Mental Health and Wellbeing

Whether you are a beginner at yoga or may have been doing yoga practice for a while, these simple guidelines by Divyayog can help you gain more benefit from your yoga practice. As shared with Savita Narayan. Yoga is a complete mind-and-body discipline that has been practised in India for centuries. Over time a huge body of work has developed on the theory behind its practice. As with any much-studied science, the masters have enumerated certain methods for the yoga practitioner to follow in…

You don't have to be ashamed, afraid, cynical. You might be extremely intelligent, extremely self-aware and you might think no counsellor can help you. I did. I was wrong. In the summer of 2012, I was diagnosed with one mental illness. I remember the diagnosis making me laugh. Such an inappropriate reaction, I thought to myself even as I laughed and I couldn't understand it. But apparently, that's how most of us react to news we don't understand. Since forever, I'd been told I was mature far…

Crushing tiredness that doesn’t diminish with rest, CFS can wreck lives. It’s also hard to diagnose, so patients may be seen as hypochondriacs. By Dr Shital Raval.  Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a complex disorder characterised by extreme fatigue that is unexplained by any underlying medical condition. The fatigue does not improve with rest and tends to worsen with physical activity or mental exertion.  CFS affects more women than men and is seen mostly between the…

You've heard that using screens before bedtime can mess with your sleep, but new research suggests the problem is even more serious and can make you feel like a zombie the next day. The findings could impact anyone who uses an eReader, laptop, smartphone, or certain TVs before bed. "We know from previous work that light from screens in the evening alters sleepiness and alertness, and suppresses melatonin levels," Dr. Anne-Marie Chang, an associate neuroscientist in BWH’s Division of Sleep and…

An “alarming” number of pre-school children are being prescribed drugs to treat hyperactivity – contrary to medical guidelines that say they should not be used on children under six – because overstretched health workers go straight to medication rather than offering psychological interventions. More than a fifth of educational psychologists say they know of preschool children who are being given medication such as Ritalin even though the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (…

Treatment The doctor may recommend some of the following: Lifestyle changes can help relieve acute (short-term) insomnia. These changes might make it easier to fall asleep and stay sleep. 1. Adopting new habits to help you sleep, for instance: Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, and cool. Noise, light, and heat can interfere with sleep.  Stick to a regular sleep schedule. Support your biological clock by going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, including…

Scientists to launch £5m study that explores links between immune disorders and mental illness – and could lead to new treatments “Yet they became depressed as soon as they were given interferon and it triggered inflammation. This suggests strongly that the immune system talks to the brain in some way and that inflammation in the body can cause depression. It is possible that the reverse is true and that the brain somehow affects the immune system but that link requires further research.” …

Death stared at me up close this year, says cancer survivor Minakshi Ray. What did that teach her about life? As I sit back and take stock of how 2014 treated me, I would say, it was a mixed bag. There have been losses and gains. I don't mean material losses or gains, rather I will remember the year in terms of the emotional journey. Following my battle of survival against breast cancer, my perspective on life has changed completely. The biggest realisation that has dawned…

Kam Gillar, Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist, helps you cope with easy strategies. Plus, how to stop the negative chatter in your head. Feeling low, worried, negative? The following strategies will help you cope better and put the spring back in your step.  1. Take time-out Practice slow, relaxed breathing, listen to music, meditate, get a massage, or learn relaxation techniques. Stepping back from the problem helps to calm your mind. Start to form a habit of…

Registered Dietitian & Diabetes Educator Ujjwala Baxi offers stress-relieving diet tips We’ve all done it. Reached for the box of chocolates, or tub of ice cream or drink or cigarette when feeling stress. You put a calorie-dense food into your mouth. The result: It shuts off the brain from feeling the negative effects of the stress and you are disconnected from worry temporarily. Isn't it a nice feeling to forget your worries while you are busy spooning ice cream…