Autism Disorder Causes Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment for Children Kids & Parenting Tips by Dr Smita Pandey Bhat - Psychologist Delhi India

Autistic Child

Autism is a kind of problem where the children could not interact properly with others, where they have problems in social interactions and problems in communications where they are not able to able to express themselves properly and they have a repetitive behavior where they repeat the activities again and again. The repetitive activity might be a stereotyped behavior like making same kind of sounds repetitively or body rocking, or compulsive activity like following strictly certain rules such as arranging objects in a line , sameness in behavior, they are resistant to change or following a kind of ritual or restricted behavior such as preoccupation with television program, toy or a game and sometimes self injurious behavior such as hand biting , skin picking or head banging.

Though, they find it difficult to interact socially, still they believe in quality of friendship rather than the number of friends. They feel lonely sometimes and would like to interact with others but since they do not understand that why the other person is smiling at him and even if they are able to understand it they find it difficult to communicate with them as they found it difficult to find words and express themselves. Sometimes they also have speech defects or deficits and they are not able to communicate due to this.

For the treatment basically the speech therapy and behavior therapy and occupational therapy is recommended besides psychoactive drugs as prescribed by the clinical practioner.

Url : http://online-brand-management.blogspot.com

Look at the Brighter Side of LIFE

Optimists may have another reason to feel fortunate. In a new study from the Netherlands, researchers found that older men who are hopeful about the future are less likely to die from heart disease when compared to those who have a bleaker outlook.

The reasons for this, says Dr. Erik Giltay, who led the study, are not immediately clear. Optimists are healthier to begin with, and they tend to cope better with any troubles. They are also more likely to follow their doctor's advice should they ever get sick.

Still, when the Dutch team took all these factors into account, the thing that most stood out was feeling naturally upbeat about the future. Having a positive attitude is often its own best reward, but its impact on the heart was particularly dramatic.
"These effects seem to be comparable and in the range of lowering cholesterol, blood pressure or healthy diets," says Giltay, who is with the Delfland Institute of Mental Health in the Netherlands.

The results, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, are among the latest to suggest that maintaining a cheerful outlook throughout life pays off in the end. Studies have linked positive attitudes to a range of health benefits, although there is some debate on what type of optimism matters most.

Giltay and his team investigated what is known as dispositional optimism, which is a general belief that there is much to look forward to in the future. The researchers asked 545 elderly men living in the picturesque town of Zutphen about their feelings on a series of statements: "I still expect much from life," for instance, or "my days seem to be passing by slowly."

The subjects, who took this survey every five years, ranked these statements on a three-point scale, based on how much they agreed with them. After 15 years, the consistent optimists cut their risk of dying from heart disease nearly in half when compared to the more pessimistic men.

Believing that bad events are not your fault, or at least temporary, is another way to blissfully go through life, says Giltay. To his team, however, the ability to maintain a positive outlook about the future is more fitting of a natural optimist.
Giltay says that the next step is to figure out why such optimism benefits the heart. It is possible that happiness stimulates a positive biological reaction, much like depression and stress triggers the opposite, but that "does not seem to be the whole answer," he adds.

Yet the findings do suggest a tempting and easy way to beat heart disease. By adopting a positive attitude, former curmudgeons might be able to improve their health, while making life more pleasant to those around them. Giltay is doubtful that this new attitude will come easy.
"We are not optimistic," he says. While some forms of psychotherapy may be suitable, he cautions, "It is well known that it takes lots of effort to induce small improvements."

Optimists may have another reason to feel fortunate. In a new study from the Netherlands, researchers found that older men who are hopeful about the future are less likely to die from heart disease when compared to those who have a bleaker outlook.

The reasons for this, says Dr. Erik Giltay, who led the study, are not immediately clear. Optimists are healthier to begin with, and they tend to cope better with any troubles. They are also more likely to follow their doctor's advice should they ever get sick.

Still, when the Dutch team took all these factors into account, the thing that most stood out was feeling naturally upbeat about the future. Having a positive attitude is often its own best reward, but its impact on the heart was particularly dramatic.
"These effects seem to be comparable and in the range of lowering cholesterol, blood pressure or healthy diets," says Giltay, who is with the Delfland Institute of Mental Health in the Netherlands.

The results, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, are among the latest to suggest that maintaining a cheerful outlook throughout life pays off in the end. Studies have linked positive attitudes to a range of health benefits, although there is some debate on what type of optimism matters most.

Giltay and his team investigated what is known as dispositional optimism, which is a general belief that there is much to look forward to in the future. The researchers asked 545 elderly men living in the picturesque town of Zutphen about their feelings on a series of statements: "I still expect much from life," for instance, or "my days seem to be passing by slowly."

The subjects, who took this survey every five years, ranked these statements on a three-point scale, based on how much they agreed with them. After 15 years, the consistent optimists cut their risk of dying from heart disease nearly in half when compared to the more pessimistic men.

Believing that bad events are not your fault, or at least temporary, is another way to blissfully go through life, says Giltay. To his team, however, the ability to maintain a positive outlook about the future is more fitting of a natural optimist.
Giltay says that the next step is to figure out why such optimism benefits the heart. It is possible that happiness stimulates a positive biological reaction, much like depression and stress triggers the opposite, but that "does not seem to be the whole answer," he adds.

Yet the findings do suggest a tempting and easy way to beat heart disease. By adopting a positive attitude, former curmudgeons might be able to improve their health, while making life more pleasant to those around them. Giltay is doubtful that this new attitude will come easy.

"We are not optimistic," he says. While some forms of psychotherapy may be suitable, he cautions, "It is well known that it takes lots of effort to induce small improvements."

Url : http://india-advertising.blogspot.com

Stress Management Causes Symptoms Signs Types & Treatment

Stress is the physical or mental demand upon a person that exceeds the capacity of the body. It means stress the pressure on the person that makes the person loose his balance. During stress -heart beat increases, palpitations increase, the person starts breathing heavily, or one can have butterflies in his or her stomach, the person starts blushing, sometimes, the person also stammers while speaking. Stress is the part of life. Basically, it is of two kinds:- Eustress and Distress. Eustress is the stress or tension which comes into the events or incidents of happiness like marriage, birth of a child, getting a new job etc. Distress is the stress or tension which comes due to the effect of unpleasant events like loosing a job, or death in a family or getting divorced etc.

1. The first thing is to realize that you are under distress. You should be able to catch the symptoms like having excessive fatigue, increased palpitations, facing sleep problems, inability to relax and so on.

2. The next thing is to find out the sources how to relieve it. Find out somebody with whom you can talk out your stress. Talk out with the significant others and have their support. This is the kind of social support you are gaining and thereby reducing your stress. Also, you can take their suggestions or physical help if you require it.

3. The next thing is to do some physical exercises, like going to gym, run or exercise or practice swimming, jogging etc.

4. Sit and relax. Listen to your favorite music, , take out time for yourself and most importantly listen to your body.

5. Indulge in pleasurable activities, which you enjoy to do e.g.: go for riding, go for outings, go for movies.

6. Spend time with your family. That is another way of reducing stress.

7. Do not carry the burden of your work to home. Do not convert your home into office.

8. Be calm and maintain your cool. If your heart has started beating faster, take your time and relax. Practice any of the techniques of relaxation twice daily.

9. Give yourself positive self statements e.g.: “I will be able to make it, I can do this"

10. Have proper sleep and practice methods of sleep hygiene.

11. Finally, a little stress is a booster but excessive stress is unhygienic so recognize that unhealthy part and remove it from your life. Crack jokes, spend some time leisurely and enjoy your life as much as possible.

Url : http://onlineconsultancy.blogspot.com

Child Psychotherapy Counselling & Parenting Tips by Psychologist Delhi India

Discover Your Child’s Talent :

Congratulations Sachin Tendulkar and to every Indian. We are proud of you being compared to one and only Don Bradman. May be in future you may beat his name too in the game of cricket! But this has not been true without his parents support who valued their son’s talent and perhaps because his father himself was a great talent. He was not an ordinary person just to feed his family for regular meals and caring for them. His father Mr. Ramesh Tendulkar was himself a “Marathi novelist’ and that may be the reason why he understood that only scientists, engineering, medical or civil services or defense services or carrying family business could not help us grow that well as the child’s individual talent - when nurtured and embraced with respect.

As far as the earning of livelihood is concerned anyone and everyone could do it some extent but imagine if you just got a chance to have a profession of your choice-not just for barely money or financial gains but also to satisfy your inner needs- then you would be more contented, and be at peace. Remember, as any kind of professional or a personnel employed in Government Services, if you just do something because you just felt to do it that way- not imagining of promotion or hike or bonuses- just as it is because you felt like that. How did you feel that moment? The immediate gain was immense satisfaction and contentment and a sense of achievement and long term gain was your increased self – confidence, knowing your own self and worth, promotions, hikes, bonuses and other different kinds of appraisals.

I would like to raise this point to every Indian parents and teachers not to discourage your child's talent if they are not that good academically. Every child has got same special talent and interests. Allow him or her to explore their talent and allow them to pursue their own interests. As an elder you might have more experiences in your life but remember only in your situations of your life and you cannot generalize your own experiences to your children or anyone else. So please be vigilant before imposing your own subjective experiences in any individual's lives and presenting it in a highly "objective manner"...who knows your child may emerge as another Tendulkar, Vishwanathan Anand, Chetan Bhagat or Lata Mangeshkar... May be your child is the one...Good Luck...


Url : http://india-advertising.blogspot.com

Parenting Tips by Psychologist Delhi India

Parenting and Grand-parenting:
Parenting is a great challenge in the fast pacing world full of demands, pressure and competition in all streams of life. Parenting is a science as well as an art. It is a skill where the parents are supposed to keep their child secured and safe, child must feel that he or she being loved and recognized by parents, child must have parents to encourage him or her in terms of his or her daily living activities, abilities, interests in the pursuit of his or her talents and every activity of this kind of encouragement related to parenting must be consistent and in order, by setting up limits and presenting examples that are more real and practical.
As already been stated that parents are really overburdened in this stressful and demanding world, hence grandparents could very well take up the role to nurture their grandchildren. This is really mutually beneficial to children, parents and grandparents. Grandparents could give their children to develop the roots of their own culture by telling them stories of mythology, historical facts, and real heroes of their life time. Here grandparents would really enjoy and have fun with their grandchildren’s innocent activities and their curious queries and in turn these young grand children would have a sense of moral –ethical values and basic understanding of their culture.

Parenting today: Traditional or Globalization influenced :
Parenting today is really churned between the conservative and traditional parenting styles to global parenting styles and its influences. The best way to resolve this conflict is to be open and flexible to all sorts of views which appear helpful for the growth of your child. A parent might be able to adapt their own subjective style of parenting considering their own personality and temperament or nature of their children.

Child rearing practices:
There are three major kinds of child rearing practices:
1. Authoritative Parenting: This is a kind of approach with “Spare the Rod and Spare the Child”. Parents are the ultimate authority where the children have no say or expression of thoughts. This kind of parenting may lead to unhealthy childhood leaving permanent scars on their future adulthood as well where they live in constant fear of authorities, grow up as anxious personalities, too submissive, lack proper confidence or may be exactly opposite of the above traits like when they are too much under this suppression may become extremely aggressive and revolting showing their overcompensation and identifying with the authorities.
2. Permissive Parenting: This is a kind of approach where parents are always up on their heels to fulfil their demands without following any consistency, order or rules. Such children grown up with this rearing style becomes highly obstinate, demanding, emotionally shallow and highly impulsive..
3. Democratic Parenting: This is the healthiest parenting style where parents though in command to maintain discipline and law and order within the family (exactly like a democratic government), where children also have rights to express their views and freedom to choose according to the feasibility of the situation and also they are responsible of their duties (activities) suitable to their age. Such children develop into balanced personalities.

Eastern and Western perspectives:
Eastern perspectives are more focused towards directive, protective, over-involved, sentimental parenting and by and large authoritative. Western perspective of parenting are usually permissive, with lots of fun, main focus is on individuality and independence. Democratic parenting styles are seen in both east and west in a different manner where east is more directive and supportive where west is more individualistic and more independent focused in their approach of parenting styles.

Good and bad parenting:
Good parenting is always a democratic approach with values, ethics, discipline blended with the decision making chances to kids with freedom of expression and at the same time to have duties and responsibilities for its execution. Whilst bad parenting styles are over disciplinary/authoritative approaches, or over permissive parenting. The other bad parenting approaches include over-protectiveness, over involvement, leading to the damage of decision making and loss of confidence- always needing some dependence or crutches to move ahead.

Effect of changing family structure on parenting:
Joint or a nuclear family structure affects parenting. In a joint family there could be clashes and tensions if the views of parents and grandparents are discordant, then nuclear family appears to be beneficial. Whilst there are no clashes in terms of disciplinary approaches between parents and grandparents then joint family allows the child to have extra nourishing doses of grandparents nurturance.

Teenage parenting and mental health:
Teenage is usually an age of conflict and confusion. The authority figures increase this confusion by telling their teenage children that “You are no longer a kid...” and just changing it after a while that “you are still a kid...”. The best method to avoid this confusion is to reframe the expressions like “You are still growing up and would be able to understand it better when you grow up little older...” or “You are now attaining the confidence like an adult in this ability...”. If these confusions keep on hammering the adolescent the adolescents might be highly disturbed,distressed, under depression with low self esteem may be leading to suicidal thoughts or actions, living in isolation or exactly opposite of it like too impulsive, fun-loving, irresponsible, careless, arrogant and aggressive individuals. All the adolescence mental health is definitely the by product of child rearing practices adopted by parents.

Parenting style and children’s academic performance:
Good parenting styles discussed above lead to the development of a confident child who is a decision maker and would definitely give his best performance according to his or her capacities. Besides that, parents and grandparents have to observe ad understand the child’s academic talents and abilities, child’s interests where the child could give his or her best after nurturing its abilities. Future career must be decided on the basis of these talents.

Dual-earner parents and mental health of children:
The families where both parents are working must either take the shelter of their own parents and parent-in-laws or must send them into crushes for their best development rather than leaving them to be cared by in disciplined maids. Crushes are healthier in terms of wide variety of activities with their peers. It also helps them maintain good social relationships, helps to develop sharing and controlled fun activities in presence of an expert. Also, both working parents try to compensate the lack of time spent with their children with costly gifts or huge amount of pocket money which is against the healthy parenting and inculcating proper values for life and responsibilities along with moral and ethical values.

3Ps: Parents, Peers and Positive life:
Healthy parenting leads to confident and proper selection of peers definitely leading to more positive life.

Affluence as Poverty of Parenting:
Prosperity and wealth when compensated with parenting actually disturbs the disciplined parenting. Let me explain you with a case that never took any responsibilities and needed some kind of financial compensation for whatever he did on the name of his responsibilities. He is still suffering from financial dependence on his near and dear ones in cases of emergency, and even though he earns well is not able to save anything for his family because he never could understand the value of money and the need of the responsibilities.

Positive and negative parental discipline:
As stated above too much of discipline is as harmful as the lack of discipline. Hence, democratic parenting is recommended.

Positive Parenting Skills :
Positive parenting skills includes, care nurturance, security and protection, unconditional positive regard to the individuality of a child, also making the child aware of his rights along with duties, and maintaining lots of patience in answering their queries.

Siblings as Parents:
Elder siblings especially if there is a long gap between them have the healthier, more caring attitude towards the younger child. Similarly, the lesser the gap, the more would be the sibling rivalr amongst the elder kid.

The Single Parent:
The Single Parent is better than having no parents at all. Still, it creates problems for the understanding of the gender for the parent of the missing gender, adding to the stress and pressure to the already over burdened single parent.

Parenting your own parents:
Old aged people many a times need support and help as much as kids need. They need to be protected like young children and needs to be reassured for their confidence. The better you are in taking care or parenting your own parents, the more you would be returned in terms of their grandchildren’s care or your children’s care.


Commitments and benefits of raising grandchildren:
As stated above grandparents are highly benefitted while raising their grandchildren eg: their grandchildren’s innocence and naughtiness might get back the smile on their tired faces and while taking care of their grand children, they could again find meaning in their life after retirement and could get benefitted from mutual love and affection and strong bonding within the families thereby resulting in good support system.

Grand-parenting by example:
Mr X now is a healthy adult who used to be cared by his paternal grandmother while his both parents were at work. Being the eldest sibling under the light of his grandmother’s stories he turned out to be the most nurturing and emotionally bonded within the family with highest regard for his dead grandparents and sufficient care and protection towards his own parents. Also, he is especially nurturant towards his wife and young kids and he is though individualistic rarely gets hurt for male ego even when his equally good in professional status. He has strong moral, ethical, social and religious values as compared to his own siblings and his cousins within the same family. He rarely gets too emotionally disturbed where he could be asking for emotional nurturance from his near and dear ones and is able to deal with the most critically demanding situations of his life.

Meaning in Family Life:
If three generations are bonded together, then the meaning of real nurturance and care for each other within the family is being reflected with a depth of understanding each other and respecting in terms of individuality and adjustment is obviously higher and easy as such roots have been already laid since beginning.
Last but not least, parenting and grand parenting is a need for your kids but it is mutually beneficial in all ways and means. As the saying goes “ as you sow so shall you reap”, so the more you invest emotionally and get bonded with your kids , of course in a balanced-the better returns you would be able to reap at your ripe age.

Url : http://online-brand-management.blogspot.com

Psychology India & West

I would like to concur with the thoughts of these revolutionary professionals who tried to raise this curiosity of Indian psychology. I think our Indian psychology and psychotherapies were far more developed than any of these called highly developed nations. Let us take the example of humanistic psychology, which Abraham Maslow claimed to invent. I would just say that he discovered this kind of theory from our ancient culture and just changed the language and presentation, otherwise the basic philosophy was still the same. Let us see his concept of Needs hierarchy- we knew it very well but terms were different. Let us see his theory of education for T-systems, even then I would say that we always had "Gurukul" system of education where we do not find anything as structured but at the same time a kind of discipline was there and at those days education was fun, where student has got the right to choose the course he was interested in his Guru assessed his aptitude for it and finally had lots of healthy competitions after their "Abhayas" and nobody was forced to read all these subjects with lots of pressure to perform to score in exams. Those days they had quest for knowledge and knowledge was more of practical’s than theoretically based, which gave more value for researchers, rather than muggers, rote learners or scorers in so called "fairly judged exams". Now, these international corporate schools are doing good business with this "activity based learning" and "fun based teaching" concept and deceiving the masses on the name of quality education, but actually it is just a quality money to be received by the school owners for doing nothing and giving the same activity to each of their student without finding out their interests and aptitude for it and finally, these activities are given at home to complete by the parents and finally each student is graded according to the performance of their parents.

Same is true for psychotherapy. I think western psychologist are rediscovering those therapies in which Indians have already acheived great heights, whether it is kind of psychoanalyses-where lots of "Rishis and Munis" in India were expert in such analyses and they did not spend so much of sessions like psychoanalyses describes - they also interpreted your dreams etc. Moreover, they suggested you to go for different kinds of sports and activities when you were in "Vishada" they recommended different kind off yogic activities along with the development of hobbies and keeping yourself busy in something interesting like todays activity scheduling to make the day more productive and also the motivation for the achievement. Also, for proper sleep they prescribed home made remedies like "milk' and "curd" which we all know that it has antidepressant qualities having serotonin into it. So, if we have modern sciences today and I am not against it at any moment even though it may appear from my views above as I am open to all views and when we try to close our views to some kind of restrictions with our dogmatic biases.

Hence, I would request everyone to be open to all kinds of views , sciences and research and look it as beautiful as science and not reducing it to ancient Indian research like most of the western professional are saying it and many Indian Professionals are believing that Indian science could be discarded. Actually, nothing could be discarded but every discipline could be enhanced. And this we could do only if we are open to all kind of views. Being, open to every new kind of research and being flexible to any kind of ideas would help us grow, otherwise what would be the difference between us and them who had already closed doors to Indian Psychology just because they had lot of complexes as their psychology is really in evolution and probably they find it difficult to admit this fact.

Of course, we had now psychology as different subject, discipline and profession as per the western rules and standards and so we could thank the west at the same time to provide insight or "Vipassana" into the issue more seriously.

Good Luck and enjoy your work and other activities and do not close the doors of your mind to any new ideas or thoughts but of course, you need to close the doors of your house before you sleep to have a sound sleep without any fear of inviting thieves etc. to your house. And you know this is the beauty of human mind that nobody can steal it even if you leave it open for the whole night as you dream something whole night and maybe next day your dreams are true! So be open and positive about every piece of idea and knowledge which helps you to grow….

With best wishes in your new pursuits without disregarding the older ones and having sweet dreams of self actualization and taking responsibilities which our Indian Philosophers said as “Aham Brahmasmi” so you are the divine power to grow and let others grow. Just do not block your mental channels!


A lots of applause to you for appealing a real cause for psychology. Why to bring east or west or reduce to Indian or British or American Psychology when psychology itself believes in lots of humanity, individuality and freedom of expression of your feelings and thoughts in a socially acceptable , yet in a very subjective and highly individualistic manner without any kind of forceful decisions or biases. I am proud to be an Indian and never would go against our own roots of psychology laid be several "rishis" or "munis" who were highly philosophical and even have science as described in "Charak Samhita" with home based remedies too but today we cannot compare them with several self styled Godman who misleads the masses for their own selfish motives and call themselves "a great human " and worshipped as "the messengers of God" even in the highly educated groups. I think if we become as dogmatic as western scholars are to reject as "western conspiracy" then we would never be able to grow and have further researches. As we all know that our Indian psychology - a more of philosophy was highly developed than many of the western theories but today we have come a long way from just theories and philosophies , now it is just not a subjective thought which you may call theory or philosophy it has evolved as a science with structured and standars definitions and the philosophy or theory is just a "hypothesis" which demands certain kinds of rules and regulations to follow with international standards following some statistical norms and this would then be no longer a regional psychology- then it would be a real psychology and now more of a scientific expression of thoughts in more individualized and artistic way.

So open up the locks of your mind-absorb whatever you feel is suitable-whether Indian or western and go for the cause of psychology as a discipline rather than just limiting it to Indian or western psychology for psychology as a discipline knows no geographical boundaries, or cultural limitations or language barriers. It is a discipline free of just these limitations and that is where its beauty lie.

And if you really believe in Indian Philosophy, culture and traditions then how could you forget the word “Vasudheiv Kutumbukam”- the whole earth is your home- and remember Wayne W Dyer’s message that “Sky is the limit”

Just see it as a beautiful discipline of “science based on your art of expression of your mind…and not restrict it to region but set it free…for the masses…for the cause of humanity…for the growth of the human society by and large…”

Let us join hands for the cause of humanity ….Have a vision and insight (Vipassana called in ancient India), test it through the rules and regulations of science (and not through region or religion), and fly like a free bird in the air where sky is the limit.

Url : http://onlineconsultancy.blogspot.com

Insomnia Causes Treatment Counseling Psychotherapy & Parenting Tips by - Psychologist Delhi India

Lata was not able to sleep at night. She took around two hours lying in the bed before sleeping. Even if she slept at her bedtime she would wake up by 2:00 a.m in the morning. Lata also could not manage to fall asleep if her scheduled time for sleep crossed and she almost stayed awake all through the night. This resulted in lot of daytime fatigue and her functioning got impaired.

WHAT IS INSOMNIA?

Like many others Lata is suffering from Insomnia. Insomnia is a condition in which there is the problem in initiation, and maintenance of sleep. Also, the duration of sleep may be reduced or the quality of sleep is hampered such that one has a disturbed sleep. Other consequences include the disturbances of mood, fatigue, problems in interpersonal relationships, occupational difficulties and reduced quality of life.

TYPES OF INSOMNIA

Transient insomnia occurs for less than a week, short term insomnia lasts for about one to four weeks and Chronic insomnia lasts for about a month.

Chronic insomnia occurs in about 10 -15% of the population. It occurs more frequently in women, people with old age and patients with chronic mental and psychological disorders.

CAUSES OF INSOMNIA:

Insomnia is primary or secondary. Primary insomnia is the one which might have been from childhood and may be due to heightened arousal during sleep. Sometimes the insomnia is paradoxical because there is a misperception of the state of sleep, such that the findings suggest that the person is sleeping but the person feels that he/she was not

Secondary insomnia occurs when there are psychosocial stressors causing adjustment problems, with inadequate sleep hygiene, or due to psychiatric disorders (depression, anxiety etc.) or due to medical problems or due to drug or substance abuse.

PSYCHOLOGICAL TREATMENT:

The technique to treat insomnia without medication includes a group of Cognitive Behavioral Techniques. These are described below:

1. STIMULUS CONTROL THERAPY:

It assumes that insomnia is a maladaptive response to factors such as bedtime and bedroom environment. It includes the following points:

· Go to bed only when you are sleepy

· Use the bedroom only for sleep and sex.

· Go to another room when unable to sleep for 15-20 minutes.

· Then read or engage yourself in quiet activities and return to bed only when you are sleepy. Repeat the process if required.

· Have the regular wake time regardless of the duration of sleep.

· Avoid daytime napping.

2. SLEEP RESTRICTION THERAPY:

It assumes people can improve their sleep by temporary sleep deprivation through voluntarily reducing their time in bed.

· Reduce time in bed to estimated total sleep (minimum by 5 hours).

· Increase time in bed by 15 minutes every week, when estimated sleep efficiency (the ratio of time in bed) is at least 90%.

3. RELAXATION THERAPIES:

It is based on the hypothesis that insomnia is associated with hyper arousal.

· It involves progressive muscular relaxation and biofeedback.

· It also involves mental imagery, meditation and hypnosis.

4. COGNITIVE THERAPIES:

It deals with the cognitive component of the therapy such that it involves educating the client about the sleep needs, the correction of unrealistic expectations and a discussion of anxiety and catastrophic thinking e.g. exaggerating oneself the poor consequences of sleep.

· Education to change the attitudes and belief about sleep

· Education to remove the catastrophic thinking

· Education to eliminate unrealistic expectations

· Changing the thinking style such that the person tries to get rid of mental worries.

5. SLEEP HYGIENE:

It addressees the extrinsic factors like the noise in the room where one sleeps or the intake of caffeine etc.

· Correct the environmental disruptions such as noise or snoring partner.

· Keep the bedroom temperature comfortable

· Remove the bedside clock

· Do not use Alcohol, nicotine or caffeine few hours 4-6 hours before the bedtime

· Avoid the spicy, heavy or sugary food before the bedtime

· Do some exercises but not before 2 hours of going to sleep

With the above techniques, about 50% of patients show improvement.

Url : http://india-advertising.blogspot.com