakhir (Ganjil 2018/2019 atau Genap 2018/2019) lebih dari 16 Satuan Kredit Semester. Pengukuran beban kerja secara mental atau psikologis dapat diukur salah satunya dengan metode NASA-TLX. Metode NASA-TLX ialah suatu alat ukur yang digunakan dalam mengukur beban kerja mental secara subjektif. Hasil pemetaan beban kerja mental yaitu didapatkan skor rata-rata beban kerja mental sebesar 82 (delapan puluh dua) yang berada pada kategori berat. This study aims to determine the mapping and intervention design for mental overload workloads at IAIN Palangka Raya lecturers. The number of subjects in this study was 31 people consisting of PNS and Non-PNS lecturers who had a workload in implementing the Tri Dharma of Higher Education in the last one academic year (Odd 2018/2019 or Even 2018/2019) more than 16 Semester Credit Units. One of the mental or psychological measurements of workload is the NASA-TLX method. A NASA-TLX method is a measuring tool used in measuring mental workload subjectively. The mental workload mapping result is that the mental workload average score is 82 (eighty-two), which is in the heavy category.

Analysis of Stress Factors for Female Professors at Online Universities

The aim of this paper is to analyze the primary stress factors female professors at online universities are exposed to. The technique used for the prospective and exploratory analysis was the Delphi method. Two rounds of consultations were done with fourteen judges with broad experience in health and safety at work and university teaching who reached a consensus of opinion regarding a list of nine psychosocial risk factors. Among the most important risk factors, mental overload, time pressure, the lack of a schedule, and emotional exhaustion were highlighted. These risk factors are related to the usage and expansion of information and communication technology (ICT) and to the university system itself, which requires initiating more research in the future in order to develop the intervention programs needed to fortify the health of the affected teachers and protect them from stress and other psychosocial risks.

Índice de capacidade para o trabalho e a equipe de enfermagem

RESUMO Objetivo: analisar os artigos que utilizaram o Índice de Capacidade para o Trabalho (ICT) a fim de se identificarem os principais fatores que se relacionam com a capacidade para o trabalho dos profissionais de Enfermagem. Método: trata-se de um estudo bibliográfico, descritivo, do tipo revisão integrativa. Realizou-se a busca nas bases de dados MEDLINE via PUBMED, LILACS, na Biblioteca Virtual SciELO e no portal de Periódicos Capes. Incluíram-se os trabalhos originais na íntegra, produzidos nos últimos cinco anos, nos idiomas inglês, português e espanhol, disponíveis de forma gratuita e on-line. Apresentaram-se os resultados em forma de tabelas. Resultados: aponta-se que a amostra final resultou em 12 artigos, dos quais emergiram três categorias: Relação da carga horária de trabalho; Sobrecarga mental e Associação das doenças crônicas. Conclusão: evidencia-se que a carga horária de trabalho, a sobrecarga mental e as doenças osteomusculares são os principais fatores que interferem na capacidade para o trabalho e sua perda, além de serem determinantes fundamentais para a gênese de doenças ergonômicas. Fazem-se necessárias ações em saúde que auxiliem no desenvolvimento de estratégias a fim de se prevenir a perda da capacidade para o trabalho frente aos diversos contextos em que a Enfermagem está inserida. Descritores: Avaliação da capacidade de trabalho; Equipe de Enfermagem; Trabalhadores; Saúde do Trabalhador; Pesquisa em Enfermagem; Condições de Trabalho.ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze the articles that used the Work Ability Index (WAI) in order to identify the main factors that relate to the work capacity of Nursing professionals. Method: this is a descriptive bibliographical study, of the integrative review type. The MEDLINE databases were searched through PUBMED, LILACS, the SciELO Virtual Library and the Capes Periodicals portal. The original works produced in the last five years in the English, Portuguese and Spanish languages, available free of charge and online, have been included. Results were presented in the form of tables. Results: it is pointed out that the final sample resulted in 12 articles, of which three categories emerged: Workload ratio; Mental Overload and Association of Chronic Diseases. Conclusion: it is evident that workload, mental overload and musculoskeletal diseases are the main factors that interfere in the ability to work and its loss, besides being fundamental determinants for the genesis of ergonomic diseases. Health actions are necessary that help in the development of strategies in order to prevent the loss of the capacity to work in the different contexts in which Nursing is inserted. Descriptors: Work Capacity Evaluation; Nursing Team; Workers; Occupational Health; Nursing Research; Working Conditions.RESUMEN Objetivo: analizar los artículos que utilizaron el Índice de Capacidad para el Trabajo (ICT) a fin de identificar los principales factores que se relacionan con la capacidad para el trabajo de los profesionales de Enfermería. Método: se trata de un estudio bibliográfico, descriptivo, del tipo revisión integrativa. Se realizó la búsqueda en las bases de datos MEDLINE vía PUBMED, LILACS, en la Biblioteca Virtual SciELO y en el portal de Periódicos Capes. Se incluyó obras originales en su totalidad, producidos en los últimos cinco años, en inglés, portugués y español, disponibles de forma gratuita y en línea. Se presentaron los resultados en forma de tablas. Resultados: se señala que la muestra final resultó en 12 artículos, de los cuales surgieron tres categorías: Relación de la carga horaria de trabajo; Sobrecarga mental y Asociación de las enfermedades crónicas. Conclusión: se evidencia que la carga horaria de trabajo, la sobrecarga mental y las enfermedades osteomusculares son los principales factores que interfieren en la capacidad para el trabajo y su pérdida, además de ser determinantes fundamentales para la génesis de enfermedades ergonómicas. Se hacen necesarias acciones en salud que ayuden en el desarrollo de estrategias a fin de prevenir la pérdida de la capacidad para el trabajo frente a los diversos contextos en que la Enfermería está inserta. Descriptores: Evaluación de Capacidad de Trabajo; Grupo de Enfermería; Trabajadores; Salud Laboral; Investigación en Enfemería; Condiciones de Trabajo.