Battling Burnout With the Healing Power of the Sea

There is much talk about burnout, yet it is hard to grasp. The symptoms are complex and the topic is serious, albeit often belittled. Uncertainty has spread and health conscious people are asking once again: “What can I do to prevent it?” or “Might I already be affected?”

In an interview K. Matthias Rolle, physician and Medical Director of the Health Centre at the OCÉANO Hotel Health Spa, Tenerife, answered the most important questions about burnout syndrome and emphasized the holistic approach when it comes to burnout prevention. He attributes a critical role to the intestines. Too often this organ, which is of vital importance to our health, is insufficiently considered and even regarded with embarrassment.

EB: Mr. Rolle, for many years burnout syndrome has been thought to be an illness of managers only, mainly as a result of stress. Would you agree?

Mr. Rolle: According to the latest research, not only extremely busy managers suffer from stress. On the contrary, managers can usually cope with stress much better than many others. This raises the question: How do they manage it and why can’t people affected by burnout deal with stress anymore after a certain point? It is important to find out why stress is experienced as something positive at first and therefore an incentive to perform well and why it becomes too much at some point, leading to exhaustion and a drop in performance.

EB: When speaking about burnout, medical support is essential. How can I tell that something is wrong? Are there warning signs that my body or mind might be sending?

Mr. Rolle: It is part of burnout not to be able to hit the brakes. Warning signs like insomnia, loss of concentration and libido are often not taken seriously. This means it is important to develop greater sensitivity towards the issue and to act preventively.

EB: If I am aware of these warning signs, what can I do for burnout prevention?

Mr. Rolle: Today’s way of life takes our biorhythm less and less into account. It is undisputed among experts that this creates ideal conditions for a burnout to develop. It is therefore important to consider the biorhythm once more by following routines, consciously taking time to eat, resting sufficiently and regularly exercising at a reasonable level. Stimulating social interactions also help.

EB: Your health centre specializes in the F.X. Mayr curative procedure as well as Thalasso therapy. Can these two pillars of your approach to health help gain new energy? If so, how?

Mr. Rolle: In F.X. Mayr medicine the focus of the treatment is on the intestines. The primary goal is to purify and rehabilitate the intestines to activate the body’s capacity to self-heal. This matters in burnout prevention as latest research has shown how vitally important the intestines are for our emotional balance. Healthy intestines are therefore the best foundation for a turnaround and successful burnout prevention.

As part of Thalasso therapies we use the power of the sea to improve health and well-being. During treatments, the body is internally and externally fed sea products like algae and seawater, which help reduce stress and insomnia. Thalasso has been a tried and tested form of therapy for centuries and we are using it in conjunction with latest findings. With this method we are bringing nature into the treatment room and can set moderate stimuli with expert guidance.

EB: Did you also develop a special program for burnout prevention?

Mr. Rolle: As a health hotel our focus is on prevention and we don’t mean to replace hospital treatment. Health-conscious people who want to be more energetic or face burnout sensibly are in good hands with us. The programme “F.X. Mayr Intensive” includes a special diet, massages, Thalasso and further treatments.

It provides the perfect setting for individual burnout prevention, which is complemented by prior diagnostics like laboratory tests regarding the intestines or an HRV measurement to assess the vegetative nervous system.

EB: As an expert, do you have any recommendations on how to avoid the danger of burnout?

Mr. Rolle: Generally, we need to look at the whole person in their entire individuality. The problems’ causes, which we have to find, are as individual as their solutions. However, as mentioned before, it is always helpful to pay attention to ones biorhythm. Having routine and enough rest is absolutely crucial.