By Jeanette Raymond, Ph.D., Body-Mind Psychotherapy Topic Expert Contributor

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It’s frustrating and annoying not to get a good night’s sleep.
Taking a long time to fall asleep was bad enough. But waking up at 2:00 a.m. and not being able to get back to sleep was frustrating and annoying. Duane worried about his performance the next day. He thought about what he should have said and done during the last twenty-four hours at work and with his girlfriend. He worked at planning ahead so he wouldn’t be caught off guard and mess up again.

Sleepless nights turn into sleepless weeks.
Sleepless nights turned into sleepless weeks. Over the counter remedies didn’t help. Nor did physical exercise, or so called ‘sleep hygiene regimens.’ Duane’s anxiety reached a level that was intolerable. It was spilling out all over the place. Things with his girlfriend were already shaky, and the job situation was precarious. He wished he could escape for a few hours each night in sleep. He stopped the caffeine hours before bed time, avoided eating after 8:00 p.m. and made his bedroom more ‘sleep friendly’ by removing the laptop and other distracting objects. Herbal teas and hot relaxing baths were worse than useless. Mood music and ‘wave’ machines just irritated him. Read the rest of this entry

A GoodTherapy.org News Summary

Sleep has been identified as a major component of mental health many times, but some people neglect their basic needs for regular sleep nevertheless. One of the most at-risk groups for a harmful deficiency in sleep is adolescents, who are advised by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine to receive at least nine hours of sleep each night. In a survey that formed the basis for evidence in a study carried out at Colombia University, adolescents reported getting just under eight hours each night, though some reported receiving less than five hours.

The study found that decreased rates of nightly sleep directly corresponded with increased rates-–nearly double those of respondents who received optimal sleeping times–of mental health difficulties such as depression, as well as thoughts about suicide. In particular, those who received extremely low rates of sleep were considerably more likely to experience suicidal episodes. Collecting data on parental-set bedtimes for adolescents in grades seven through twelve throughout the United States, the study showed that those who complied with bedtimes set at 10pm or earlier were far more likely to receive an adequate amount of sleep each night, and subsequently experience lower rates of depression and associated mental health concerns. Read the rest of this entry

© Copyright 2010 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Oakland Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Summary

In metropolitan as well as more rural environments, it can be difficult to experience a night of pure darkness. Light pouring in from street lamps, issuing forth from appliances and television screens, or accumulating from the advertisements and lit windows of buildings can seem like an invasive force –although many people are so accustomed to a constant state of light intrusion that they fail to notice any problem at all. This issue may be a concern for mental health, as the ability to align one’s sleeping and working cycles with the natural rhythm of the earth has often been cited as of the utmost importance for overall well-being. Supporting this theory, a study performed at the Ohio State University and recently presented in Chicago at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience has tested the effect of constant light exposure on mice.

The study involved two laboratory environments; one in which mice were exposed to artificial light without interruption throughout the day, and one in which an opaque tube, with dark conditions inside, was present, allowing mice to enter at any time. The researchers found that those mice housed in the constantly light environment exhibited stronger depressive symptoms than did the mice with the option to escape into darkness. Read the rest of this entry

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Fort Lauderdale Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Headline

There are many adverse symptoms, both psychological and somatic, associated with alcohol abuse, and those in recovery often find themselves struggling with the inherent challenges. However, a study recently published in the journal Sleep suggests that even those who have been abstinent for years may still suffer from insufficient sleep. The study examined the sleep patterns and behaviors of a range of recovered alcoholics as well as a control group, and found that those with a history of alcoholism were far less likely to achieve deep, uninterrupted sleep than their counterparts with “regular” histories. The results may indicate that even after alcohol abuse is conquered, cognitive difficulties may still persist, requiring a greater attention to physical and psychological care.

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Staten Island Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Summary

Nearly everyone can recall an experience –or a handful of them– with nightmares, memories of crawling into their parents’ bed or strolling down the hall for a refreshing glass of water after a particularly harrowing dream being one of the elements that serves to unite childhoods across the country and around the world. Nightmares don’t subside for plenty of people, however, and some experience more disturbing dreams than others. For some people, particularly those who are suffering from concerns in their personal, social, and professional lives, nightmares can be debilitating. Recently, this issue has made it to the forefront of the mental health industry for its implication in the risk of suicide.

Though other symptoms such as depression are more commonly associated with suicide, the prevalence of nightmares in suicidal thoughts and behaviors has been a growing subject of interest for mental health professionals. While most people experience occasional bad dreams, chronic sufferers of nightmares may be internalizing their pain or engaging in other thoughts or activities that don’t serve their overall well-being. A recent study led by a psychology doctoral candidate at Florida State University has investigated the link between nightmares and suicide, and has found that the unpleasant and terrifying dreams are significantly and independently associated with suicidal symptoms. Read the rest of this entry

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Woodland Hills Bureau - All Rights Reserved.