EEG biofeedback therapy instead of medication to counter insomnia

The ability to finally enjoy a good night's sleep is something that can be learned. An Austrian Science Fund FWF project has investigated how this can best be learned and who responds best to such "brain training".

Dark circles around the eyes, tired limbs, absent-mindedness – most people have experienced the effects on the body of a short night. "Roughly one-third of the Austrian population as a whole suffers from recurrent insomnia", says Manuel Schabus from the University of Salzburg. For years now, the psychologist has been studying a diverse range of states of consciousness. In a project funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, Schabus and his team have now studied how the state of mind of people with sleep disorders can be improved without administering medication.

Training vs. chemistry

"People who suffer from sleeplessness, also known as insomnia, are often in a state of 'hyperarousal'. Resorting to tablets seems to be the obvious solution", explains the researcher. However, medication-based treatments are usually for short-term use only and confine themselves to fighting this state of arousal, resulting in undesirable side effects including dependence, morningness, drowsiness or amnesia. "Medication often just reduces nocturnal brain activities and thus also helpful functions such as 'memory consolidation', which is the nocturnal stabilisation of information so that recall is easier the next day", says Manuel Schabus. The neurofeedback training deployed within the framework of the FWF project, a type of biofeedback training for the brain, guides the affected persons into sleep. So-called "sleep spindles" are used in this process. These are patterns identified in EEG measurements which are characterised by "spindle-like" rapid rising and falling brain oscillations, and which occur especially during light sleep.

Crucial rhythm

The preliminary studies carried out for the FWF project showed the positive effects of neurofeedback training on healthy people. This method has therefore now been tested in a pilot study on patients aged between 19 and 50 who suffer from sleep disorders. "The brain oscillations are trained during waking to a frequency range of between 12 and 15 hertz, known as the sensorimotor rhythm. This frequency range is also prominent in light sleep and manifests itself as sleep spindles, particularly when a person is falling asleep", explains Schabus. The patients were able to observe and learn to control their own sensorimotor rhythm (measured using EEG electrodes) on the computer screen. They were tasked with moving a compass needle on the screen to a green dot using only the power of mental relaxation. They received positive visual feedback each time they reached this dot, i.e. to increase the band power between 12 and 15 hertz.

"Using the training, we managed to strengthen the sensorimotor rhythm in a waking state and the sleep spindles in 16 out of 24 patients with mild insomnia. Those who responded well to the training reported an improvement in the quality of their sleep. This was ascertained by self-monitoring methods like sleep diaries and importantly also verified in our sleep laboratory", says Schabus, outlining the process. Each of the participants visited the sleep laboratory a total of 21 times, which meant that the effects could be studied in great detail. The researchers were also able to establish positive effects on memory consolidation when word pairs were retested after sleep following earlier learning. Interestingly, the subjective sleep quality among patients who successfully completed this type of biofeedback training also showed improvement, but so did people in a pure placebo condition. In general, the researcher cautions against generalising the results: in an even more extensive follow-up protocol, people with more persistent or more pronounced insomnia did not respond to the brainwave training, nor did they exhibit any positive changes in sleep or memory.

Hippocampus fitness

"When you consider the amount of information encountered by the brain, especially the hippocampus, on a daily basis, and how sensitively it responds to stress, it is important to be mindful of treating our thinking-organ with care. Systematic training and sufficient 'sleep hygiene' not only promote well-being but also protect newly learned information from disruptive influences", says Schabus. The studies conducted as part of the FWF project play an important role in encouraging trainingof this vital human faculty and act as a reminder to adopt a more conscious approach to sleep.

More information: Schabus et.al: "Enhancing sleep quality and memory in insomnia using instrumental sensorimotor rhythm conditioning." Biological Psychology 95 (2014) 126 –134. 
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23548378

Provided by Austrian Science Fund (FWF)

Source:

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-04-brain-medication-counter-insomnia.html

马来西亚失眠治疗-催眠疗法与营养治疗相结合

在Newmindcentre,
我们将催眠治疗与营养治疗相结合，有效克服失眠问题

引起失眠的原因有很多，多数是由心理因素引起。因此，催眠治疗失眠可以取得良好的效果。专家表示，长期失眠的人，其内心的痛苦是常人难以体会的，必须尽快采取有效措施进行治疗。专家指出，在临床催眠师语言的诱导下，能使患者达到全身乃至心灵深处的放松。临床催眠师的循循诱导，能使患者摆脱所有影响睡眠的症结；再通过一针见血的语言指令，使一切造成压力、紧张、不安、挫折的因素得以宣泄，深层的病因被临床催眠师消除，从而能使患者体验到心身放松的快感和愉悦。 失眠者只要经常体验这种松弛状态，那么恢复正常的睡眠功能那是指日可待的事情了。由此可见，催眠治疗失眠可谓是除药物治疗以外一种最有效的治疗方法，而且绝对是绿色无污染的。

基于营养的临床催眠治疗或心理治疗，能补充身体所需的营养成分和消除对身体有害的食物成分，从而达到身体最佳分子结构、身体健康、心理功能良好的一种疗法。
它的理论基础是人体缺少某些营养成分，可导致一系列心理症状，如镁缺乏症可引起不恰当的运动、定向困难和幻觉等。當血液中的血清素濃度太低時，即會感到心情低落、憂鬱。 
对心理障碍和身体障碍病人的检查发现，这些人往往有某种营养成分的缺乏。
斯可卜(ScoPp，A.L.)发现90%的心理咨询病人营养达不到标准水平。另一方面，有些食物则可造成心理功能紊乱，如某些食物可引起变态反应，使儿童学习困难。
芬固(Feingold)等人在食物中清除添加剂、储存剂、糖等后，改善了多动症和学习困难儿童的症状。
营养成分的缺少，可通过计算机饮食调查、头发重金属检车分析、生物反馈Biofeedback等科技测查等方法调查了解个人身心状态和营养缺失报告。
针对性地补充营养或避免不合适食物，对慢性抑郁症、焦虑、多动、学习无能和精神病有一定效果，营养疗法若与催眠疗法结合，可提高失眠或其他心理保健之疗效。 





我们有两个“大脑”？
肠道是最原始的第一大脑，只有通过更加高效的营养供应我们才能建立起第二大脑，这样我们才能找到更好的食物。心理和肠道关系密切。我们的肚子非常敏感，它能感知。我想，每个人都或多或少注意到了：悲伤的时候有人会吃很多东西，有人会吃不下东西；压力大的时候有的人会打嗝，有的会腹泻或便秘。很多时候，悲观情绪或注意力障碍也是消化系统出了问题的信号。
一直以来，情绪的研究都离不开大脑神经系统。现在，越来越多的研究表明，病原微生物能够影响宿主的大脑和行为, 甚至诱发精神疾患。肠道细菌能影响小鼠的大脑神经系统发育和行为模式的发展。肠道微生物还与高血压、高血脂、慢性疲劳综合征、肥胖等慢性炎症状态有关，甚至与孤独症和抑郁症等精神疾病有关。

腸道健康與大腦息息相關 
美國哥倫比亞大學解剖細胞生物學教授，也是醫學博士Michael D. Gershon提出「第二大腦」的學說，也就是， 每個人都有兩個大腦，一個位於頭部；一個藏在人體肚子裡的腸道，又稱為「腹腦」。 腸子在結構與神經化學層面上，與大腦息息相關，「頭腦」與「腹腦」兩者必須合作，否則肚子亂糟糟、腦袋慘兮兮。 

腸子分泌重要的荷爾蒙— 血清素 ，在腸道會促進腸道蠕動，也作用在大腦，是大腦的幸福分子，與情緒平衡有關。當血液中的血清素濃度太低時，即會感到心情低落、憂鬱。 

您是否曾發現，如果一早順利排便，肚子輕鬆了，心情相對也會開心、不焦慮。腹腦和大腦相互聯繫，一個出毛病，另一個也受影響，所以保養我們的第二個大腦很重要。就健康的角度來說，我個人建議一天至少一次排便。 

肠道内布满了神经元，数量几乎和头脑一样多 肠道被称为我们人体的“第二大脑”，研究表明，胃肠存在着一些内分泌细胞，其分泌的物质具有类似大脑内分泌素，可调节胃肠神经，乃至全身神经系统的功能。此外，肚子里有一个非常复杂的神经网络。它拥有大约1000亿个神经细胞，比骨髓里的细胞还多。

研究表明，慢性胃肠疾病一般与细菌感染有关，而细菌的毒素对人体恶性刺激也有可能影响大脑和神经系统的调节功能，从而引起或加 重失眠。值得一提的是， 医学心理学列出了38种身心疾病，其中属于胃肠疾病的如：贲门痉挛、十二指肠溃疡、胃溃疡、过敏性结肠炎、痉挛性结肠炎、溃疡性结肠炎、呕吐等11种之 多，占了1/4多。可以看出失眠与胃肠疾病具有共同的身心障碍基础。

胃神经症与人的精神状态有关，它常以精神过度紧张或精神创伤为发病基础，症状复杂，有反酸、嗳气、厌 食、烧心、恶心、呕吐、食后饱胀感、上腹部不适感及疼痛等症状。腹疼程度不一，无节律性与周期性，精神紧张时则疼痛出现或加剧，精神愉快则消失。疼痛也可 因适当的暗示而缓解。此外，病人多有头晕、头疼、失 眠、心悸、胸闷、注意力不集中、记忆力减退、阵发性面部潮红及手掌多汗等全身症状。

失眠，不可乱用安眠药

对于顽固性失眠症患者，适当给予镇静安眠药以改善失眠状况是可以的，但要特别注意避免由此引发成瘾依赖行为，安眠药常常有时间滞后的抑制作用，会导致白天嗜睡、乏力、精神萎靡而容易发生意外跌倒等不良后果，甚至有的老人发生进食、饮水时的呛咳和窒息，更为严重的是，患有睡眠性呼吸暂停症者约占老年人群的1/4，而安眠药可延长呼吸暂停的时间，以致发生猝死。

肠道菌群失衡与失眠
益生菌能产生一种γ-氨基丁酸的代谢产物，这种代谢产物是一种非蛋白质组成的天然氨基酸，人体大脑系统最安全的镇定剂，有抑制性神经传递，抗精神不安、抑制中枢神经系统兴奋、减低血压的作用，因此具有安眠、抗焦虑抗抑郁的作用。
同时，益生菌通过减弱神经系统的敏感度来改善睡眠，当有炎症发生而影响睡眠的时候，益生菌增强调节T细胞的功能，减弱发炎部位向神经系统传递的信号。






资料来源：
http://www.vchale.com/bjbhwwz/20 ... 74a0d15222962d.html
http://blog.sciencenet.cn/blog-40692-766416.html
http://www.superpb.com/yineng/188.html
http://www.chinajs120.com/smz/yfzl/2014/0926/23608.html

ntv7《活力早晨》民生关注问题之如何预防电话催眠

新闻事件内容：

(吉隆坡2015年3月25日讯）

最新电话骗案手法，老千隔空施催眠术，让你不经意透露银行户头资料？！

　手机通讯应用程序最近流传一则来历不明的讯息，内容警告手机用户，指一旦接获背景有奇怪音乐的电话，便应该马上盖电话，否则将成为“电话催眠术”的受害者。

　讯息内容提及，对方一般会尝试拖延时间，而接听者在听到奇怪的背景声音后便陷入迷糊状态，疑似已被催眠。

　接著，便会不经意透露银行户头资料，让不法之徒有机可趁。

　讯息指案件是于上周五（20日）早上，在吉隆坡苏丹阿兹兰沙路（前是怡保路）发生，并指受害者是一名华裔女生，幸她被催眠时，身旁友人感觉有异大声呼喝把她惊醒，并马上中止所有银行户头交易及信用卡，以致没有损失。

　讯息指，至今为止警方已接获10宗类似投报。她说，不料对方却大声呼喝她，惊吓之下，她挂断电话。

　“我朋友清醒后即刻前往临近银行马上取消所有转账、个人银行户头及信用卡，银行服务员获悉受害者遭遇后，也告知她这是银行接获的第3宗类似案件。”

　冼都警区主任慕鲁沙米助理总监受询时指并未接获相关投报。

资料来源：http://cnews.cari.com.my/news.php?id=727639

最近许多人成为电话催眠的受害者。感谢媒体对社会时事的关注，让我可以以临床催眠师的身份在ntv7《活力早晨》节目上教导民众如何对抗罪犯。实际上，临床催眠是非常科学有效的身心治疗方法，属于心理与医学结合的辅助医学技术。在临床上对自律神经失调如失眠和肠胃问题，改变坏习惯如催眠瘦身或戒烟，疼痛管理如生产或手术过程，情绪问题如抑郁或焦虑等都有非常显著的治疗效果。

以下是我今早ntv7电视台教导的预防罪犯催眠的方法简述：

• 受害者被电话催眠后，将陷入恍惚状态Alpha-Theta脑电波状态，逻辑思考能力受限；很容易做出不理智的决定。当你发现对方说的话毫无疑点但同时却觉得困惑不已，或许你几经成为了受害者。（可以透过脑电波反馈疗法EEG biofeedback训练你的逻辑思考，专注力甚至让你变得不容易被影响和催眠）。
• 当你发现自己变得特别的乖和听话，那或许就是一个被控制的迹象了。
• 当你发现自己的情绪反应强烈时，你或许已经进入了失控状态。
• 勇敢的说“不”，跳出恍惚状态，让自己恢复理智。
• 有的人无法轻易跳出恍惚状态，可以考虑学习自我催眠或者脑电波反馈疗法来帮助自己加强抵御力或增强逻辑思考能力。
• 催眠是无法控制别人的行为的，因为如果你不愿意合作，没有人可以催眠你的。催眠的功效实际上就是合作与配合度来决定的。只要你不合作，没有人可以催眠你的。

事实上，当你收看这节目或阅读此文章时，你的大脑潜意识就如已经植入了我（临床催眠师的角色就如软件工程师般)给你的初级版防毒程式anti-virus。那么电话催眠罪犯(他们就如hacker般的角色)的病毒virus就比较难对你的潜意识产生影响了（记得勇于说NO! 跳出催眠状态）。如果你想要找寻临床催眠做疗法，建议找有向MSCH或AHPM注册的催眠师。再次特别感谢电视台的化妆师，主持人和工作人员的专业服务与制作。

If scammer is trying to hypnotize you without knowledge, what can you do exactly to not get hypnotized?

Hypnosis is natural, we are all in and out of trance every day. The hypnotic state is a very natural state of physical relaxation and heightened mental awareness whereby an action is felt to "just happen" automatically without conscious effort. For example, when you are driving, you often slip into a trance state where the conscious and unconscious minds appear to concentrate on different things (conscious mind focus and think about the task later on & your unconscious mind is focusing on driving the car). 

Your unconscious mind (hypnotic trance state) just like the part of you which looks out for you. Your action is felt to "just happen" automatically without conscious effort when unconscious mind(hypnotic trance state) is in charge. 
Most of the time it does a good job but sometimes it makes mistakes. For example: Bad habit, eating pattern, phobia, headache, migraine, irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, light sleeper, anxiety and more. Your hypnotic trance can give rise to problems or solutions, depending on the value of the context.
Thus, clinical hypnotherapist is just like a "software engineer" to help you reprogramming, re-education or re-training your unconscious mind. Then gives your subconscious mind the "anti-virus"software that it needs, to stop it from makes mistakes again. Hypnotherapy are at their best when they are collaborative. So if you don't want to be hypnotized, then you can't be hypnotized. In Malaysia, make sure the hypnotherapist belongs to one of the major governing bodies such as - The Association of Hypnotherapy Practitioners, Malaysia (AHPM) which is regulated under the FCNMAM. Yes, AHPM members must adhere to AHPM's ethical, professional and evidence-based practice guidelines.


Scammers are like a hacker. They understand how our unconscious mind (hypnotic trance state) works. They identify possible exploits and hack into your unconscious mind (hypnotic trance state) and put"virus" into your system either through security 'holes' and then you might make mistakes. They can find exploits by using specific technique. Some victims are easier to go into hypnotic trance state than others. Thus, those people "system" are easily hacked. Stop collaborative when you receive their call so you can't be hypnotized. 



However, there are many ways to improve your system, so you won't be hacked easily:
EEG biofeedback/neurotherapy:
Hypnotherapy works with people who are highly suggestible. Highly suggestible people tend to have certain brainwave profiles. They usually have Alphas and Thetas which can be increased easily. These brainwaves are associated with relaxation and dreaminess. That’s why hypnotherapist always ask you to relax, focus and calm down. In some people, these brain waves can increase easily, making them more vulnerable to go into hypnotic trance state. An experienced hypnotherapist (just like software engineer) or scammers(Hacker) can detect it. The good news is that EEG biofeedback therapy can train you to control your brainwaves at will. With this training, you can protect yourself from people who try to exploit your unconscious mind (hypnotic trance state).

Hypnotherapy:
Clinical hypnotherapist is just like a "software engineer" to help you reprogramming, re-education or re-training your unconscious mind. Then gives your subconscious mind the "anti-virus" software that it needs, to stop it from makes mistakes again. Yes, if you set your mind against being hypnotized, you can't be hypnotized. However, if you don't realize you're being hypnotized, and so don't know to be resistant, you can sometimes be hypnotized lightly. Thus, experienced clinical hypnotherapist able to identify or guide you to prevent being hypnotized by giving your subconscious mind the "anti-virus"software (hypnotic suggestion). Scientists have found evidence that hypnotic suggestion can modify processing of a targeted stimulus before it reaches consciousness (Suomen Akatemia, 2013). This result indicates that all hypnotic responding can no longer be regarded merely as goal directed mental imagery. It shows that in hypnosis, hypnotic suggestion is possible to create a engrams. Engrams are means by which memory traces are stored as biophysical or biochemical changes in the brain (and other neural tissue) in response to external stimuli.






Source:
Suomen Akatemia (Academy of Finland). (2013, August 13). A hypnotic suggestion can generate true and automatic hallucinations. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 10, 2015 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130813101014.htm.