Taking care of yourself physically can improve your mental health. Be sure to eat nutritious meals, avoid cigarettes, drink plenty of water, exercise and get enough sleep.
Deal with stress-Stress is a part of life. Practice good coping skills and try to manage stress. Experts suggest including yoga, meditation and exercise in daily routine. Research shows that laughter can boost your immune system, ease pain, relax your body and reduce stress.
Exercising everyday-Physical activity can have a positive impact on our mood. Even as little as a brisk 10-minute walk can increase our positive mood. Exercise releases certain hormones which are stress busters and relaxes our body and mind to a great extent.
Bask in Sun-Research has proved that sunlight helps promote the production of vitamin D which increases your level of serotonin (which helps regulate your mood) in the brain. Plus, time in nature is a proven stress reducer. It is advisable to daily sit in a good sunlight for atleast 10-15 mins for a good mental health.
Avoid alcohol and other drugs-Experts recommend alcohol use to a minimum and avoid other drugs. Sometimes people use alcohol and other drugs to “self-medicate” but in reality, alcohol and other drugs only aggravate problems. They are addictive and can only complicate stress levels.
Good Habits for healthy metabolism
Stress- It is a widely known fact that stress is a number one cause to a large number of diseases. According to a study conducted by the researches at the Ohio State University, stress is in direct correlation decline in metabolism speed. It is advisable to have a daily habit to find a quiet place and relax for at least fifteen minutes by doing deep breathing exercises, yoga, or meditation.
Drink more water- Without enough water intake, our metabolism gets “depressed” as the research by the University of Utah shows. An optimal amount of water intake for an adult would be eight glasses of water per day. Additionally, it is highly advised to drink one glass of water before a meal, as water consumption before the meal helps enhance your metabolism speed.
Eat often-Eating can actually boost your metabolism. It is recommended to eat smaller/lesser meals more frequently. Experts suggest, you should have five small meals every three hours. Also, eating at the same time every day, and avoiding late dinners helps in boosting metabolism
Good Sleep-Irregular sleeping habits can harm your metabolism causing stress and craving for sugar and bad carbs. Quality sleep requires sleeping in a well aired room without artificial light for at least eight hours. To keep your metabolism from slowing down you should try to go to bed at the same time and wake up early each day
Increase your iron levels-Iron helps to transform blood sugar into energy that fuels the muscles in the human body. Including foods rich in iron such as fish, red meat and beans into your daily eating regiment, can help boost your metabolism during physical activity.
Bereavement
Grief is a person’s emotional response to the experience of loss while bereavement is the state of having experienced a loss. Reactions to loss are called grief reactions. Common grief reactions include difficult feelings, thoughts, physical sensations, and behaviors. People who have experienced loss may have a range of feelings. This could include shock, numbness, sadness, denial, despair, anxiety, anger, guilt, loneliness, depression, helplessness, relief, and yearning.
Common thought patterns include disbelief, confusion, difficulty concentrating, preoccupation, and hallucinations. Grief can cause physical sensations. These include tightness or heaviness in the chest or throat, nausea or an upset stomach, dizziness, headaches, physical numbness, muscle weakness or tension, and fatigue. It may also make you vulnerable to illness. A person who is grieving may struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep and even lose energy for enjoyable activities.
The stages of mourning include acceptance of the reality of the loss, going through the pain of grief. Adjusting to life without the person being physically present and finding new ways to remain connected to the person who has died. The grieving process is often harder when the person has unresolved feelings towards or conflicts with the person who has died.
The year after the death of a loved one is very emotional. Mental health experts suggest waiting at least a year before making any major decisions, such as moving or changing jobs. Consider making a list of decisions and tasks, and figure out which ones must be completed immediately. Try to hold off on the important decisions that can wait. Anniversaries, birthdays and festive occasions can be very difficult, particularly during the first year. With time, these feelings will often get less intense. You may find it helpful to do something special to mark an anniversary,birthday or make time for a celebration to remember your relative or friend.
Hypochondriasis is a type of anxiety disorder. If someone is continuously worried about his/ her health, even if the doctor, says that everything is fine, it is known as health anxiety, or illness anxiety disorder, or hypochondriasis.
Hypochondriasis
It is natural for people to worry about their health. But hypochondriacs get extremely worried about their health and feel that they are seriously ill, or are about to suffer from a seriously illness. Such people do not have any symptoms or experience very less symptoms. Even minimal symptoms become a cause of concern for them.
Some people with hypochondria suffer from a medical condition which is usually not that serious, but they fear that they are suffering from a major disease. Other people with hypochondria are healthy, but have an overwhelming fear about their health in the future. For example, they might think: “What if I get cancer?”
Hypochondriacs are affected with a low quality of life and this condition affects their day to day activities.
The clear cause why people have hypochondria is unknown, but it is more common in people who:
Had stress, illness or a death in the family
Had a neglected or abused childhood
Suffer from serious physical illness
Suffer from serious mental health issue such as anxiety, depression, a compulsive disorder or a psychotic illness
People who have a negative outlook towards life
There are some activities which can make a person more prone towards hypochondria:
Studying about diseases on the Internet
Watching too much TV for diseases
If that person knows a person who is suffering from a serious medical condition
What are the symptoms of hypochondria?
Some common symptoms of hypochondria are:
Affected person continuously thinks about suffering from a serious illness
Affected person keeps on seeing a doctor, in spite of doctor’s continuous reassurances
Keeps on undergoing medical tests
Always keep on talking about health with friends and family
Spends a lot of time on the internet studying symptoms
Disturbed sleep
Suffers from with poor relationship with family, at work and society because of concerns about their health.
What is the treatment of hypochondria?
Doctor will look out for physical problems with which a hypochondriac person usually suffers:
Gives the affected person advice and teaches self-help techniques
Cognitive behavioral therapy is done on such patients
Refers the person to a counselor or psychiatrist
Antidepressants are prescribed to reduce anxiety.
Exercise, good diet and family support helps to reduce the symptoms of hypochondria
What are the complications that can happen, if hypochondriasis is left untreated?
Person with hypochondria can have below mentioned possible complications
Affected person usually suffers from an affected relationship as the near and dear ones are continuously frustrated with the patient’s talk
Affected person in unable to perform well in work place
Person is unable to concentrate on daily life activities; hence it can even lead to disability in performing simple tasks
Frequent doctor visits and health checkups can cause financial crisis
Eventually person suffers from somatic symptom disorder, other anxiety disorders, depression or a personality disorder
How can hypochondria be prevented?
There are some suggestions from doctors which can prevent hypochondria
If anyone is suffering from anxiety, it is advisable to seek professional help soon to prevent further complications.
Try to manage stress in your Life-Seek help, meditation and exercise can help you relieve from stress.
Seek doctor’s advice on a regular basis and stick to your treatment plan to prevent the relapse of hypochondria, in case you are diagnosed with the same
Sleep disorders are a group of conditions that affect our ability to sleep on a regular basis. The human body is programmed to work in the day and sleep at night. Any imbalance in this fine balance can lead to a disturbed sleep pattern and a feeling of tiredness and irritation the next day.
Sleep Disorder/Insomnia
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The sleep cycle is governed by a hormone called melatonin.It’s levels go up at night and reduce in the day. This cycle can be disrupted by change of time zones due to travel or exposure to artificial light for prolonged periods.
While we all experience the occasional night of disturbed sleep, some people experience insomnia, which can be difficulty in falling asleep, waking up repeatedly at night or waking up early. Insomniacs feel unrefreshed the next day and they may feel sleepy, irritable or unable to concentrate.
What are the reasons for insomnia?
There can be many reasons for insomnia
Stress
Change of time zones
Prolonged exposure to artificial light
Some medicines can also disrupt the sleep cycle. These can commonly include some medicines for treating hypertension, asthma, anti-depressants and steroids.
Working night shifts
Too much tea, coffee and nicotine
Psychiatric disorders like anxiety, depression, schizophrenia
Common complications that can arise from sleep disorder
Fatigue in the day time
Raised blood pressure and heart problems
Type 2 diabetes mellitus
High cholesterol
Hepatic/liver problems
Affected relationships because it leads to sleep-deprived partners
How do I know that I have a sleep disorder?
People with sleep disorders can have one or more of these symptoms-
Difficulty in falling asleep
Getting up frequently at night
Waking up feeling unrefreshed
Irritation
Lack of concentration
Feeling sleepy in the daytime
Depression or anxiety
What are the measures that can help in promoting good sleep?
Some simple measure can help you I case you’re unable to fall asleep
Turn off all electronic devices at bedtime, even reading devices can be distracting due to the backlight. A simple book or soothing music might work better
Have dinner at least two hours prior to bedtime.
Avoid tea and coffee after the evening.
Meditation and breathing exercises can also be beneficial.
When to meet the doctor
If these measures don’t help or the lack of sleep is affecting your daytime activities, it might be a good idea to take your doctor’s opinion.
How is a sleep disorder managed?
To diagnose the cause of your sleep disorder, the doctor might as you about your lifestyle, check your blood pressure and advise some basic investigations to see your level of general health Do be sure to share any information regarding any medicines you might be taking, including herbal supplements.
Sometimes, a sleep study might be advised where the doctor might observe your sleep pattern and record your brain activity with electrodes. This involves a night’s stay at a sleep center.
To treat insomnia, generally a combination of lifestyle changes, cognitive behavior therapy and some medicines for sleep might be prescribed. These could include anti- anxiety medicines, anti- depressants and melatonin.
Cognitive behavior therapy involves working with a counselor to overcome the negative emotions that are triggering or being generated due to the insomnia. It can involve learning relaxation techniques, maintaining a sleep diary and other measures that help in positive re-programming the mind towards a restful night’s sleep.
Sleep disorders can be easily managed with counseling and medical measures. It’s important to realize that it is a medical condition and that treatment options are available.
We advocate getting medical advice and supervision before starting any treatment regime.
