First Psychology blog

Shorter daylight hours, grey skies and chilly frosts are a sure sign that winter is on its way. And for some people, this can have an effect on their general wellbeing, creating feelings of sadness, fatigue and in some cases, changes in eating habits. Although some of the symptoms of the winter blues are less severe than those of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), they can still impact your daily routine. Symptoms of winter blues Symptoms of the winter blues may differ from person to person but there are some common signs to look out for if you think you might be affected: Fatigue Change in sleeping habits Low mood Change in appetite What causes the winter blues? It’s believed that the lack of sunlight contributes most to the winter blues as your body doesn’t receive as much vitamin D as it would during the spring and summer months. Our body needs sunlight to regulate the production of melatonin, which can make us feel tired and lethargic. Sunlight also produces serotonin, the feel-goo...

The greatest difference between a person who is sympathetic and empathetic is that an empath is much more sensitive to their surroundings and the people around them, often placing themselves in another person’s shoes to understand how they are feeling. According to the National Library of Medicine , “Important research on empathy and altruism has demonstrated that enhancing perspective taking, the capacity to see a person’s situation from his or her point of view, coupled with enhanced value being placed on the welfare of those who are unfamiliar can override bias.” While empaths often suffer from being highly emotional, oversensitive to crowded environments and can feel overwhelmed by intensely close relationships, there are, however, many benefits. 1. Intuitive Owing to their enhanced sensitivity, empaths tend to be extremely intuitive. This is a great skill to have as they’re able to read situations and people and avoid any negative environments. By noticing subtle signs such as...

How often have you travelled somewhere and when you arrived, you have little or no recollection of the journey? Or how many times has someone been speaking to you, and although you’ve shown signs that you’re listening, such as a head nod, you actually have no idea what they’ve just said to you? It’s not uncommon for wandering thoughts to take over our mind but when they do, we miss out on so much good stuff. When we’re preoccupied with our internal chatter, it’s difficult to live in the present moment and focus on the here and now. Continually listening to your inner voice, when you should be focusing on something else can be a cause for concern when it starts to affect your mental wellbeing. It can lead to feelings of anxiety, stress and in some cases, symptoms of depression. How we can be more present When we learn how to hush our inner voice and be in the present moment, there are so many benefits that we can enjoy. Not only can it increase your energy levels and motivation, but it ...

While people have been cold water swimming for centuries, its popularity has soared in recent years owing to its incredible health benefits. The effect of the cold water not only improves our physical health, but it also has a powerful impact on our mental wellbeing. How does cold water swimming effect our body? When we submerge ourselves in cold water, our body goes into fight or flight mode due to the sudden shock. This then triggers the stress hormone, noradrenaline, to kick into action, making us feel more alert. How can this boost our physical health? Ongoing research has found that there are many physical benefits of immersing yourself in cold water. Because your body has to work harder to keep warm when you’re in cold water, it speeds up your metabolism, which in turn aids weight loss and promotes better sleep. Your heart pumps more blood to your organs, improving circulation, reducing inflammation of muscles and flushing toxins from the blood. When your body goes into flight or...

The use of social media has grown exponentially over the last couple of decades, with a staggering 5.03 billion people worldwide now connecting online. In July 2022, the Datareportal overview reported that: 59% of the world uses social media (4.7 billion people) there were 227 million new social media users in the last year alone the average time spent on social media is almost 2.5 hours a day While this might not surprise you, the negative impact social media has on our mental wellbeing might. Of course, social media has many positives but when you begin to feel it is having more negative effects on your mental health, it’s time to make some changes. How social media can negatively impact our mental health Constant use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and many others can affect us both mentally and physically. From feelings of anxiety and symptoms of depression to disruptive sleep patterns, these can take their toll on our overall wellbeing if ...

While many of us look back on our childhood and remember the good times with happy memories, growing up isn’t always easy for everyone. Learning about how to fit in with social expectations while being comfortable in your own skin can be pretty tricky for a child. Even more so when they hit teenage years and their hormones start to kick in. Nowadays, with the added pressures of social media defining what you 'should' look like or how you 'should' behave, kids have even more to deal with. Why is confidence important for our mental health? Low confidence and self-esteem are not mental health conditions as such, however, the way we feel about ourselves can have a huge impact on our emotional and mental wellbeing. These negative feelings can cause a child to believe that they’re not worthy of love or aren’t 'good enough' when comparing themselves to others. This can affect how they live their lives as they get older. Researchers from the University of Washington fo...

It’s not unusual for many of us to experience disrupted sleep, with one in three of us suffering from sleep deprivation. There are several factors that can impact our sleep, these include: Stress  Anxiety Excessive noise Bedroom temperature Caffeine or alcohol Shift patterns Mental health issues Certain medicines A continuous lack of sleep has many implications on our wellbeing and can cause us to feel bad-tempered, agitated, impatient and lacking focus. But there are also more serious side effects that can take a toll on our mental and physical health, which can result in diabetes, heart disease and traffic accidents. By creating a bedtime routine and making small lifestyle changes, it becomes easier to unwind, relax and sleep better. Why we need bedtime routines Adopting a bedtime routine where you get into calming habits such as reading, taking a bath or meditating 30-60 minutes before you go to sleep can really assist your body and mind into knowing when it’s time to go to slee...

Owing to their healing properties, herbs and spices have been used for centuries as holistic remedies for physical health. But it’s only been in more modern times that studies have shown their benefits on mental health. As well as being used to season food and treat aches and pains, they are now more commonly used to improve cognitive ability and reduce the effects of stress and anxiety. Benefits of herbs and spices Many herbs and spices contain antioxidants and other powerful properties, and they have a wide range of health benefits such as: Helping to promote weight loss Controlling blood sugar levels Boosting the immune system Improving heart health Reducing blood pressure Reducing inflammation Helping to prevent Alzheimer’s disease Easing stress and anxiety Aiding insomnia Herbs and spices and their healing properties Turmeric One of the most popular spices used for its health benefits is turmeric. A study published by Science Direct showed that this spice is most effective as an...

Friendships play an integral role in our lives, not only for sharing the good times but also for the times when we need a shoulder to cry on. However, there are situations where we might not want to admit, even to our closest friend, that we are struggling with our mental health. So, although on the outside our closest companion may appear to be happy and confident, behind close doors they might be suffering in silence. Most of us will experience stress at some point in our lives but how we deal with it can impact both our physical and mental wellbeing. Confiding in a close friend can really help us in our times of need, but what can we do to help those who are suffering alone? Stress can affect us in many ways, from our physical appearance to our actions, but sometimes it’s hard to recognise especially when people hide their emotions. How to recognise when your friend is stressed If you notice any of the following, it could be that your friend is suffering from stress: They are short ...