First Psychology blog

The timing, duration and quality of the sleep we get are critical to the health of our body and mind. The recommended sleep duration for older adults (aged 46 – 60) is seven hours minimum; however, for younger adults (between 18-45 years old) nine hours is considered appropriate and most beneficial. This is because younger adults are experiencing very fast physical, intellectual, and emotional growth. Sleep problems are common in university students as they often stay up late completing assignments. In addition, this period of their lives can be stressful and stress can influence the amount of sleep a student gets. This is because high levels of stress can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. Not having enough sleep on a regular basis triggers the body’s stress response system leading to an elevation in cortisol, which further disrupts sleep. Additionally, student life can involve lots of social events from making new friends, joining societies, attending parties and drinking...

From time to time, we all have those nights when we may struggle getting to sleep or even waking up several times during the night, but when this becomes more of a regular occurrence, you could be suffering from insomnia. Insomnia is when we either have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep and it can be quite common, especially in adults, not to mention exhausting and frustrating. Insomnia can be brought on by various factors such as: Stress Anxiety Depression Too much caffeine or sugar Hot or cold temperatures Stress and anxiety are among the greatest causes of insomnia as our body and mind are unable to relax due to the constant worrying thoughts and fears that keep us awake. A study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information  states that: “In the last two decades, several models have been proposed to understand the etiology and pathophysiology of insomnia and most of them have emphasised the importance of the joint effect of stress and psychological facto...

Poor mental health can result for a number of reasons, from work and relationships, to worries about finances and family issues. These concerns may lead to feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress, all of which may impact your daily life. The good news is that if your mental health is suffering, there are steps you can take to help get it back on track. Tap into mindfulness In short, mindfulness is taking in each moment. This means paying attention to how you feel, and what is happening in the here and now. Sometimes we can be too concerned with tasks we need to get done, and with worries about the future. Mindfulness encourages you to focus on touch, sights, sounds, smells and emotions that you are experiencing in the moment. If you’re feeling anxious, stressed or even lonely, being aware of the way you feel can help you identify why you feel a certain way in that moment. Tackling each feeling as it arises can also stop you becoming overwhelmed by ever increasing waves of emotions....

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...

If you’re not familiar with the term ‘stress bucket’, it’s a metaphorical bucket that fills up with different types of stresses that you carry around with you and was developed by Dr Douglas Turkington and Professor Alison Brabban in 2002. By identifying what our stressors are, we can create coping strategies and ways to empty the bucket. There are many things in life that can create stress such as work, financial pressures, health concerns or relationship issues. Each person will have their own individual types of stress and there are different symptoms that can arise, including: Anxiety Feeling of overwhelm Poor sleep Change in diet Headaches Lack of concentration Heart palpitations Stomach problems Poor memory Anger Ways we can empty our stress bucket As more stress enters our lives, the bucket keeps on filling up, so we need to put strategies into place to reduce our stress levels. Firstly, we need to identify our sources of stress. Make a list of everything that is causing you wo...

From time to time, we all have those nights when we may struggle getting to sleep or even waking up several times during the night, but when this becomes more of a regular occurrence, you could be suffering from insomnia. Insomnia is when we either have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep and it can be quite common, especially in adults, not to mention exhausting and frustrating. Insomnia can be brought on by various factors such as: Stress Anxiety Depression Too much caffeine or sugar Hot or cold temperatures Stress and anxiety are among the greatest causes of insomnia as our body and mind are unable to relax due to the constant worrying thoughts and fears that keep us awake. In a study published on the website of the  National Center for Biotechnology Information, it states that: “In the last two decades, several models have been proposed to understand the etiology and pathophysiology of insomnia and most of them have emphasised the importance of the joint effect of stress ...

If your morning routine has gone out of the window or if you’ve never had a morning routine, there are many reasons why it will be one of the most important parts of your day. Although it might seem like a huge effort when you first start to put certain practices into place, you’ll soon get into the swing of things. Reasons why a morning routine is good for your health Having a consistent morning routine is great for both your mental and physical health and by adopting some of these positive habits, you’ll soon start to see the benefits, which can include: Increased productivity Stress reduction Increase in energy levels and brain function An overall feeling of happiness and positivity Many people who lack some form of routine or structure in their lives suffer from various forms of ill health and poor mental wellbeing such as stress, anxiety, depression, disturbed sleep, and lethargy. Putting in place a morning routine, can help improve overall wellbeing. Planning your morning routine...

The long, cold, dark nights of winter can leave us feeling drained, tired and, for some, depressed. Studies have shown that when we're less exposed to daylight, our levels of serotonin drop, which can affect our mood and trigger symptoms of depression. The more daylight we are exposed to, the more serotonin we produce. So, it’s not surprising that the moment we start to see signs of spring, we instantly begin to feel in a better mood, with many of us getting the urge to spring clean our homes. But springtime is also a great time to focus on our mental and emotional wellbeing, and reduce feelings of anxiety, stress, or general melancholy. Find out how in our tips for spring cleaning your mind, below. Eat right A healthy diet packed with seasonal fruit and vegetables, and plenty of water, can work wonders not just for our physical health but also out mental health. A healthy diet can help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Get outside Soak up all that wonderful vitamin D whic...