Take Time For Yourself This Weekend #happyfriday #selfcare
Benefits of Music
#mentalhealthmatters #selfcare
3 ways getting outside into nature helps improve your health
Need an excuse to get out of the house? Research continues to demonstrate that being outside and experiencing nature can improve our mental health and increase our ability to focus.
Many of us are in front of a screen for much of our day — whether that be a computer, TV, or smartphone. As a result, we spend less time outside experiencing the natural world. Here are some reasons why we all can benefit from taking a nature break.
1. Nature can help us improve our thinking, reasoning, and other mental abilities
When we're in urban environments or the office all day, we can experience sensory overload, resulting in tension and mental fatigue. Studies have shown that our minds and bodies relax in a natural setting. This increases feelings of pleasure and can help us concentrate and focus more effectively, according to studies in the National Library of Medicine.
Being outdoors can also have relaxing effects on our minds. Nature can provide a mental break by allowing us to temporarily escape the demands of everyday life. It can also boost your creativity and problem-solving abilities.
For example, if you're having a mental block writing a paper or can't seem to solve a problem at work, step outside for a breath of fresh air. Take an easy walk around your neighborhood or office. You just might find the answers you were looking for.
2. Nature can improve physical wellness
Getting out into nature can lead us to want to walk, bike, hike, or kayak more often. People typically engage in regular physical activity when they're in nature. So, stepping outside can help you keep a healthy weight or even lose weight by increasing activity levels.
Studies also show that being in nature has a positive effect on our bodies by reducing cortisol levels, muscle tension, and demands on our cardiovascular systems (lowers heart rate and blood pressure). Being out in nature often may lead to lower rates of heart disease. The great outdoors can also help you increase your vitamin D level, which is important for your bones, blood cells, and immune system.
3. Being outside can improve your mental health
Nature can help decrease your anxiety levels and can help lessen stress and feelings of anger. Exercise can also help this, but it's even better when you're outside.
Regular access to green spaces has been linked to lower risks of depression and improved concentration and attention. Being outside allows us to be social and come together with family, friends, or even people you don't know while on a hiking trail, for example.
Additionally, you may find that you sleep better when you are regularly outside. Daily exposure to natural light helps regulate sleep/wake cycles. By making sure that you get outside in sunlight every day, you can improve your ability to sleep at night.
Nature can also have benefits for children. One study in Denmark examined 900,000 residents born between 1985 and 2003. They found that children who lived in neighborhoods with more green space had a reduced risk of mental disorders later in life.
Other benefits to being in nature
There are some positive health impacts related to getting outdoors. You can learn more about these in the research summary from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. They include the following:
People who live near parks and green space have less mental distress, are more physically active, and have longer life spans.
Exposure to nature may decrease death from chronic disease.
When people exercise outdoors in nature, they do so for longer periods of time and at greater intensities.
Positive health effects are enhanced when green space includes water.
Simple outdoor exercises if you're short on time
If you have a busy schedule and don't have much time to get outside, these may help you get a quick nature fix:
5 minutes: Stand outside with the sun on your face or take off your shoes to feel the grass in between your toes. If the weather isn't great, take a few minutes to gaze out a window at the scenery outside.
25 minutes: Go out for a stroll and take some deep breaths. You could even eat your lunch outside or take a phone call or meeting outdoors.
Other fun ideas to experience nature
Plan a picnic with friends or family. Find a park or green space to enjoy a meal and maybe take a frisbee or soccer ball.
Rent a kayak or canoe on a nearby waterway.
Find a hiking trail you've never been to.
Dust off your bicycle and go for an easy ride around the neighborhood.
Take your dog for a walk to a nearby park — they'll enjoy it just as much as you will.
Grab a book and find a shady tree to sit under.
Plant a vegetable or flower garden in your yard or on your patio.
Take up golfing with a friend or family member.
Meet up with a neighbor or friend to walk daily or weekly.
Go bird watching at a nearby state park or wildlife habitat.
#mondaymotivation #selfconfidence
#reducethestigma
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
#mentalhealthawareness #may #mentalhealthmatters
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Things I Can Control
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Sleep 101: Why Sleep Is So Important to Your Health
Sleep 101: Why Sleep Is So Important to Your Health
Erica Jansen
March 2, 2020
WHAT IS SLEEP EXACTLY, AND HOW DOES IT HELP US STAY HEALTHY?
Sleep is an altered state of consciousness where we have limited interactions with our surroundings and are relatively quiet and still (depending on the stage of sleep). Contrary to our quiet physical state, the brain is very active during sleep, carrying out many important functions. Sleep is essential to every process in the body, affecting our physical and mental functioning the next day, our ability to fight disease and develop immunity, and our metabolism and chronic disease risk. Sleep is truly interdisciplinary because it touches every aspect of health.
Sleep is essential to every process in the body, affecting our physical and mental functioning the next day, our ability to fight disease and develop immunity, and our metabolism and chronic disease risk.
HOW DOES WHAT WE EAT IMPACT OUR SLEEP?
It is well-known that certain substances, such as caffeine, can affect the onset of sleep in a negative way. On the other hand, evidence is growing that shows how other foods like tart cherries, kiwi, fatty fish (like salmon and tuna), and malted milk may have beneficial effects on sleep. More recently, studies have shown that healthy dietary patterns overall—not just specific foods—could be associated with longer sleep duration and shorter time to fall asleep.
WHY IS SLEEP SO IMPORTANT FOR YOUNG CHILDREN, AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE COMMON NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF POOR SLEEP?
Sleep is important for every part of the body, and it is especially important for young children as their bodies and minds develop. In young children, lack of sleep or poor quality sleep can be associated with difficult behaviors, lower capacity to learn and retain information, and a propensity for poor eating patterns and weight gain.
WHAT SLEEP NEEDS DO ADOLESCENTS HAVE, AND WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE CURRENT CONVERSATIONS WE'RE HAVING AROUND SCHOOL-DAY START TIMES?
Adolescents need around 8-10 hours of sleep per night, but a high proportion do not get that amount. For example, recent estimates suggest that 60 percent of middle schoolers and 70 percent of high schoolers don’t get adequate sleep on school nights. This figure is even higher for Michigan high schoolers, which is at 80 percent. One of the main reasons adolescents are so sleep-deprived is that biological changes in their brain affect when they feel sleepy. So even if they are sleep-deprived, they often can’t go to bed early because their brain is not yet prepared to sleep.
In school districts that have enacted later school start times, research is consistently showing that students get more sleep and as a result have fewer motor vehicle accidents, better grades, and improved mental health.
The problem with these delayed bedtimes is that school or before-school activities often start very early, so adolescents may end up chronically sleep deprived. In school districts that have enacted later school start times, research is consistently showing that students get more sleep and as a result have fewer motor vehicle accidents, better grades, and improved mental health.
EVERY SPRING AND FALL WE CHANGE OUR CLOCKS BY AN HOUR. WHAT HEALTH IMPACTS DOES THIS CHANGE HAVE ON INDIVIDUALS AND ON THE PUBLIC’S HEALTH?
There are many calls from the sleep-research community to eliminate daylight savings time. When our clocks are pushed forward, people lose one hour of sleep. This one-hour sleep loss is associated with significantly more motor vehicle accidents as well as cardiac events. When our clocks move backward, we might think that extra hour helps us. But our sleep patterns are disrupted by any change like this, so the fall time change may also lead to negative health impacts. In general, these universal time changes create a significant and negative burden on the public’s health.
HOW IMPORTANT IS SLEEP FOR OUR MENTAL HEALTH?
Sleep and mental health go hand-in-hand. Good sleep is essential for maintaining our baseline mental health, as one night of sleep deprivation can dramatically affect mood the next day. Chronic exposure to poor sleep quality is associated with depression, anxiety, and other conditions. There are also bidirectional associations—meaning that experiencing anxiety and depression very often affects sleep, which then impacts our ability to cope with the anxiety and depression, and so on.
HOW DOES ALCOHOL IMPACT SLEEP?
Although alcohol may help a person fall asleep quickly, it hinders sleep quality, often causing fragmented (interrupted) sleep. When consuming alcohol, it is recommended to do so several hours before bedtime so that the alcohol is completely out of the system before sleep.
DOES SCREEN TIME REALLY AFFECT OUR SLEEP?
There is evidence to show that screen use right before bed could impact sleep. One reason is that the blue light emitted from these devices can affect the secretion of melatonin, the hormone that helps signal to the body that it is time to fall asleep. Other reasons include the content of what is on the screen. If you watch a scary movie, read an emotionally-driven article, or consume any other anxiety-producing content on your screen, it can affect your ability to fall asleep. Sleep clinicians recommend putting away all screens at least one hour before bed and to instead do some light reading or other relaxing activity.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): What It Is & Purpose
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a type of talk therapy for people who experience emotions very intensely. It’s a common therapy for people with borderline personality disorder, but therapists provide it for other mental health conditions as well.
Overview
What is dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)?
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a type of talk therapy (psychotherapy). It’s based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), but it’s specially adapted for people who experience emotions very intensely.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of talk therapy that helps people understand how thoughts affect emotions and behaviors.
“Dialectical” means combining opposite ideas. DBT focuses on helping people accept the reality of their lives and their behaviors, as well as helping them learn to change their lives, including their unhelpful behaviors.
Dialectical behavior therapy was developed in the 1970s by Marsha Linehan, an American psychologist.
What is dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) used for?
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is especially effective for people who have difficulty managing and regulating their emotions.
DBT has proven to be effective for treating and managing a wide range of mental health conditions, including:
Eating disorders, specifically binge eating disorder and bulimia.
It’s important to note that the reason DBT has proved effective for treating these conditions is that each of these conditions is thought to be associated with issues that result from unhealthy or problematic efforts to control intense, negative emotions. Rather than depending on efforts that cause problems for the person, DBT helps people learn healthier ways to cope.
How do I find a DBT therapist?
A therapist can be a psychiatrist (a medical doctor who can prescribe medications), psychiatric nurse, psychologist, social worker or family therapist.
Finding the right therapist is often a time-consuming task, and DBT therapy isn’t any different. Try not to become discouraged. Talk to people you trust to give you a referral for a therapist who uses dialectical behavior therapy, whether it’s your primary healthcare provider or a friend or family member.
You can also search for therapists online through local and state psychological associations.
Be sure that any therapist you’re interested in seeing is a state-certified and licensed mental health professional and that they treat your area of concern (for example, eating disorders, borderline personality disorder, self-harm, etc.).
Most therapists’ websites list the conditions and problems they treat. If you have questions, call or email the therapist’s office before you choose.
It may be helpful to ask a potential DBT therapist the following questions:
What is the nature of your training in DBT?
Do you provide comprehensive DBT or a modification? If not comprehensive DBT, why not?
Do you belong to a DBT consultation team?
What’s your policy on phone calls and emails during the week?
How much time will you initially ask me to commit to for the entire therapy process?
Procedure Details
How does dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) work?
The main goal of therapists who use dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is to strike a balance between validation (acceptance) of who you are and your challenges and the benefits of change. Your therapist will help you learn new skills to improve emotion regulation.
The structure of dialectical behavior therapy can vary some from therapist to therapist, but, in general, DBT involves these four types of sessions:
DBT pre-assessment.
Individual therapy.
Skills training in groups.
Telephone crisis coaching.
DBT pre-assessment
Your therapist may offer an assessment before starting DBT. They’ll determine how suitable DBT is for you by asking you questions and explaining how DBT works. If you decide that DBT is the right therapy for you, they’ll ask you to commit to the treatment and the length of treatment.
Individual DBT therapy
Individual DBT therapy involves weekly sessions with your therapist. Each session lasts about 40 minutes to 60 minutes.
Individual DBT therapy sessions have the following goals:
To help keep you safe by reducing suicidal and self-harming behaviors, if applicable.
To limit behaviors that get in the way of productive therapy.
To help you reach your goals and improve your quality of life by addressing what’s blocking your progress, such as mental health conditions or relationship issues.
To help you learn new skills to replace unhelpful behaviors.
Your therapist will likely ask you to keep a diary to track your emotions and actions and to look for patterns of behavior. You’ll bring this diary with you to your sessions so you and your therapist can decide what to work on for each session.
DBT skills training in groups
In these sessions, your therapist will teach you skills in a group setting. This isn’t to be confused with group therapy, in which you discuss your problems with others. Think of it more like a teaching and learning session in a classroom setting.
DBT skills aim to help enhance your capabilities in day-to-day life. The four skills your therapist will teach include:
Mindfulness: This is the practice of being fully aware and focused in the present instead of worrying about the past or future.
Distress tolerance: This involves understanding and managing your emotions in difficult or stressful situations without responding with harmful behaviors.
Interpersonal effectiveness: This means understanding how to ask for what you want and need and setting boundaries while maintaining respect for yourself and others.
Emotion regulation: This means understanding, being more aware of and having more control over your emotions.
Telephone crisis coaching
DBT often involves telephone crisis coaching to support you in your daily life. This means you can call your therapist at certain times for support between sessions.
Examples of when you may need to call your therapist include:
When you need help with an immediate crisis, such as wanting to self-harm.
When you’re trying to use the DBT skills you learned but want some advice on how to do it.
However, your therapist will set clear boundaries about when you can call them, such as during an agreed-upon range of time during the day.
Crisis coaching functions on an as-needed basis. The calls are usually brief, and they shouldn’t replace the work of individual or group sessions.
Risks / Benefits
What are the benefits and risks of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)?
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) has been proven to help people with their mental health conditions in several studies. For people with borderline personality disorder, in particular, DBT results in:
Less self-harm behavior and anger.
Fewer days of inpatient hospitalization.
Less drug and alcohol misuse.
Improved depressive symptoms.
However, DBT isn’t for everyone, and it can be very difficult. DBT is more likely to work for you if you:
Are committed to making positive changes.
Are ready to fully commit to therapy and do homework assignments.
Are ready to focus mostly on your present and future, rather than your past.
Feel able to do some sessions in a group with others.
Recovery and Outlook
How long will I need dialectical behavior therapy?
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) usually takes at least six months to a year. However, each person is unique, and mental health conditions are complex. You shouldn’t expect to be completely free of symptoms or no longer have problematic behaviors after one year of DBT.
Many therapists believe that the treatment for borderline personality disorder, in particular, can often take several years.
Try not to get discouraged by how long it may take to be able to better manage your emotions and have a better quality of life. The important thing is that you’re seeking help. Any progress is good progress.
When to Call the Doctor
When should I see my healthcare provider or therapist while doing DBT?
It’s important to go to all of your scheduled individual DBT therapy sessions and group skill training sessions.
If you’re experiencing a crisis, such as feeling suicidal, and can call your therapist, do so.
If your therapist is unavailable, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. Someone will be available to talk with you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is an effective treatment to help people who experience very intense, negative emotions. Although it may be difficult and time-consuming to find the right DBT therapist for you, it’s important to keep trying. The sooner you can start therapy — and stay committed to it — the sooner you’ll have an improved quality of life.
Start of Week Check-In
Psychology Tips for New Year's Resolutinos
Psychology Tips for New Year's Resolutions
Michelle Konstantinovsky October 26, 2023
It's a classic scenario: our New Year’s resolutions often fade, and fast.
People love to set goals, and setting objectives can lead to meaningful change, whether it's quitting smoking, cutting back on alcohol, or getting fit or more organized. But sticking to goals is often much harder than jotting them down. One study found that about 64% (nearly two-thirds) of people abandon their New Year's resolutions within a month. It's practically part of the tradition.
So what will help make this year different?
Appreciate the Aspirations
You crack open a new planner or calendar and imagine what could be.
"The New Year serves as a cyclical marker of time during which we reevaluate and take inventory on our lives,” says clinical psychologist Sabrina Romanoff, PsyD, clinical psychologist and professor at New York's Yeshiva University. “The drive for making resolutions is motivated by this punctuation in time. [It] activates hope and expectations for what we hope to achieve going forward.”
With a new year comes a "sense of renewal," says psychologist Mariana Strongin, PsyD. That makes us think about what we want to improve or change.
But while that blank slate feeling can be inspiring, we can also get carried away.
Think About How, Not Just What
Imagining change can be exciting. But it's going to need some structure to last.
“Often people do not map out or think about what it will take to accomplish a goal or make a resolution and instead rely on the excitement of the new year as the thing that will push them to accomplish their goal,” says Amanda E. White. She’s a therapist, speaker, and the author of Not Drinking Tonight.
Then it wears off.
Or perhaps your goal was too rigid, or you didn't allow enough time to reach it.
If you set a super-specific goal, such as a a precise body weight, "it can be challenging to persevere in your efforts toward it if results are not immediate," Romanoff says. " Goals take time, and many folks become discouraged and eventually relent before attaining the goal.”
Look Back, Then Move Forward
If you find yourself making the same resolution each time January rolls around, do some detective work.
“Without examining where we are resistant to change ... the cycle of resolve, relapse, repeat continues year after year.”
Britt Frank
“We often set lofty goals for the future without honestly assessing why we’ve struggled in the past,” Britt Frank, a trauma specialist and author of The Science of Stuck. “Without examining where we are resistant to change ... the cycle of resolve, relapse, repeat continues year after year.”
Change is possible. Check on what’s holding you back. “Breaking behavioral cycles requires a rigorous commitment to honesty at all costs,” Frank says.
Consider the Pace: Quick Win or Long Run?
“Divide your goals between those that can be accomplished either in the long or short term,” Romanoff says. Short-term goals are quick wins. Long-term goals are going to take more time.
Romanoff's advice: If you have a long-term goal, create an action plan which links it to near-term achievable and realistic goals.
Achieve Big Goals Bit by Bit
You’ve probably heard that you should break big goals into smaller ones.
But why?
“We must begin to feel a sense of mastery in order to keep going.” – Marianna Strongin
“As humans we are driven by the feeling of mastery,” Strongin says. "So rather than making a goal of ‘becoming fit,’ I would make the goal of ‘working out three times a week for at least 45 minutes each time.’ By breaking down the goal into quantifiable measures, we are more likely to feel good about ourselves and even more likely to continue.”
White agrees. “We only achieve goals by taking small steps daily or weekly. If we want to eat healthier, we must change our eating choices daily. If we want to run a marathon, we must commit to running a certain number of miles every week.
In general, breaking a goal into the smallest step possible makes it more likely that you will follow through. We tend to get overwhelmed and give up when a goal is too lofty.
Set Positive Goals
Research shows that you’re more likely to accomplish a goal that is specific and based on doing something instead of avoiding something.
For example, if you want to complain less in the new year, you are more likely to accomplish it if you phrase it as, "I will create a gratitude list and write down three things I am grateful for every day." This resolution is about an action you'll take, not something you want to stop doing.
Get Your Goals in Sync
Are your resolutions in conflict? That will make one or the other tougher, or impossible, to keep.
“Make sure that your goals have a synergistic effect so that working on one does not lead to the detriment of another.”
Sabrina Romanoff
For instance, if you set a goal to save money and another to travel more, those goals could collide.
“Make sure you are not twisting yourself in a pretzel and that your goals have a synergistic effect so that working on one does not lead to the detriment of another,” Romanoff says.
Accept Some Losses
Success can feel great. But it may come with some other emotions, too.
“It is crucial to understand that achieving ‘big goals’ is going to involve a degree of grief and loss,” Frank says. “Why? When we get healthier, happier and more successful, our relationships change, pressure increases, and the familiarity and comfort ... is challenged.”
It's often an adjustment. “If we focus only on the benefits and deny the costs of behavioral change, we are unlikely to stick to our resolutions,” Frank says.
Outsmart Your Obstacles
Do you have a backup plan?
What will you do when the weather is too bad for the walk or run you resolved to do? How about when you're feeling low and are tempted to spend, eat, or drink more than you planned? Or if your new routine starts to feel boring?
“Make sure you consider the things that could get in the way of accomplishing your goal and then build in ways to overcome those obstacles in your goal,” Romanoff says.
Be SMART About It
You may have heard of “‘SMART’ goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timebound.
They're key to lasting behavior change, says Matt Glowiak, PhD, licensed clinical professional counselor and author of A Year of Finding Your Callings: Daily Practices to Uncover Your Passion and Purpose..
For instance, if your resolution is to quit smoking, Glowiak says a SMART goal could look like this:
Specific: You identify one specific goal. In this case, it’s “I want to quit smoking.”
Measurable: You put a number on your goal. Is it to have smoked 0 times this week, or a specific number of cigarettes less than the day or week before? You need a measurable way to track your progress.
Attainable: Do a reality check. For instance, is quitting smoking cold turkey practical for you or would you do better gradually cutting down until you’ve quit?
Time bound: Decide when you aim to reach each milestone and your final goal. You may also want to celebrate each step along the way, which can help you stay motivated.
With health goals such as quitting smoking, changing your diet, or improving your fitness, your doctor can help you know what’s realistic and what will help. You don’t have to figure it all out on your own.
Use Your Values for Motivation
Your values are like a compass. They constantly inform and guide behavior, Romanoff says. And they can help you remember why you set your resolution in the first place.
For instance, Romanoff recommends avoiding a goal like reaching a certain weight. Instead, consider the value behind it, such as if better health is the value driving you.
“Channel those values as incentive for your goal,” Romanoff says. “The ‘why’ behind your goal will ground it in purpose and contextualize the resolution in a meaningful way.”