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Sleep more soundly! (cont. from above)
Sleep is absolutely essential to improve & maintain energy levels, immune system effectiveness, mental & emotional clarity & overall quality of life. When you feel good, you function better.
The following tips may
prove very useful if you need to sleep better!
Coping
with anything is easier when you're well rested. Unfortunately, problems often cause us to sleep poorly.
- Decrease mental activity
in the evening.
- Make preparations for the
next day.
- Take a hot bath before bedtime
to help relieve stress.
- Soothing fragrances, lights
& music may help as well.
- Limit activities in bed to sleep & sex only - no reading
or television watching.
- If you have trouble sleeping,
try sleeping in another area
of the house.
- Try listening to repetitive soothing natural sounds (waves, wind, waterfall, stream, etc.)
from a selected high quality sound device.
- Natural homeopathic, nutritional
& herbal support may prove useful (e.g. calcium, melatonin, passionflower or valerian
before bed).
- Turn off all the lights.
This last item is particularly
important, as melatonin (key hormone involved in sleep/repair cycles) production
may be inhibited if you sleep with the lights on.
  Whatz up with that? I
think I heard someone say, "Great! I'll wake up in the morning with a positive attitude
and my worries will be gone!"
With what? With that!!!!
Most people reading this page are thinking, "well, okay.... I'll start having a positive attitude tomorrow morning when I
wake up and everything in my life will be okay."
Whatz up with that? It's
wrong.... It's impossible.... It would be a miracle!!!
Look at the definition of the word:
develop - as in Develop A Positive Attitude!
deˇvelˇop
. deˇvelˇoped, deˇvelˇopˇing, deˇvelˇops
- To progress from earlier to later stages of a life cycle.
- To progress from earlier to later or from simpler to more complex
stages of evolution.
- To aid in the growth of; strengthen.
- To grow by degrees into a more advanced or mature state.
Notice that the definition states....
"to progress...." "strengthen....." "from simple to complex....."
Now be nice to yourself &
realize that things must develop in your life, not change automatically! It's self defeating to think that you'll automatically
wake up in the morning with a positive attitude and everything will be great!
Develop your positive attitude!
Here are some
ways to help you develop a more positive attitude & better manage the stressors in your life:
- Listen to internal dialogue. Divide one or more sheets of paper into 2 columns & for a few days, jot down
in the left column all the negative thoughts that come into your head.
Rewrite each thought in a positive way in the 2nd column. Practice doing this in your mind until it becomes a habit. (i.e., “I’ll never get this finished by the end of the day!” could become, “I will probably
get most of this finished by the end of the day.”)
If you find communicating difficult, or are afraid of arguments or bruised feelings, take a course in communicating effectively.
- Get back to basics. Reconnect with old friends, take the dog for a walk, visit an art gallery or listen to your favorite music. Enjoy a long, relaxing bath, read a great book, tell your child a story, or ask an older relative to tell you one! It's the simplest things in life
that give us the most pleasure…
- Help someone out. The
simple act of helping others helps us to feel good. Pick up groceries for an aging neighbor, volunteer at your local hospital or read a book to someone with failing eyesight. If you're unsure of how to help out in your
community, call your nearest volunteer centre.
Your
vision will become clear only when you look into your heart.
Who looks outside, dreams.
Who looks inside, awakens.
Carl Jung
Decide to Have a Positive Day!
Our inner critic is the internal voice of negative judgmental self talk. It's the nagging feeling, the inner voice that makes us critical of ourselves & others.
It's postulated that our inner critic developed early in life as a mechanism for reminding us of childhood rules & standards
that we internalized about how we were supposed to think, feel & behave.
We learn to be critical
of ourselves as we learn to march to the drummer of others wants & needs, we learn to be critical of others when they don't conform to what we want or expect.
The inner critic speaks
loudly in judgment of ourselves & other people. It's a voice that yearns to castigate. It's the voice of enslavement to
our egos & to the wants of others.
Sometimes our inner
critic will leave us with feelings of self doubt; sometimes it will allow us to feel negative & critical of others. When
we listen to our inner critic, we listen to negativity that separates us from our best self & also from others.
Our best personal & professional selves come from a place of self love & acceptance. When we can truly love
& accept ourselves we can also see those in our world as collaborators on our path of personal learning. Love is a path
which brings us closer to the seed of creation & to a place where we can grow, learn & to share joy with others.
We're all partners on
a human journey & the greatest challenge in our roadmap to personal & professional success is to cleave to our humanity, to the values of sharing & caring that make us brothers & sisters on the road of life.
Take
a day this week to stomp out the voice of your inner critic; to free yourself from self imposed negativity & judgment.
Silence all criticism
& negativity for 24 hours. Concentrate only on the good in yourself & in others that you meet & interact with. Give
the inner critic a day off & in so doing spend a day with your highest, greatest & best self.
By Irene Segal
JUST COACH IT http://justcoachit.com/
Key Examples of Positive Affirmation (self-talk) to Help You:
Books to Read:
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit down with the Dalai Lama & really press him about life's persistent
questions?
Why are so many people
unhappy?
How can I abjure loneliness?
How can we reduce conflict?
Is romantic love true love?
Why do we suffer?
How should we deal with
unfairness & anger?
How do you handle the
death of a loved one? read more...
Quotes about Attitude:
Disclaimer
*Under current legislation, Biomedica isn't permitted to make claims to consumers in support
of health benefits derived from foods. This means we cannot make specific statements as to how food-based, non-drug products
may help to prevent or treat diseases or our government will attempt to re-classify that food as a drug. Taking natural products
should be a decision based on personal research & understanding of the role food-derived antioxidants & enzymes play
in health and wellbeing.
The information provided within this site is for informational purposes only & isn't intended
as a substitute for advice from a physician or other health care professional & shouldn't be used for diagnosis or treatment
of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment.
A health care professional should be consulted before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation
program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem. Don't discontinue any other
medical treatments without first consulting your doctor.
The influence of coping mechanisms and a positive outlook on childbearing during periods
of economic uncertainty - click here to view article
Individual Capacity & Coping Skills
Overview
Individual capacity
& coping skills include psychological characteristics such as personal competence & a sense of control & mastery over one’s life.
These characteristics
play an important role in supporting mental & physical health - influencing people’s
vulnerability to such health problems as cancer & cardiovascular
disease & affecting their risk of unintentional injuries,
mental disorders & suicide.
Coping skills enable
people to be self-reliant, solve problems & make informed
choices that enhance health. They help people to deal with
the events, challenges & stresses in their day-to-day lives, without resorting to health
risk-taking behaviours such as alcohol & drug abuse.
People with a strong sense of their own effectiveness & ability to cope with the circumstances in their lives are likely to be most successful in adopting & sustaining healthy behaviors & lifestyles.
There's strong evidence
that coping skills are acquired primarily in the first few years of life. Children are born with an innate ability to cope,
meaning that they are resilient to stress & negative circumstances.
However, this ability is profoundly influenced by early childhood experiences.
Developing these skills to their fullest potential depends
on a variety of protective & risk factors in the individual, family & community.
Factors such
as:
interact to hinder or enhance children’s mental
health outcomes.
Relationship to Healthy Child Development
Early nurturing is important.
Children’s
early experiences contribute significantly to their ability to cope with stress. Effective parenting, which includes providing children with emotional security & strong & sensitive nurturing, is essential if children are to learn the coping skills they'll need throughout their lives (Steinhauer, 1998).
In the period from birth thru the toddler years, it's likely that the strongest
single familial factor protecting the potential for resiliency is the establishment of a
secure attachment to a primary caregiver (Steinhauer, 1998, p. 57).
Findings of the
National Longitudinal Survey of Children & Youth (NLSCY) support the theory that effective parenting skills & family functioning are important to young children’s mental health. When parents have difficulty
coping with life, work, family or parenting, they may be unable to provide their children with the necessary emotional, social & physical support (CCSD, 1996, p. 16; Landy & Tam, 1996).
Consistency in parenting is especially important for building social relationships for children in at-risk
families (McKinnon & Ahola-Sidaway, 1997, pp. 38–39).
Ongoing support & stimulation from family, peers & significant others contribute to
positive mental health.
Establishing trust & safety thru caring relationships, providing guidance & challenge & ensuring opportunities for meaningful participation in family
& community are all protective factors in a child’s environment.
These factors can
alter or even reverse negative outcomes & help children to develop resilience &
positive coping skills (Benard, 1991).
Adults outside
the immediate family also influence children’s healthy development. Supportive adults in the school, neighborhood & community are
important protective factors in helping to offset the negative effects of perinatal stress, chronic poverty, parental psychopathology & disruptions in the family (Werner, 1993).
Peers become
an important source of support as children grow older. Successful peer relationships can provide children
with the models & experience that help them develop coping mechanisms to counteract excessive anxiety (Manassis & Bradley, 1994).
Conversely, peers can play a negative role by encouraging participation in high-risk behaviors (e.g. drinking & driving, drug experimentation) that may have long-term negative health & other consequences.
Other factors affect capacity & coping skills.
Culture & ethnicity
can also affect people’s social & economic well-being, which in turn can impact their physical & mental health.
i.e., members of cultural & ethnic minorities may experience:
can interfere with access to social services &
other benefits & these people may feel cut off or isolated from the community (Health Canada, 1996, p. 19)
Coping mechanisms can
be positive or negative.
Well-being, or
positive health, consists of those physical, mental & social attributes
that permit an individual to cope successfully with the challenges to their health & functioning.
People use a variety
of coping mechanisms to
meet life’s challenges; some contribute to health & equilibrium, while others
place the individual at even greater risk of negative health.
i.e., physical
activity contributes to physical & mental health & in
addition to being more physically fit, active people tend to have:
Similarly, hobbies such as music & art provide a positive outlet for stress & teach children practical skills for coping.
negative coping mechanisms include:
An early reliance on these
behaviors often persists into adulthood & may result
in associated health problems.
Conditions & Trends
Children’s lives
can be stressful. They experience rapid physical, emotional &
mental change & must face the challenges of academic requirements, peer relationships & entry
into the work force. While most gain the necessary skills & tools for coping, some experience a range of mental disorders
that may affect them well into their adult lives.
Mental Disorders
Most Canadian children
are free of psychiatric disorders. Yet, research in this field
suggests that between 17% & 22% of Canadian children & adolescents suffer from one or more psychiatric disorders (Davidson & Manion, 1996, p. 42).
A survey of Ontario youth
revealed that 25% of youth aged 15 to 24 reported having
a mental health disorder (Ontario Ministry of Health, 1994, p. 10).
Children are at risk of a range of mental disorders.
The onset of some psychiatric
disorders in children may generate later negative psychosocial
outcomes. i.e., research suggests that children with conduct
disorder or antisocial behavior may have increased tendencies towards
criminal & substance abuse behaviors & psychological difficulties in adolescence & adulthood (Offord, Boyle & Racine, et al., 1992; Offord & Bennett, 1994).
Attention deficit disorder
(ADD) & attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
appear to be most prevalent during preschool & early elementary
years (Loeber & Keenan, 1994). These conditions, along with learning disorders, can compromise social development as a result of learning problems at school & difficulties in interpersonal relations (McKinnon
& Ahola-Sidaway, 1997).
Gender plays a role.
There are significant
gender & age differences in children’s emotional & behavioral disorders. According to the NLSCY, in 1994 - 95, the highest rate of emotional & behavioral problems was among boys aged 8 to 11 (26%) & the lowest was among girls aged 4 to 7 (16%).
Among boys of both
age groups, hyperactivity was the most common disorder,
followed by conduct disorder. The incidence of emotional
disorders increased significantly from younger to older
boys (from 6.1% to 11.8%).
In girls, conduct
disorder was more common than hyperactivity for both age
groups, but the occurrence of emotional disorder was most
prevalent among 8- to 11-year-olds (11.3%).
All prevalence rates of disorders were higher for boys than for girls (Offord & Lipman, 1996, p. 123). See Exhibit 7.1. scroll down to bottom of page for chart
Females are much
more likely than males to experience “internalized disorders.”
i.e., young women
aged 15 to 19 are the most likely of any age-sex group to
exhibit symptoms of depression (14%)
& women aged
20 to 24 are also well above average (10%) in their experience
of depression (Federal, Provincial
& Territorial Advisory Committee on Population Health, 1996, p. 317).
Other factors affect mental health.
Environment also
appears to influence behavioral problems. In Ontario, the rates
of all psychiatric disorders were higher for children living in an urban environment (16.7%) than for those living in rural areas (12.3%) (Offord, Boyle & Racine, 1989, p. 4).
A shortage of mental health
services is a problem in many areas of Canada. It's
estimated that only 1 in 6 Canadian children with mental health problems is reached by mental health services (Children’s Hospital of
Eastern Ontario, 1993).
Stress
Adolescence can
be a time of high stress. The rapid physiological changes of puberty
interact with other stress factors, with potentially significant effects on the mental health of adolescents.
Sources of Stress
Many children have
experienced events that cause anxiety & worry. Findings of the NLSCY show that, according
to the parents surveyed, roughly 1/3 of the children under age 12 had experienced great unhappiness.
The most common
causes cited, regardless of the age or sex of the child, are listed below:
-
death in the family: 27%
-
parents’ divorce or separation: 25%
-
family move: 8%
-
family member’s illness or injury: 8%
-
child’s illness or injury: 6%
-
-
hospital stay: 5%
-
-
change in household members: 4%
-
separation from parents, excluding divorce: 4%
-
death of a parent: 3%
-
-
a stay in a foster home: 1%
-
other: 29%
(CCSD, 1997, p. 38).
Young people can experience a high degree of social, academic & work stress.
School was cited
as the greatest source of stress by 65% of youth respondents to the 1992 Canadian Mental
Health Survey, a joint effort of the Canadian Psychiatric
Association & Canadian Mental Health Association (Canadian Psychiatric Association, 1993, p. 15).
Adolescents &
young adults also experience higher levels of work stress than do older workers, with work stress & job satisfaction being inversely related.
Youth aged 15 to 24
are the least likely to indicate that they're “very satisfied” with their job (Federal, Provincial
& Territorial Advisory Committee on Population Health, 1996, p. 242).
Work stress is highest among employed teens & declines with age, reaching its lowest level among employed seniors (Federal, Provincial & Territorial Advisory Committee
on Population Health, 1996, p. 314).
Changes in family structure cause stress.
Death & family
break-up can also be sources of stress for children. Data from the NLSCY reveal that, based on parents’ reports, roughly 33% of the children under age 12 had experienced
“great unhappiness.”
The most common causes, regardless
of the age or sex of the child, were:
- death in the family (27%)
- parents’ divorce or separation (25%) (CCSD, 1997, p. 38).
Males & females are different.
There's evidence
that males & females experience stress differently during adolescence. Adolescent females are less likely to feel good
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