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Category: Mental Health

  • Catching Z’s: Keeping your sleep routines in check

    Catching Z’s: Keeping your sleep routines in check

    Whether you have a set bedtime or just go to bed “whenever”, sleep is certainly an important part of your life. Getting rest is crucial for both your physical and mental well-being and helps you recharge for the morning ahead. Staying up late might be fun, but sometimes it’s not worth it to wake up groggy and miserable after watching too many movies into the wee hours of the morning.

    Have you ever considered how important it is to keep a regular sleep schedule? Your body runs on an internal 24-hour clock, called a circadian rhythm, which means it naturally gets used to doing things like sleeping according to the time of day (or the amount of light or darkness outside). If you’ve ever experienced jet lag, you’ll know how off-kilter you feel when your rhythm is thrown off: it’s totally unpleasant to be exhausted at noon and wide awake at midnight, just because you’re suddenly in another time zone.

    That means it’s important to keep your sleep rhythm regulated according to your own day, which includes going to bed around the same time every night, and waking up around the same time every morning. Chances are you already do something similar when you’re following your regular school schedule (and you just stay up later on Fridays and sleep in on weekend mornings). If you keep your sleep schedule on track, you won’t have any trouble feeling awake when you need it the most.

    Sleep is important at all stages of your life, especially during your time in elementary school. However, the stakes will be much greater when you’re cramming for high school exams, or writing big university papers, or trying to get up bright and early for your first job. To achieve all that you want to do in the coming years, you’re not only going to need a lot of energy, but you’re going to need it in regular and dependable bursts. In that way, cultivating your sleep patterns today can definitely help you out in the future—you’ll already be used to keeping yourself well rested and ready to go.

    To make sure you’re getting the most out of your rest, be proactive about your sleep habits. Set a 30-minute window for yourself in the morning and evening, and try to wake up and go to sleep within that time frame each night. You can even keep track of how many days you do this, and see if you feel better after some time on a regular sleep schedule. (In order to stick to your plan, it helps if you plan all your morning and evening activities around that window; e.g. you could brush your teeth around 10 minutes before lights out.)

    Finally, of course you can have a couple of late nights—sleepovers aren’t very fun when everyone has to be in bed by 9. Just make sure that waking up at noon doesn’t become a bad habit, and you’ll be good to go.

  • Calm amidst the Madness

    Calm amidst the Madness

    Machines, computers, and artificial intelligence have increasingly handled more and more tasks once done by humans. Yet, paradoxically, we find ourselves with busier and bustling lives. The ability to conduct business faster has, for better or worse, led to faster business. Meditation is a highly effective way of coping with homework, part-time work, the loud noises and bright lights of the city, and more. It may seem like the act of doing nothing, but the act of meditating is the calming and silencing your mind, regardless of the activity and hustle of the world around you.

    There are different types of meditation, and people often personalize and customize the practice individually. Some meditators focus on one specific bodily sensation, such has breathing. Others will use an object as their focal point. Some will instead use open-monitoring, which involves noticing everything that is occurring in the area you are in while remaining calm and non-reactionary.

    This can all be done in your room after or before bedtime, during lunch, on the bus, or whenever you have at least 10 minutes to spare. Studies have shown that doing this daily can start making a difference for your mental and emotional well-being in as little as eight weeks. It can reduce stress and anxiety, as well as help you cope with injuries or other physical pain you may be enduring.

    In addition, you are likely to see boosts in your memory and creativity. Researchers at Leiden University found that open-monitoring meditation helped people generate new ideas. Further research has been done indicating that meditating helps you ignore distractions and recall facts quicker. This is especially beneficial for exams.

    From a scientific standpoint, meditation weakens the connections in the brain between scary or anxiety-causing sensations and your conscious awareness. Instead, more activity takes place in the parts of the brain devoted to logical reasoning, helping you to better assess that test you have to study for or the problems going on amongst friends.

    The solitary act of meditating also helps in your interactions with others. Studies indicate that habitual meditators have greater development in the regions of the brain associated with empathy and compassion. This makes you less prone to outbursts of anger or tension, and more likely to work out situations with friends in a calm manner.

    Beyond the mental effects, practicing meditation can also help you feel better physically. A study demonstrated that those who practiced regularly had a better immune response to the flu vaccine compared to others. This boost to your immune system can help you stay healthy for a better school attendance and engagement in extra-curricular activities.

    Another study showed that meditating can help protect the genes inside of you. Certain protein complexes called telomeres are strengthened via the act to help ward off diseases. This may not be of much value at the moment, but is especially important for your long-term health.

    Meditation has many positive benefits, but these can only be achieved for dedication and effort. I know from experience how easy it is to say you want to meditate and then never get around to it. You have to very consciously decide to put aside your phone and the hectic world around you for a little bit each day. In a world full of distractions, doing nothing is a challenging task.

    Sources:

    Cooper, Belle Beth. “What Happens to the Brain When You Meditate (And How it Benefits You).” Lifehacker. http://lifehacker.com/what-happens-to-the-brain-when-you-meditate-and-how-it-1202533314

    Loria, Kevin. “7 ways meditation changes your brain and body.” Business Insider. http://www.businessinsider.com/how-meditation-changes-your-brain-2015-

  • Raindrops keep falling on my head—why do I feel like the world is out to get me?

    Raindrops keep falling on my head—why do I feel like the world is out to get me?

    It goes without saying that university can be a very stressful time. And true to the old saying…when it rains it pours. Problems never seem to come one at a time, but rather all at once. Being under academic pressure comes with side effects that can reach out to your personal and professional life. But other times, nothing seems to be connected and yet numerous things are wrong. So why is the world out to get you? The truth is, it’s not. But your attitude and the campus setting can seriously affect the results of day-to-day life. So what can you do?

    Ask for help

    You never have to be alone. Even if one of the problems is that you feel lonely and like it is just you against the world. Every school provides free counselling services and there are support groups. If it is a problem with studies and getting assignments completed your professors are there for you. In fact, it’s their job to give you advice and help. Use them. When the problems pile up, you have to put aside your pride and reach out to friends and family and anyone else that can help you. In the end, you will realize who is there for you.

    Focus on one problem at a time

    Yes the problems are piling up—but the truth is that there is no possible way they can all be handled at once. Make a list of everything that is going wrong from smallest to largest (or easiest to hardest), and try to tackle the more important of these first. If that is too daunting and you just cannot bring yourself to do it, pick the one you can solve the soonest and that will get the ball rolling. The success of solving a problem will feel amazing.

    Wait

    If what is wrong right now requires no action but rather time…wait. This too shall pass, and sometimes waiting is not being passive but rather being patient. Sometimes all you need to do is wait out the storm. In the meantime, find ways to envision a good outcome and calm yourself down through exercise, meditation and friendship.

    Tackle your anxiety

    Does the world feel like it’s out to get you because you’re anxious and constantly expecting the worst? Identify what makes you anxious and research ways to fight it. Envision your worst fears and then understand that your worst fears truly never often happen. Oftentimes it is our own insecurities and fears that contribute to the chaotic state of our lives, not outside events.

    When you look back

    The truth of the matter is that when you look back on these hard times, you may actually forget what caused them or what was happening. Oftentimes all these disasters that make university a hell at the time actually seem mundane down the road. Again, this too shall pass.

  • Why We Need Laughter During Stressful Times

    Why We Need Laughter During Stressful Times

    At some point in your life, your stress level will be extremely high. There are some easy, quick, and readily available ways to bring yourself back a more calm state of mind. If you’re still having issues after trying the options I’ve mentioned previously on this site (hobbies, games with friends), please consider talking to a therapist or a mental health hotline. Bell Let’s Talk campaign (January 25th) is very timely: http://letstalk.bell.ca/en/get-help/ . You are not alone. There are people and organizations willing and able to help you.

    For now, I’m speaking in general terms: laugh during stressful times. It’s not only the best way to change the mood when you feel several things coming at you at once, whether they’re related to dating, school, family, or work.  Switch to something that you consider upbeat. It could be a funny movie, laughing at something that just came to you, a humorous fiction novel, cat videos on YouTube, or even TV or online shows specifically centered on a comedy of errors.

    Laughter is good for you for several health-related reasons. It’s the reason why advisors keep recommending leaving a job (if possible) if it’s causing you stress that has physical implications, such as feeling run down and staying in bed for long periods. By taking the time to look after your mental health, you can also look at your physical well-being, by easing the impact of stress on your heart and immune system.  This can also help you become healthier as compared to those people dealing with major stress. This is another reason why health professionals encourage more fun activities for you to enjoy.

    There’s also another source of laughter: your friends. If you surround yourself with positive energy and upbeat personalities, it can lift your mood considerably as compared to others who are generally more negative. It’s not a bad thing: everybody sees the world differently, but since you’re looking to help yourself in stressful times, keeping this interaction towards ‘negative’ friends can be helpful to keep to a minimum, until another time.

    Above all remember that stress and depression are serious issues that can impact your mental health. If none of these simple strategies help you; there is no shame in looking elsewhere for support. The Bell “Let’s Talk” page (see the link above) provides contact info for several organizations (websites and phone numbers) where you can seek further assistance. You are not the only person to feel this way, and you are helping yourself by seeking the help you need.

  • Is it Time to See a Counsellor? How to Realize It’s Time to Seek Professional Help, and Where to Find It.

    Is it Time to See a Counsellor? How to Realize It’s Time to Seek Professional Help, and Where to Find It.

    Sometimes when we hear the word “counsellor,” it can be easy to fall into the misconception that counselling is a helpful resource designated only to those struggling with a mental health illness. While proper counselling is an excellent tool in coping with mental health struggles, that is not it’s only beneficiary use. Someone may want to seek counselling for a variety of different reasons, not all of which involve having a diagnosed mental illness. A sudden tragedy, feeling increasingly overwhelmed or stressed, or struggling to live a sustainable life are a few potential signs it may be time to consider counselling. Acknowledging the need to see a counsellor is an excellent first step in resolving whatever conflicts may be standing in your path, and achieving your desired goals.

    When is it a good idea to consider counselling?

    With today’s students facing incredible amounts of challenges (not to mention all the curve balls life throws your way), it’s easy to see why proper counselling can be so crucial. Whatever the struggle in your life may be, here are a few key signs it may be time to consider seeking professional guidance to help you through it.

    • Your hardship is causing distress in your life
    • You have faced a tragedy
    • You feel lost, hopeless or stuck
    • Nothing you seem to do appears to fix or help the situation
    • You find yourself thinking/stressing about it constantly
    • You feel completely overwhelmed
    • Your daily life is affected
    • You are feeling depressed or anxious
    • It is hard to handle or cope with the situation
    • Someone has mentioned their concerns about you
    • You have concerns about your own well-being
    • You are losing sleep
    • Your work/academic performance is suffering
    • One or more of your relationships is strained

    Would seeing a counsellor actually be beneficial for me?

    You wouldn’t continue playing soccer with a broken ankle, because you know you’d be doing much more harm than good if you did. Instead, you would go see a doctor and receive the right treatment you need in order to heal. The same should be true with your mental health. Let’s compare it the broken ankle scenario.

    • Noticing the signs that something isn’t quite right would be the same as feeling/seeing that you have broken your ankle.
    • Recognizing you can no longer put yourself through this turmoil could be viewed as removing yourself from the soccer game.
    • Seeking proper treatment from a counsellor is just like going to the hospital to receive proper treatment for your injury.

    While recognizing you have broken your ankle and removing yourself from the game are important first steps, you know those that alone will not heal your ankle. The same is true when it comes to your mental health. Noticing the signs and recognizing something must change are excellent first steps to overcoming your adversity, but they aren’t enough to get you completely back on track. Counsellors provide a safe, judgement free environment along with the support, professional guidance and life-long skill development designed specifically to help you conquer your challenges.

    I think it’s time to see a counsellor, but I heard they can be expensive. Is this even an option for me?

    Many post-secondary institutions in Canada offer counselling services to their students, free of charge. To find the counselling services offered by your institution, visit your institution’s official website under services, or visit your on-campus administration services for more information.

  • Your Rest Is up to You: Sleeping and your Health

    Your Rest Is up to You: Sleeping and your Health

    Why do we sleep? Scientists still are not exactly sure what the answer is. What we know for sure is that we definitely need rest. Yet humans are a peculiar species – in our rush to get an assignment done or squeeze in one more social outing, we often intentionally deprive ourselves of relaxation.

    Students aged five to twelve years old get around 9.5 hours of sleep on average, which is just shy of the 10 or 11 hours that experts recommend. This is as detrimental to health as skipping meals or a lack of exercise. Getting rest allows the body to repair many of its functions, including healing, growth, and the immune system. We get irritated when hungry and have a harder time getting moving with less physical activity. Similarly, sacrificing rest negatively affects memory, mood, alertness, and responsiveness. The benefits gained from a couple of extra hours of studying or socializing are frequently outweighed by the consequences of the rest we were deprived of.

    School, work, and social responsibilities will not simply disappear. However, there are a few steps you can take now to help give yourself a bit more rest. Get some exercise during the day. An intense workout right before bedtime will make you too alert to sleep, but cardio, strength training, hiking, or running in the morning or afternoon can be very helpful. This aids your body in general and will actually provide better rest come nighttime.

    Caffeine is an obvious culprit of sleep deprivation, but it can also disrupt rest even if you consume it earlier in the day. Caffeine from coffee, tea, and soft drinks lingers inside of you for hours and can cause havoc on your body’s natural rhythms. If you are having difficulties relaxing, consider cutting caffeine out of our diet entirely.

    Pay extra attention to your diet in general. Eating a large breakfast helps prevent overeating at night or trying to relax with too little food in your system. This discomfort can prevent your body from optimal rest. When you are ready for a respite, ensure you have an ideal space for that. Do all your homework at a desk or in a room other than your bedroom to ensure the bed itself is only used for relaxation and sleep. This will help your body associate the bed with that purpose.

    In the evening, turn off all screens or change your phone’s brightness to warmer colours. Build a nighttime routine, such as a cup of tea followed by brushing your teeth, and stick to that regime daily. Your mind will associate those actions with rest, and in turn help ease you away from the stresses of the day.

    Giving your body a chance to recover is critical for succeeding in the things you want to do when rested. Little changes to your routine can make a big difference. With a more prepared and recovered body, your days will be filled with much more potential.

    Sources:

    KidsHealth. What Sleep Is and Why All Kids Need It. http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/not-tired.html

    NHS. Children’s sleep. http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/childrenssleep/Pages/childrenssleephome.aspx

    Secor, Melinda. Why Is Rest & Exercise Important for Children? LiveStrong. http://www.livestrong.com/article/344565-why-is-rest-exercise-important-for-children/

  • Why you deserve a break – how to handle when your world seems overwhelming

    Why you deserve a break – how to handle when your world seems overwhelming

    You deserve a break. At times, life can be engulfing and chaotic. When school, a job, relationships, family, sports or taking part in other things you enjoy come into play, it can be a little stressful to try to maintain an even balance.

    Sometimes, breaking down or stressing yourself out may seem like the best “solution” when your world is overwhelming. Although, the best you can possibly do is to take a break. You may be saying to yourself, “but I have no time to take a break” or “I don’t even know what to do if I take a break”, these are common things we say to ourselves when we are overwhelmed with the situation on hand. All you need is thirty minutes to yourself to feel more balanced and in control of your world.

    Whether you are super overwhelmed or just need an idea for a break, here are a few things to try:

    You are only one person: This isn’t much of something to try however a friendly reminder. Remember that your physical, mental and emotional health is far more important than what you are overwhelmed with. You are only one person and you can only accomplish so much. Take things on one at a time and do only as much as you can handle. You cannot focus all your time and energy into things that are giving you stress; you need to take time for yourself.

    Remember this is only temporary: Being in an overwhelming part of your life or situation, can seem like it is going to last forever. This is not true. Although you have a lot on your plate right now, try to remember that this is only temporary and will be over sooner than you know it. This too shall pass.

    Breathe: Find a quiet, empty room to go into. Sit or lay down on the ground and take deep breaths. Focus on your breathing by breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. This helps you to calm down and to be truly present. You are able to focus on your current state and allow the stress out. Turning the lights off, lighting a candle or turning on a lamp, listening to some soft music or being in still silence may contribute to relaxation as well.

    Spend time with a friend: Friends are great to turn to when you need to take a break or relax. Spending time with them can help you forget about everything that is going on at the moment. Even if it is just for a couple of hours, friends are a great way to cheer yourself up and to take time away from your stressors.

    Dance: What song makes you want to break out into dance and sing your heart out? Put that song on and do just that. Taking a dance break can certainly make you happier and take some of the stress out.

    Do something you enjoy: Pick up something you haven’t done in a while whether it’s working out, writing, reading, watching a movie, swimming, going for a walk, or even simply watching a funny YouTube video. It’s hard to take time for yourself when your life seems overwhelming. Taking thirty minutes to an hour out of your day to dedicate it to doing something you enjoy, can make your day a little less stressful and hectic.

    Go outside: It may be daunting to go outside on a cold, wintery day or during the hot summer, however, going outside may just be your best bet. If you have been held up inside for a while, it can definitely be a good thing to go outside for a little while. It gives you the feeling of freedom and gives you a breath of fresh air, literally. Even going for a walk around the block to give yourself a break, can bring you back feeling energized and better than before.

    Your world might seem overwhelming at the moment but take thirty minutes to yourself. However, what way you choose to take a break,that is up to you.

     Written By Leah Butler

  • Anxiety: When worrying becomes more than just worrying.

    Anxiety: When worrying becomes more than just worrying.

    Writing a big final exam, or taking the last shot during the championship game. We all have events in our everyday life that make us feel stressed, nervous and even a little anxious at times. Having a little bit of nervousness in your life is completely normal. However, what happens when these feelings of uneasiness and stress last longer than just until you hand in that test paper? Or what if they show up more often than not? What do we do when we start to feel anxious so often, it almost feels like it controls everything we do? Well, it may be that your feelings stem a little bit further down than just nerves and jitters, it may be that you are actually suffering from a mental illness known as anxiety.

    I know thoughts of mental illness can be a bit tricky to understand, but not to fear! I’m here to help you break it down, and learn how to handle it.

    First off, let’s talk about (a few) of the different kinds of anxiety that exist:

    General anxiety:

    In short, a sufferer of this form of anxiety typically worries about things…a lot. Unlike a healthy amount of worry, someone with general anxiety tends to worry and stress about something so much it becomes completely life consuming. It’s all you can think about! The worrying becomes so overwhelming it may lead to vomiting, headaches and the feeling of a tight chest. It can get so intense you may even skip out on things like school or work.

    Social anxiety:

    This is when we get intense feelings of anxiety from settings involving other people. This could be you feel completely overwhelmed speaking in front of the class, or you feel extremely uncomfortable when surrounded by large groups of people.

    Panic attacks:

    This is a physical form of anxiety. When a sufferer is having a panic attack, they may feel physical discomforts such as a very fast heartbeat, a loss of breath, or even a tight chest. Sometimes panic attacks can strike without any warning, or clear reason.

    There are a variety of other forms of anxiety as well, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Phobias and OCD. All of which, can be experienced by people of any age group.

    Tips?

    • Take slow, deep breaths.
    • Slowly count to ten.
    • Take time for yourself, and enjoy an activity that helps clear your mind.
    • Talk to someone you trust and remember you aren’t alone!

    If you feel like any of the things mentioned above apply to you and you have some concerns or questions regarding anxiety, reach out to your family doctor. The only way to receive proper treatment for anxiety is to get properly diagnosed, so speak with a medical professional to receive the help you deserve.

    Sources:

    http://kidshealth.org/en/teens/anxiety.html#

    https://www.adaa.org/tips-manage-anxiety-and-stress

    By Mariann Roberts

  • My friend isn’t depressed…are they? Key signs to lookout for and how you can help.

    My friend isn’t depressed…are they? Key signs to lookout for and how you can help.

    Your best friend skips out on Friday night’s party…again. The weekend before that, they ditched going to the school football game because they “couldn’t get out of bed.” What is up with them lately? They used to love doing those things! But now it  seems like they always have some excuse for their constant distance, and when you do hang out, it just doesn’t feel like the same fun-loving person you’ve always known. Could they be depressed?

    What if I told you 3.2 million people in Canada are at risk for developing depression? Now, what if I told you that number only covers the amount of Canadian teens between ages 12-19?  It’s a scary thought, but it’s true. Depression affects more and more teens each year, and the crazy part is there may be someone in your life suffering from depression and you might not even realize it.

     How am I supposed to know if someone is depressed? 

    Depression affects everyone differently, but these are some major red flags you should be looking out for:

    • You’ve noticed they’ve been feeling blue more often. .
    • Their grades went downhill.
    • They’ve been awol lately. They don’t want to hang around you/their other friends as much anymore, or not at all.
    • Their favorite activities no longer seem to be of interest.
    • . They seem angry and irritable.
    • They never have any energy.
    • They say  things like, “No one would miss me if I was gone,” or other mentions of suicide.

    Okay…that sounds like someone I know; what does this mean?

    Depression is serious and scary for many reasons. One of the most frightening reasons being that where there’s depression, thoughts of suicide are often lurking around the corner. It’s important to be there for someone you feel may be suffering, however understand it’s not something you can cure on your own and not something you should try to fix.

    So what can I do?

    • Let them know you’re there. No one likes feeling alone, especially when facing a challenge like depression.
    • Welcome them to open up. A great way to start the conversation is, “I’ve noticed you’ve been feeling pretty down lately, so I wanted to check in with you.”
    • Give them your support and fill them with hope.
    • Encourage them to seek help. Depression is not something you can combat on your own.
    • Stay away from judgment. Remember, it was probably hard for them to open up.
    • If you think someone may be contemplating suicide, find help immediately.

    Depression is not something that should be kept a secret. Let’s end the stigma of mental health issues. The more we talk, the more we can help.

    Resources:

    http://www.cmha.ca/media/fast-facts-about-mental-illness/#.V85NnmWMDq0

     http://www.helpguide.org/articles/depression/teen-depression-signs-help.htm

    http://www.helpguide.org/articles/depression/helping-a-depressed-person.htm

    By Mariann Roberts