sleep hypnosis therapy bergen county nj

Procrastinating before bed? This might be why

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

By Katie Weinstein

Revenge bedtime procrastination is defined as the decision to sacrifice sleep for leisure activities. The reason it is called “revenge” bedtime procrastination is to get back at the day time hours for stealing away free time. Many people are tired when going to bed and intend to go to sleep, but chose to binge shows on Netflix or scroll through hours of Tik Toks without an external reason to stay awake, meaning there is an intention-behavior gap. 

Since revenge bedtime procrastination is still a relatively new idea in sleep science, the underlying psychology explaining this phenomenon is still being debated. One explanation is that daytime workload depletes our capacity for self-control, so we can’t fight our urge to stay awake to participate in leisure activities even though it means we will be better rested for the next day. Another explanation might be that some people are naturally “night owls” and are forced to adapt to an early schedule, so this is their way of finding time to recover from stress. A third explanation might be that, during the pandemic, domestic and work lives are blurred as people work overtime hours and do not divide work time from leisure time. 

The reason that it is important to be aware of revenge bedtime procrastination is because sleep is essential for our physical and mental health. Sleep deprivation can cause daytime sleepiness, which harms productivity, thinking, and memory as well causing physical effects such as insufficient immune function and increased susceptibility to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. 

In order to prevent revenge bedtime procrastination, try putting away technology 30 minutes before bed, create a regular bedtime routine, avoid caffeine late in the afternoon, and find time for leisure activities during the day. It is also important to recognize when you need help managing your procrastination and your sleep problems.

If you or someone you know is struggling with revenge bedtime procrastination or other types of sleep problems, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/revenge-bedtime-procrastination

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/revenge-bedtime-procrastination-a-plight-of-our-times#Tips-for-better-sleep

Insomnia: What factors cause it?

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

    By: Elyse Ganss

    Insomnia is a sleep disorder that causes an inability to sleep in regular increments. Insomnia can be caused by many issues including medical conditions, biological factors, and psychiatric conditions. Medical causes of insomnia include nasal/allergies, endocrine problems, asthma, neurological conditions, chronic pain, or gastrointestinal problems.

    Insomnia can frequently co-occur with mental health disorders. Some psychiatric problems that may impact sleep include depression and anxiety. Depression includes symptoms of hopelessness, sadness, and a lack of energy. Severe depression is correlated with a higher risk for insomnia. Anxiety symptoms include stressful thoughts, general anxiousness, panic, or dread. Anxiety can make it so falling asleep feels impossible as you are consumed by thoughts/fears.

    Lifestyle choices like naps, irregular sleeping patterns, and working on a laptop or phone close to when you are going to sleep can cause insomnia as well. Even certain foods and drinks can have a negative impact on your sleep. For example, drinks that have caffeine and are consumed up to 8 hours before going to sleep may cause insomnia.

    Seeking therapy for insomnia may be helpful in decreasing symptoms. Typically, therapy will teach the patient how to replace negative thoughts as well as problem solving techniques in order to alleviate sleeping issues. Similarly, certain medications can be prescribed to help restore regular sleeping patterns if the insomnia is severe and has a long-term pattern.

    If you or someone you know needs support for insomnia, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/ .

    Sources:

    https://www.sleepfoundation.org/insomnia/what-causes-insomnia

    https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355167

    Image Source:

    https://news.uthscsa.edu/wp-content/uploads

    Hypnosis: The Basics!

    GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

    Hypnosis: The Basics!

    By Lauren Hernandez

                In today’s fast paced, technology filled world, it is important to take care of your mental health and address stress and anxiety with a mental health professional. There are various methods of treating anxiety, stress, and depression, and one of those methods is Hypnosis. According to PsychologyToday, hypnosis is the technique of “putting someone into a state of heightened concentration where they are more suggestible”. Hypnosis is achieved through soothing verbal repetition which relaxes a patient into a trance-like state, allowing the patient to be more open minded to transformative messages. Hypnosis allows a patient to be guided through relaxation, while still being in control. Hypnosis is utilized in accordance with other treatments to help patients overcome mental health issues. Hypnosis is ineffective as a sole treatment method, but is beneficial to a patient when used with other methods of therapy.

    Hypnosis can help treat:

    • Bad habits such as smoking
    • Stress, anxiety, and depression
    • Pain, pain associated with autoimmune diseases
    • Fatigue
    • Mood disorders
    • Insomnia
    • Specific phobias

    If you are interested in trying another method to treat your anxiety, depression, or any other mental health issues, it is important to reach out to a licensed psychotherapist who can safely and effectively assist you with the use of hypnosis.

     

    Sources:

    https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/hypnosis

    https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/life-without-anxiety/201706/hypnotherapy-and-its-benefits-autoimmune-disease

    Image Source:

    https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&id=8D025584803526770A48CA5EEC0B18B1B5C9F019&thid=OIP.y6nddEUu23PK3TscNApqDAHaEK&mediaurl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fyf42hiij63U%2Fmaxresdefault.jpg&exph=720&expw=1280&q=hypnosis&selectedindex=4&ajaxhist=0&vt=0&eim=1,2,6

    Why Is Sleep So Important?

    GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

    Why is Sleep So Important?

    By: Lauren Hernandez

                Sleep is one of the most important lifestyle choices besides nutrition and exercise. In order to gain the benefits of sleep, one must complete the 5 stages of the sleep/ rest cycle that occurs at night. It is essential that you strive to sleep the appropriate amount of hours necessary to maintaining a healthy lifestyle- physically and mentally.

    These are the nightly sleep recommendations per age:

    • Infants four to 12 months should sleep 12 to 16 hours per 24 hours (including naps).
    • Children one to two years of age should sleep 11 to 14 hours (including naps).
    • Children three to five years of age should sleep 10 to 13 hours per 24 hours (including naps).
    • Children six to 12 years of age should sleep nine to 12 hours per 24 hours.
    • Teenagers 13 to 18 years of age should sleep eight to 10 hours per 24 hours

    Lack of sleep causes negative mental and physical effects such as:

    • Weight gain
    • Likelihood of infections
    • Chronic diseases
    • Type-2 diabetes
    • Heart Disease
    • Increased chances of anxiety
    • Increased chances of depression
    • Forgetfulness

    If you or someone you know has a sleep disorder, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/ .

     

     

     

    Sources:

    https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201606/how-much-sleep-is-required-optimal-health-age-matters

     

    https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-resilient-brain/201704/restorative-sleep-is-vital-brain-health

     

    Image Source:

    https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&id=1F061362E6736BEE768453D8F06FC5E18FE558C8&thid=OIP.cd4G3Nnr5OOPsYw1086naQHaFb&mediaurl=http%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Fetntmedia%2Fmedia%2Fimages%2Fext%2F930991728%2Fwoman-sleeping.jpg&exph=750&expw=1024&q=sleep&selectedindex=12&ajaxhist=0&vt=0&eim=1,2,6

     

     

     

     

    Nightmares: Normal or Disorder?

    GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

    By: Sanjita Ekhelikar

    We all know the horrible sensation of waking up in the middle of the night after a nightmare, a terrifying dream that occurs during the rapid eye movement (REM) stage of sleep. These dreams are a normal response to stressors in our life, and occur both during childhood and in adulthood. However, when nightmares occur regularly and lead to impairment of one’s cognitive and social functioning, they can develop into Nightmare disorder.

    Nightmare disorder is characterized by frequent occurrences of fearful dreams which can interfere with development, functioning, and sleep. People with the disorder are constantly woken up with the detailed recall of dreams that feel like a threat to their survival or security. In addition, such individuals tend to awaken very easily, and have difficulty functioning throughout the day. They are not taking any substances which could lead to the increase in nightmares and, therefore, show signs of the disorder.

    Many of the likely causes of Nightmare disorder include mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression, which cause people to stress throughout the day which can interfere with their sleep. In addition, any major life trauma can result in this growing distress. Finally, any sleeping disorder, such as narcolepsy, sleep apnea, or sleep terror, can cause increased nightmares.

    If you are experiencing extreme, recurrent nightmares, do not hesitate to reach out for help and seek treatment. You can speak to a psychologist or take anti-depressant medication to address the issues behind these dreams and to better reduce the unpleasant symptoms. Aside from this, setting a routine during bedtime, making oneself comfortable, exercising during the day, doing meditation before bed, and sleeping until sunrise are ways to better relax and try to prevent nightmares. It is important to take care of yourself and your health, both when you are awake and alert AND when you are asleep.

    If you or someone you know is suffering from nightmares, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/.