2022 June Articles Archives

What happens to our brains when we sleep?

You may think of sleep as the time when your brain shuts down and nothing on your to-do list gets done. However, your brain is actually very active during sleep doing important things — it’s not just resting.

Learning and memory

While you sleep, your brain is busy sorting and storing information from the day. Your brain consolidates all the information it’s picked up and files it away for later use creating long term memories. Scientists explain that the brain’s trillions of nerve cells literally rewire themselves to help us process and retain new information. Your brain is making a map of the information, making new connections, and breaking other ones. If you stay up all night to cram for an exam, your brain is not going to retain the information in the same way as if you’d gone to sleep early. Your brain needs to process that information, which you really only do when you’re asleep.

Sleep also plays a housekeeping role and removes toxins and unnecessary information in your brain that builds up and clutters your nervous system. This helps you to wake up feeling refreshed (not groggy), allowing you to concentrate, problem-solve, learn, perform well, and make logical decisions.

Mood

We all know that lack of sleep affects mood and irritability; think of how grumpy you feel without enough sleep. During sleep, brain activity increases in areas that regulate emotion, supporting healthy brain function and emotional stability. The amygdala, located in the temporal lobe of the brain, is in charge of the fear response. It’s what controls your reaction when you face a perceived threat, like a stressful situation. Without sleep, the brain reverts to more primitive patterns and is unable to put emotional experiences into context and produce controlled appropriate responses. The brain’s “plasticity” or ability to adapt to input is affected. You may totally overreact, for example.

The popular saying, “you can sleep when you’re dead,” is not sound advice for a happy, successful life. Most people need at least 8 hours of sleep a night so that we look, feel, and perform at our best.

Call LifeAssist if you are battling to sleep and need some suggestions on how to improve your sleep patterns. We are here to support you.

zara2022-05-30T11:55:03+00:00

Impact of drugs and alcohol on your family – and how to get help

People who abuse drugs or alcohol often don’t realise the impact on those around them. The family may witness the user fly into drunken rages, experience rapid weight loss, or discover that their missing loved one is living on the street or has fatally overdosed. Such shocks can cause severe family trauma.

Family environment

Substance abusers are usually unpredictable or irrational; you never know how they’ll react. Simple disagreements can cause big fights as everyone feels misunderstood. The family may walk on eggshells to pacify their addicted loved ones and children may withdraw. Arguments between parents may become normal, causing emotional distress for children. The result is an atmosphere of fear and confusion, without much joy. Early exposure to a home divided by drug use can cause children to feel emotionally and physically neglected and unsafe. Some develop extreme guilt and self-blame, feelings of unworthiness, lack of confidence, or dysfunctional attachments in their adulthood. Others may even become users themselves.

Broken Trust

Addiction always takes priority over relationships or family needs and is coupled with dishonesty. Addicts may want to honour their commitments, but the effects of the substances make them unable to. They’re also likely to forget the promises made to their children. If this becomes a trend, the child will have a hard time forming bonds with others since they don’t know how to trust. This loss of trust often results in broken marriages and dysfunctional children with serious mental and emotional disorders.

Increased Stress

In the midst of addiction, the addict is likely to leave all responsibilities to their families. Paying bills, making decisions, and cleaning up after the addict will quickly affect the family’s stress levels and health. Addictions are not cheap. Substance abusers may spend excessively and face legal expenses from driving under the influence or being caught with drugs. Their unreliable and erratic behaviour may also affect their jobs.

Help

Family and friends may feel hopeless and alone, but supportive services such as Al-Anon can be reached on Tel: +27 21 595 4508 (national office). Also, contact LifeAssist to speak to a counsellor – if you or your family need support

zara2022-05-30T08:51:56+00:00

How to stay connected with your teenager

While the terrible twos may have been challenging, many feel unprepared for parenting an emotional teen undergoing rapid physical and hormonal changes. Your once communicative child may no longer want to connect with you. Helpful tips for connection:

To understand what’s going on in your teen’s life, it may be more effective to listen and observe rather than ask direct questions. Teenagers are more likely to open up if they don’t feel pressurised. A random comment or discussion about politics, music, or sports may be your teen’s way of reaching out, and you’ll learn more if you stay open and interested.
Empathise rather than criticise. Validate and show that you understand by reflecting on their feelings, such as: “Shew, that sounds really difficult/embarrassing/scary,” rather than saying, “that’s ridiculous!”
Assign responsibilities. Teens want to be taken seriously, so look for ways to show that you trust and have faith in them. This will boost your teen’s confidence and they will probably rise to the occasion.
Teenagers may act like they’re too cool to care, but they need the confidence booster from their parents, just as much as younger kids. Remind them that you love them every day, even when they’re acting out.
Set boundaries and rules. Set the rules for good behaviour, but be ready to explain them. Pushing the boundaries is natural for a teenager, but hearing your thoughtful explanations will make the rules seem more reasonable. When rules are broken, make sure to have consistent consequences in place.
Control your reactions. It’s natural to get angry when your teen is being rude. You’re the adult and they’re less able to control their emotions or think logically when they’re upset. Count to ten or take some deep breaths before responding.
Do things together. Talking isn’t the only way to connect. Spend one-on-one, undistracted time doing things you both enjoy, whether cooking, walking or watching a movie, and having family meals. It’s important for your teen to know that they can hang out with you and build happy experiences, without worrying that you will grill or scold them.

LifeAssist has a team of counsellors that can help you navigate this tough period in your family’s life. Your teenager also has access to this service, confidentially and at no cost to you or your family. We are here to support you.

zara2022-05-30T08:40:04+00:00