As cases of COVID-19 begin to rise again, hospitals are preparing for a new surge of patients as well as the toll it can take on clinicians and other frontline healthcare workers. Studies have shown COVID-19 has increased clinician burnout, and that rates of stress, anxiety and depression have increased.
With this in mind, the Center for Faculty Development at Massachusetts General Hospital recently held a seminar on mindfulness led by Rudy Tanzi, PhD.
Dr. Tanzi is the Vice-Chair of Neurology at Mass General and Director of the Genetics and Aging Research Unit. He has devoted his research career to studying Alzheimer’s disease and the impact of stress-induced inflammation on brain health.
In the seminar, Tanzi shared a few ways that clinicians—and all those suffering from pandemic-induced mental health issues—can practice mindfulness.
The Four A’s of Mindfulness
Being mindful, put most simply, is being conscious and aware of surrounding factors, but practicing mindfulness requires a bit more intention. Mindfulness means actively observing your thoughts and feelings without labelling them as good or bad. In a quote from John Kabat-Zinn, Tanzi shared “Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally.”
To incorporate mindfulness techniques in stressful situation of everyday life, Tanzi suggests considering the four A’s of mindfulness.
Awareness
Being aware of your experience in the present moment without judgement.
Appreciation
Thinking of those around you with affection and compassion.
Attitude
Approaching everyday life with kindness, tolerance and curiosity.
Acceptance
Accept every challenge or setback—no matter how difficult—while learning from it for the future.
SHIELD Your Brain Against Alzheimer’s
Tanzi also focused on preventative strategies to promote brain health. These strategies were originally developed to protect patients at risk for Alzheimer’s disease, however they can be used by anyone—and it’s never to late to start building healthy habits.
The SHIELD model was developed based on epidemiological studies investigating the best practices to reduce Alzheimer’s risk. It is not a guaranteed fix, says Tanzi, but can help minimize systemic inflammation, which appears to be a key contributor to Alzheimer’s risk.
S - Sleep
“Sleep is the time where the brain cleans itself out,” says Tanzi. Getting a solid eight hours of sleep can give your brain time to remove plaques and other neurotoxic debris that build up during the day. If eight hours isn’t doable, Tanzi says incorporating naps could also be helpful.
H - Handling stress
Studies have shown relaxation, meditation and mindfulness techniques can help in managing stress and have a significant beneficial impact on Alzheimer’s-related markers in the brain, says Tanzi. “Vacations can be expensive, and with COVID it is impossible, but you can meditate every day!”
I - Interact with others
Safety regulations of the pandemic can make it difficult to have in-person meetings with friends and loved ones, but it is important to make time for social connections. Loneliness can also lead to a two-fold increased risk for Alzheimer’s, says Tanzi.
E - Exercise
Mass General researcher Se Hoon Choi, PhD, worked with Tanzi to publish a Science Magazine paper that found exercise could help with neurogenesis, the creation of new brain cells, and cognition.
L - Learn new things
“When you learn new things, you make new synapses (connections between neurons), reinforce existing synapses and build the resilience of your neural network,” Tanzi says. Loss of synapses correlates with cognitive impairment as we age, so learning something new can serve as a protective factor.
D - Diet
Tanzi recommends the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes fruits, vegetables, olive oil, beans, nuts and seeds, and keeping the gut microbiome healthy. Research in mice has shown that a healthy gut microbiome can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s, says Tanzi. Cutting down on junk food, sugar, red meat and inflammatory foods, and increasing intake of fruits, vegetables, fiber and probiotics are all ways to set yourself up for success.
Incorporating all of these changes and techniques is not possible overnight, nor would it be sustainable. It can be daunting to think about how different some of these changes may feel, but every small step counts.
“Your mind and body today are the results of your habits yesterday,” says Tanzi. “Your mind and body tomorrow are the results of your habits today.”
About the Mass General Research Institute
Research at Massachusetts General Hospital is interwoven through more than 30 different departments, centers and institutes. Our research includes fundamental, lab-based science; clinical trials to test new drugs, devices and diagnostic tools; and community and population-based research to improve health outcomes across populations and eliminate disparities in care.
Support our Research
Leave a Comment