Westmount psychologist: Insomnia and stress

Insomnia and Stress

Insomnia, difficulty to fall asleep and/or sleeping through is a very common problem in adulthood. With increased stress and responsibilities it seems that many of us have difficulties to shut off our brain and as such sleep disturbance, irritability, fatigue and diminished concentration become a daily struggle.

Interestingly, a recent study found that taking a nap on a slowly swinging / rocking bed helps shorten the time needed to fall asleep. More importantly, rocking seems to also improve the quality of sleep and encouraging a deeper sleep.

Given that we usually rock and cradle our babies to sleep, it is not that surprising that rocking would have the same effect for adults. Thus, taking the time to get on a gently rocking hammock might be indeed a good stress relief and recovery time for your insomniac brain. You can read more about the study on June 21 issue of Current Biology.

Info@drbita.com

Montreal Psychologist: Teenage Depression and Anxiety

Teenage Depression and Anxiety: The impact of parenting

According to a recent research by the University of Glasgow and the Medical Research Council (May 2011), children's perception of how they are parented is a major predictor of their future mental health. Researchers reported that among 11 year-old children that felt both neglected and controlled by their parents when tested again at age 15, they were much more likely to have developed psychiatric problems, which included anxiety disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder(OCD), depression, and behavioral disorders. In addition, conduct disorders such as antisocial and violent behavior and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were also much more prominent among this group. Obviously, parenting is not the only contributing factor to teenage mental health issues. Nonetheless, parenting is a big and important job, which unfortunately, does not require prior training or certification. However, taking parenting classes shows to be extremely helpful for young parents and also for parents of teenagers. It is inspiring to see that more and more parents are taking advantage of these learning opportunities to ensure a healthier future for their children. These classes are offered by various psychologists in Montreal and could be found either online or just contact them directly to find out if they offer these services. For more information contact Clinique Dr. Bita at info@drbita.com or call 514-999-2482