Americans tend to live life on a treadmill. We work long hours, eat badly, stress a lot, and lose sleep. We lay in bed at night worrying about our jobs, money, our kids, our elderly parents, and all the woes of the world. Many of us don’t get a sufficient number of hours of sleep …
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You may have heard the old expression, “music soothes the savage beast.” What is the meaning of that? It could mean that music can greatly affect and regulate our behaviors, moods, and emotions. Have you ever felt anxious and found that turning on soft or pleasant music relaxes you? Upbeat music might make you suddenly …
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You’ve no doubt heard the old expression, “early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” But where does that sentiment, old as it is, come from? Are people who rise early in the morning healthier? Well, we know that good sleep habits, getting a good amount of sleep, and achieving …
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Pet owners will tell you that their furry friend brings a lot of joy to their life. But what even they might not know is that sharing your life with a beloved pet can have significant benefits to both your physical and mental health. The bond between man (or woman) and dog is noted in …
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When we think of anxiety disorders one of the most prevalent issues is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). People with OCD often have repeating thoughts that cause them exhibit compulsive behaviors. These behaviors can be the best way to alleviate their anxiety in some way. These can be small repetitive actions that generally have nothing to do …
If you suffer from depression or are at risk of suffering chronic depression, you might want to consider your sleep habits. Not everyone is able to get into a sleep pattern that is conducive to eight hours of deep and restful sleep. Some people are night owls, staying up late watching TV, reading, or playing …
What is PTSD? Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was traditionally thought of as a mental condition only affecting those in the service or who had seen combat. As far back as the Civil War, we noted that men returning from war would have nightmares, difficulty sleeping, and other symptoms. In the aftermath of World Wars, I …
The entire world has experienced something that has never happened before – a pandemic and social media interaction. The global pandemic, while not the first such event, happened occurred with the added bonus of TV and social media to connect us daily to the stress and suffering on every part of the globe. Many of …
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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) involves being obsessed with something, acting compulsively, or oftentimes both. These obsessions typically occur in the form of recurrent, unwanted thoughts. However, just because you have intrusive thoughts doesn’t mean you have this disorder. The difference has to do with the degree to which a person’s life is affected by these thoughts. …
Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a complex mental health condition that affects thousands of Americans every year. In recent years, it has come into the public eye once again thanks in part to celebrities being more open about their mental health struggles, as well as decreasing stigma around mental health discussions and treatments in …