Teaching may come with a headache!

Teachers suffer psychosomatic disorders such as exhaustion, fatigue, and headaches more frequently than other occupational groups, Germany-based research has found.

The study by Klaus Scheuch, business manager at Center for Work and Health in Saxony, Germany and colleagues involved almost 800,000 teachers who were working in Germany in the 2012-13 school year.

The researchers found that compared to the general population, teachers maintain a more healthy lifestyle.

In the study, teachers had healthier cardiovascular systems than the general population: they were more physically active (approximately 75 percent of teachers versus 66 percent of the general population).

They were less likely to be obese (approximately 13 percent of teachers versus 23 percent of the general population), and less likely to smoke (approximately 14 percent of teachers versus 30 percent of the general population).

In contrast, psychosomatic complaints were more common among teachers: they were more likely to suffer sleep disorders, forgetfulness, pain, and irritability, for example.

The authors emphasised that workplace health care professionals who care for teachers should include not only treating physicians but also psychologists, psychiatrists, and specialists in psychosomatic medicine.

"Teachers need qualified, interdisciplinary occupational health care with the involvement of their treating physicians," the researchers said.

The study was published in the journal Deutsches Arzteblatt International.