Christel Maritz Blog - Page 28 of 30

Sleep contributes to overall happiness!

Sleep contributes to overall happiness! Is chronic sleep problems adding to you being tired, crabby, irritable and not productive, contributing to your mood disorder. Sleep problems are especially common in individuals who have been diagnosed with anxiety, depression or bipolar disorder.

According to a Harvard Health Publication, chronic sleep problems affect 50 percent to 80 percent of patients in a mental health practice and only 10 percent to 18 percent of adults in the general public. Sleep problems are especially common in individuals who have been diagnosed with anxiety, depression or bipolar disorder. Did you know?

• 65 percent to 90 percent of Individuals clinically diagnosed with major depressive disorder have sleep problems.

• 90 percent of children diagnosed with depression experience a sleep problem.

• Evidence suggest that individuals with depression and sleep problems are less likely to respond to treatment than those who have no sleep problems.

• Individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder are 69 percent to 99 percent more likely to experience insomnia while experiencing a manic episode. However, when an individual experiences a depressive episode (bipolar depression) 23 percent to 78 percent of those same individuals sleep excessively.

• 50 percent of individuals clinically diagnosed with anxiety experience difficulty falling asleep.

Treating sleep problems may alleviate or reduce mental health symptoms. An overtired adult is no different than an overtired child — tired and crabby, irritable and not productive, which contributes to mood and behaviors. What does sleep do? Every 90 minutes a normal sleeper changes between two categories; “quiet” sleep and REM (rapid eye movement sleep). During quiet sleep, an individual’s body temperature drops, muscles relax and breathing slows down. This stage of sleep actually boost an individual’s immune system. This is where the body truly rests and rejuvenates.

Following a few behavioral changes that can be implemented to benefit your overall happiness and well-being.

• Restrict or limit alcohol and nicotine. Did you know that alcohol and nicotine contributes to sleeplessness? Alcohol initially depresses the nervous system, which helps some people fall asleep, but the effects wear off in a few hours and people wake up. Nicotine is a stimulant, which speeds heart rate and thinking. Avoiding these substances is best, but not using them before bedtime is another option.

• Start moving. Exercising regularly can help with sleep patterns. People who exercise fall asleep faster and spend more time in deep sleep.

• Create good sleep habits. Many experts believe that people learn insomnia and can learn how to sleep better. Having good “sleep hygiene” includes maintaining a regular sleep-and-wake schedule, using the bedroom only for sleeping or sex, and keeping the bedroom dark and free of electronics.

• Get into a state of relaxation. Using relaxation techniques such as meditation, guided imagery, deep breathing exercises, and progressive muscle relaxation (alternately tensing and releasing muscles) can help reduce anxiety and slow down your thought process as you prepare for sleep.

• Changing negative expectations. If a person has insomnia, they may have a tendency to focus on the fact they can’t fall asleep. By using cognitive behavioral techniques, individuals can try to change negative expectations and build more confidence that they can have a good night’s sleep.

Eight hours of sleep, especially if taking medication is recommended. Sleep is vital to healthy growth and development. It also is necessary to maintain mood and stress level.

http://www.sanduskyregister.com/Health-and-Fitness/2016/02/11/Sleep-contributes-to-overall-emotional-health.html

Relaxation techniques

At last you do not have to struggle any more in your practise with teaching patients relaxation techniques.

Relaxation techniques

The Relaxation CD can help you with this challenging task. Clients now can take it home and practise the relaxation techniques in their own environment. Relaxation techniques are used for the treatment of various physical as well as psychological problems. Deep muscle relaxation are often associated with slower heart rate, lower blood pressure and slower and more even breathing. Asthma, headaches, hypertension, acute and chronic pain, postpartum stress, post-operative stress and the side effects of chemotherapy are some of the physical problems that can be greatly benefited through deep-muscle relaxation.

A meta-analysis published in BMC Psychiatry (June, 2008) confirms that relaxation, in particular Jacobson’s progressive relaxation, autogenic training, applied relaxation and meditation – is consistently effective in reducing anxiety. Depression, sleeping disorders, nightmares and post-traumatic stress disorder are psychological disorders that definitely benefit from relaxation training. The cd is currently also used with great effectiveness as part of the treatment programme of addictions.

Stress-management training in corporate environments

The cd can also be used as part of Stress-management training in corporate environments. Relaxation training can be used by any therapist involved in the psychological treatment of patients and should be monitored by a qualified therapist/counsellor to be efficient.

The CD comprises both Progressive relaxation based on Jacobson’s method as well as Auto suggestive relaxation. Complete instructions available in the cover. Also available in Afrikaans.

To order: Phone: 021-8529397 or email your details to cmaritz@webmail.co.za

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BWRT – Brain Working Recursive Therapy

When you understand how neural pathways are created in the brain, you get a front row seat for truly comprehending how to let go of habits. Neural pathways are like super highways of nerve cells that transmit messages. You travel over the superhighway many times, and the pathway becomes more and more solid. The hopeful fact, however, is that the brain is always changing and you can forge new pathways and create new habits. That’s called the neuro plasticity of the brain.

Most therapies work intangible elements of the Conscious, Subconscious and even the Unconscious mind.

BWRT – Brain working recursive therapy is a relatively new therapy. BWRT is different in that it actually uses the physical brain to make changes. When the brain is bombarded with information all the time, there is so much information that is stimulating the brain, that we find it impossibly at times on a conscious level to keep up. Much of our life events processing happens in the background in our subconscious mind. It’s similar to a computer. We use the keypad and observe the screen but don’t get involved with how the information from the screen or our typing is being processed. The brain is a master in processing loads of information.

Although it might seem like the brain is making judgements about how to be and react to situations, logic doesn’t come into it.

For example someone who has a fear for spiders knows that most spiders are harmless but the brain doesn’t accept this logic and results in a person being anxious and sends loads of adrenaline round their body. The brain makes the body respond to a threat by making you anxious and triggering the flight or fight response. With either response your heart beat will rise and you body is preparing to take action.

The brain looks for common features to any stimulus. It does this so it know how it should get the person to react. If it finds similar features from a past situation where you felt vulnerable, in danger, awkward, uncomfortable, embarrassed or threatened, it will make you react in a way to protect you.

Brain Working Recursive Therapy

Using scientific research on the brain’s natural activity, BWRT assists in changing the thought patterns at the instinctual level, when the changes are made at this level -The Reptilian complex and Paleomammalian complex, the instinctual behaviour changes.

Brain Working Recursive Therapy uses the way the brain processes information to change unwanted habits, urges and behaviours into more resourceful and healthier ways of being.

Conventional therapies require that you remember the original event that led to the trauma. With BWRT all that is needed is to know the strongest memory of that unwanted reaction. The strongest memory might be the very first time but equally it might be a more recent repetition of the unwanted response.

Although you are encouraged to close your eyes you are fully conscious during BWRT and are aware of what is happening.

BWRT – Brain working recursive therapy Practitioner

Christel Maritz is an experienced therapist and certified Brain Working Recursive Therapy practitioner. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or for more information about how BWRT will aid you into a world of emotional safety.