If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, you’re not alone. According to sleepfoundation.org adults need seven or more hours of sleep per night. However more than one-third of adults sleep less than seven hours per night on average, and up to two-thirds of adults occasionally experience insomnia symptoms.

We know that sleep is critical not just for our physical health, but our mental and emotional wellbeing too. If you're sleep deficient, you may have trouble making decisions, solving problems, controlling your emotions and behavior, or coping with stressful situations and change.

Dr Kat Lederle is a sleep and body clock scientist, author, and sleep coach, who is passionate about helping others sleep well and feel good. Dr Kat sees sleep as an act of self-care, and in her work with clients combines sleep science, with learnings from Mindfulness, Acceptance Commitment Therapy and Compassion Focused Therapy.

Dr Kat talks to host Gabby about how a busy mind is the cause of many sleep problems, and why there is a 40-70% higher prevalence of insomnia in women compared to men. Dr Kat addresses some of the sleep myths and explains why we need to let go of ‘sleep rules’, leading to sleeping well again. Plus, Dr Kat shares her thoughts on how we might overcome bedtime procrastination, and some of the reasons why she believes many do not prioritize sleep enough.

Dr Kat also explains how we can work with our body clock in a gentle and compassionate way, thereby setting ourselves up for a better night's sleep.

To find out more about Dr Kat and her sleep coaching methods: https://drkatsleep.com/ Check out Dr Kat’s book ‘Sleep Sense’ which takes the reader through the science of sleep and why it is important for every single one of us, empowering you to take steps that are right for you to sleep well.

To follow Dr Kat on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkatsleep/ To download the My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast To follow My Possible Self on Instagram: @mypossibleself

To mark this year's Mental Health Awareness Week theme, ‘Movement: Moving more for our mental health’, The Happier Life project went back into the archives to repurpose an interview host Gabby did with mental health and exercise coach Dan Hancock. Dan, who goes by ‘The Mental Health PT’ online, passionately believes in doing what works for you and you enjoy; is the key to a healthy, long lasting relationship with exercise.

There are many reasons why physical activity is good for your body, but what often gets overlooked is the vast ways it can improve our mental and emotional health too. Participation in regular physical activity can increase our self-esteem, improve our mood and reduce stress and anxiety. It also can play a pivotal role in preventing the development of mental health problems, and in improving the quality of life of people experiencing mental health challenges.

So why do so many of us struggle to move more? In this episode of The Happier Life project, Dan and Gabby talk about getting over the hurdle of gym intimidation, why aggressive fitness plans, or ‘quick fixes’ are not the answer, what to do when we lack motivation, and working with what works for you.

Dan also talks about the numerous ways exercise plays a vital role in our mental health and how this inspired him to create the world’s first certification in Mental Health and Exercise Coaching. This episode will serve as a great motivator for both those who are wanting to move more and those already on their fitness journey.

For more on Dan’s Mental Health Exercising Coaching program: https://mymhec.com/ To follow Dan on Instagram: @mentalhealthpt To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast To follow My Possible Self on Instagram: @mypossibleself To watch the video of this interview head to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@mypossibleself1756

Note, The My Possible Self App is free to download and access all of its content. We have a variety exercise and movement videos created with your mental health in mind which you can find in the nutrition and exercise tab. Try yoga, pilates, strength, cardio... plus we even have a foundation for fitness program, for those at the start of your movement journey.

Have you ever felt detached from your own life? Disconnected from yourself? Like you were an outsider looking in at your own existence? Going through the motions, emotionally numb, emotionally disconnected from people you care about? Or maybe you've looked at your environment and everything appears foggy? You feel unable to see your surroundings accurately, they lack vividness and coloring? Things don't seem real? Does this get in the way of your relationships and work? Or disrupt other daily activities?

Temporary feelings of depersonalization and derealization are common. About one half of people have felt detached from themselves (depersonalization) or from their surroundings (derealization) at one time or another. But if this is happening more frequently, or becomes a common occurrence; then you may be suffering from depersonalization-derealization disorder.

Depersonalization-derealization disorder (DP/DR) is a mental health condition where you feel disconnected from your body, your feelings and your environment. It tends to come and go over a long period of time, causing much distress and anxiety.

Depersonalization-derealization disorder is thought to be caused by trauma or extreme stress. Adverse early childhood experiences, specifically emotional abuse and neglect, have been linked to the development of depersonalization symptoms. Feelings of depersonalization and derealization are common from significant stress or panic attacks. Individuals may remain in a depersonalized state for the duration of a typical panic attack. However, in some cases, the dissociated state may last for hours, days, weeks, or even months at a time. In rare cases, symptoms of a single episode can last for years.

Swamy G is a counselor who regularly writes about depersonalization (DP) and derealization (DR) at https://acoachcalledlife.com/ Having personally gone through the challenges of DP/DR and overcoming them, he created a comprehensive online program to help others fully recover from DP/DR. In this conversation, you’ll learn how the disorder is more common than you might think, and how and why many of us can struggle from depersonalization and derealization during our life. You’ll also learn all about the symptoms and stress factors, what to do if someone you care about might be suffering from, and how, with time and tools, we can recover.

To work with Swamy G and/or learn more about depersonalization (DP) and derealization (DR): acoachcalledlife.com

To access Swamy’s comprehensive online DP/DR program: DPDR No More

To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast

To follow My Possible Self on Instagram: @mypossibleself