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Kelle Bryan reveals she has been diagnosed with dyslexia

Kelle Bryan has revealed she was diagnosed with dyslexia after detailing her struggles with school during childhood.

The actress, 47, discussed her diagnosis on Wednesday's Loose Women, saying she was inspired to get tested for dyslexia by fellow panellist Penny Lancaster, who is also dyslexic.

Kelle said: 'It was Penny that inspired me [to get the test]. I thought, "I'm going to stop putting this off." My son was diagnosed... I felt like I was [dyslexic]. I got my diagnosis and I am dyslexic.'

 

Provided by Daily MailCandid: Kelle Bryan has revealed she was diagnosed with dyslexia after detailing her struggles with school during childhood

She added: 'It's frustrating that I had such a difficult time as a child. I was almost labelled… by family members, "Oh, she's the thick one". By teachers, the term that was used was "dunce" - She's stupid. She's thick, she's never going to make it in life.'

'If they'd known I was dyslexic, the support could have been put in place. It was so hard - one being the only black child, but being the only black child to not keep up.

'It's a difficult thing. As a child, it changes your whole academic life… the whole experience would have been different [had I been diagnosed].'

Penny was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 46, saying: 'During my school period, I was always labelled as "Penny gets easily distracted, she can't focus…"'

 

 Provided by Daily MailPals: The actress, 47, discussed her diagnosis on Wednesday's Loose Women, saying she was inspired to get tested for dyslexia by fellow panellist Penny Lancaster, who is also dyslexic

She added: 'Now I've been diagnosed, I recognise that's why I'm great at doing this and that. Instead of relying on the written word, you might not be able to read that word very well, but you can read the room and you can read people.

'Instead of listening to the word, you're listening to how they say the word and what they mean by that word. It's looking outside of the box, the bigger picture and that's a great skill set to have.'

It comes after Kelle announced her departure from Hollyoaks after four years playing Martine Deveraux.

The former Eternal singer broke the shock news on Friday's Loose Women, with her final scene set to air on the soap that evening.

 

Provided by Daily MailKelle said: 'It's frustrating that I had such a difficult time as a child. I was almost labelled… by family members,

Telling her fellow Loose Women Jane Moore, Sunetra Sarker and Kaye Adams, Kelle said: 'This is a secret I've been keeping for so long, so actually saying it out loud feels really weird.

'Tonight on Hollyoaks will be my very last scene. I'm departing the show after four years of playing the same character. I'm off! 

'Tonight the Hollyoaks fans will be able to see what happens to Martine and all of the dynamics between myself and Richard Blackwood, who plays my husband.

'I used to carry a bit in there just to have that sense of discomfort. So taking that out, changing the hair… she's been part of me for such a long time, it's going to be odd putting her down.'

Loose Women airs weekdays at 12:30pm on ITV. 

 

 Provided by Daily MailRole: It comes after Kelle announced her departure from Hollyoaks after four years playing Martine Deveraux  

Reference: Sean O'grady For Mailonline

Sleep anxiety: 13 tips to deal with 'the fear' at bedtime

Ever been plagued by an inability to drift off, leaving you spending days in an under-slept haze? If so, know that you are far from alone. According to the NHS, a third of British people will have episodes of insomnia at some point in their lives. One inevitable byproduct of this is a glut of sleep anxiety in the population.

 Westend61 - Getty Images Sleep anxiety is becoming more common — here's what to do if you have trouble dropping off, plus a first-person account of what it's like.

‘Over 20 million people in the UK have problems with sleep,’ says Dr Graham Law of Leeds School of Medicine, founder of the Sleep Research @ Leeds initiative. ‘Lack of sleep is obviously a source of frustration and stress, which affects our work, relationships, health and mental wellbeing.’

Not only that, but ‘there is growing evidence it causes serious chronic diseases, too’.

What is sleep anxiety?

But what is sleep anxiety? Most of us are all too familiar with the anxious feelings, but in relation to our night's rest it's less well-known. Also known as somniphobia, sleep anxiety is a combination of insomnia and anxiety — specifically when the two conditions exacerbate each other, which is known as 'bidirectional comorbidity.'

It is characterised by a sense of panic caused by the prospect of going to sleep, whatever the worries around it may be.

This sort of stress around sleep is actually a form of performance anxiety, says Dr Michael Feld, a sleep expert at the Lanserhof Tegernsee. ‘We worry that if we get less than our eight hours, we’re not going to be able to cope with the day ahead.’

The knowledge that substandard rest will mean we're less able to function in our lives, whether for family or work, creates a stress that can lead to a fear of going to sleep. It can even be the idea that one’s not sleeping enough that triggers the angst, which becomes a cruel cycle.

What causes sleep anxiety?

‘Sleep problems tend to be 50% biological and 50% psychosomatic,’ explains Dr Feld.

‘Some of it is genetic; if your parents are poor sleepers, there’s a chance you will be too. People often report poorer sleep with age, as the tissues in the throat become more slack, resulting in the narrowing of airways. And women are lighter sleepers than men.'

But, when combined with anxiety, sleep issues can be a trickier to get to the root of. Not only have you got to contend with the biological vs. psychological cause for your struggles, but anxiety — which affects nearly 10% of the UK population and is on the rise — can be triggered by any number of things.

Anxiety is caused our sympathetic nervous system creating ‘fight or flight’ reaction, which has a range of physiological effects such as a raised heart rate and shorter breaths.

'The body is excellent at developing habits. If you’re in action mode all day every day, your physical systems will be very good at staying in that mode', says breathwork practitioner Richie Bostock, aka The Breath Guy. 'This means that, even once your head hits the pillow, your body isn’t going to make it easy for you to switch off, no matter how comfortable your bed.'

‘You’re alone, and you don’t have distractions like Netflix to help you push negative thoughts out of your mind,’ says Dr Feld.

Like anxiety itself, it’s rooted in our biology. For thousands of years, night time was a time of danger and threat for humans.

‘It wasn’t that long ago, in evolutionary terms, that the night was a time of vulnerability – feelings of anxiety associated with falling asleep are perfectly natural, potentially advantageous, from an evolutionary perspective,’ says Dr Law.

Unfortunately broken sleep can not only lead to long nights tossing and turning but over time it can increase the chances of some chronic health issues, as your body doesn't get a chance to rest.

The deepest of our four stages of non-REM or ‘quiet’ sleep, which makes up 75%, produces physiological changes that help us regenerate biologically, boosting immune system functioning. REM (rapid eye movement) sleep takes up 25% of the night and is the period in which we dream.

‘REM sleep is more associated with mental wellbeing,’ says Dr Feld. Studies report it enhances learning and memory, and contributes to emotional resilience.

‘Many of us think if we have anything short of an eight-hour block of blissful, uninterrupted sleep, we’ve slept badly,’ says Dr Feld. In fact, we all naturally wake up several times a night in between sleep stages.

How can I stop sleep anxiety? 12 tips to try

So, how can you stop sleep anxiety? It’s a case of trying to keep overall stress levels down, so looking at your routine and making sure you have no unnecessary stresses before bed.

1/ Get into the habit of a relaxing practice before bed

Try an evening breathing session, meditation, gentle yoga class or series of stretches to help relax your body and clear your mind. Though late night runs can feel useful as you’re expending energy, they raise your heart rate which in turn will affect your sleeping. Instead exercise in the morning or afternoon, which has been proven to reduce anxiety and improve sleep.

'You can use your breathing to calm your nervous system down, teaching it to shift from a state of high arousal to a state of rest and relaxation,' says Bostock. 'Focusing on your breath will also help you to come into the present moment and slow down those racing thoughts.'

2/ Be strict about sleep hygiene

It’s important for everyone, but particularly if you’re prone to insomnia. That means leaving phones outside of the bedroom and no screen time two hours before trying to sleep. Not only does the blue light mess with our Circadian rhythm, but checking emails or social media can up anxiety levels. If you know you run through a mental to-do list the second you're distraction-free, then write out everything you need to remember for tomorrow, on paper, before you begin to wind-down.

Keep your room dark, quiet and cool to up the chances of staying calm and falling asleep pronto. Between 16-18 degrees is the ideal temperature as any more will make you restful and less will make it even harder to drop off.

4/ Track your heart rate variability

Fancy sleep clinics look at your HRV when diagnosing issues as, unlike heart rate itself, it focuses on the fluctuations of the heart, which is a reliable measure of fitness, fatigue and stress. Hence its inclusion in the newer Fitbits. When analysed over 24 hours, it offers valuable information about autonomic functioning.

5/ Make sure you’re getting enough exercise

Ultimately we’re still quite simple beings and need to expend sufficient energy, whether that’s a 30-minute HIIT class or a slow lunchtime stroll, to be tired. Bonus: If you’re feeling sleepy after a poor night’s rest, it will perk you up more effectively than a nap.

6/ Be conscious of your coffee intake

Stick to no caffeine after 2pm as it stays in your system for six hours after consumption. You may find you notice the effects for longer, in which case keep it in the AM and swap over to herbal in the afternoon.

7/ Lower those sugar levels

A 2016 study found people who have high levels in their diet sleep less deeply and have more restless nights. Try to cut down on your sugar intake and keep those sugary snacks for morning consumption, only.

8/ Don’t drink alcohol before bed

Though it can sleep like a snooze-inducer as it temporarily quietens a worried mind, not only does it drastically affect the quality of sleep but it increases your heart rate and overall stress anxiety.

9/ Leave rehydration for daytime

Drink enough water (as we know, hydration is key!) but not just before bed as frequent toilet trips can keep you up and also cause anxiety around when you’ll need to go again. Aim for two litres but rather than making up for lost liquids last thing, try to spread it out starting with a big glass just after you wake up.

10/ Get some sun

During daylight hours, try and get outside for some natural sunlight to help your Circadian rhythm clock in. Our internal clocks are aided by sunlight, which creates serotonin in the body and makes us feel calm. Then at night, darkness triggers melatonin production which helps us sleep.

11/ Don’t stress

Easier said than done, no doubt, but a 2018 study found we only need between seven and eight hours of sleep to function and it's totally normal to wake up a few times during that period.

‘Many of us think if we have anything short of an eight-hour block of blissful, uninterrupted sleep, we’ve slept badly,’ says Dr Feld. In fact, we all naturally surface several times a night in between sleep stages.

If you’re struggling during the day, have a 10-30 minute nap. Though it doesn’t make up for poor quality nighttime rest, it can help improve mood and performance. In contrast to the usual hype around 20-minute naps, a sleep study found 10 minutes proved most effective at reducing tiredness and improving cognitive performance.

12/ Stick to a sleep routine

If you're someone who struggles with their sleep, it can be tempting to 'catch up' on those lost hours at the weekend. This can only exacerbate your sleep problems though. Having a routine that you stick to 'helps to anchor your circadian rhythm and allows your body to anticipate waking and sleep times by releasing the right hormones at the right times,' says sleep expert Dr Sophie Bostock.

13/ Speak to someone

Many issues around sleep can be helped with therapy, so seeking a mental health professional can be a useful first step to overcoming them.

Try Richie Bostock's Ladder Breathing technique to help calm sleep anxiety

In this breath, you progressively increase the length of your inhales and exhales, concentrating on what it feels like to change the rhythm of your breathing as your nervous system is slowly calmed. This slow breathing promotes parasympathetic (relaxation) activity, while the change in counts keeps the mind occupied.

• To be performed while lying in bed.
• Inhale slowly and gently through your nose for a count of 4 seconds.
• Exhale slowly and gently through your nose for a count of 4 seconds.
• Next, inhale for a count of 5 seconds, then exhale for a count of 5 seconds.
• Keep increasing the length of your inhales and exhales until you get to 10 seconds in and 10 seconds out. (Note: There is no need to push to 10 seconds if it doesn’t feel comfortable. Only extend your breathing as far as feels easy for you.)
• Once you reach 10 seconds, you can either continue to breath at this pace, keep increasing the length of your inhales and exhales, or even go up and down the ladder. You can do whatever feels most pleasurable to you! If you choose to come back down, I wouldn’t go back any lower than 6 seconds per inhale and exhale.

'I have sleep anxiety - this is how it feels'

Culture writer Anna Hart lay awake panic-ridden in the early hours so frequently that even the prospect of bedtime became stressful

I’ve always been crap at sleep. As a kid, I would read Roald Dahl books under the covers late into the night, trying to stave off those dark moments when, bereft of bedside lamp and Matilda, I was left alone and expected to nod off. Because ‘nodding off’ or ‘dozing’ just never seemed to work out for me.

Night was a time of anxiety for my hot little head, when I would fret about my school science project, wince over stupid things I had said to a friend, or wonder if my parents were secretly spies...

Two decades on, my worries have changed but not my ability to worry. My husband, Sean, looks forward to going to bed, a feeling as alien to me as eagerly anticipating a smear test. He’ll drift straight off, leaving me alone to my crazy thoughts.

My brain still thinks the moment my head hits the pillow is just the time to remind me of those emails I meant to send, question what I’m doing with my career and wonder if the world’s going to end.

And now, as an adult with responsibilities, like a job and a flat and a husband, the fear of failing to fall asleep at night and waking up foggy, rumpled and generally unfit for purpose, has made the prospect of sleep itself stressful.

Sleep is like the worst sort of boyfriend: the more desperately you want it, the less likely it is to grace you with its presence.

But I fight fear with information, and I figure that if I better understand my sleep obstacles, perhaps I’ll stop tripping over them every night.

I can’t change the fact that I’m my sleep-shirking father’s daughter, or that I’m female and ageing – but it’s the psychological 50% I’m interested in. The 50% I can do something about.

I undergo a complicated daily ritual in pursuit of sleep: no caffeine after 11am, at least an hour of brisk cardio, copious cups of camomile tea. Yet despite all this, at least four nights a week I’m awake for hours at a time, busy being crazy.

Every night, I slide between the covers with a sinking dread that I’ll still be lying there awake, frantic, three hours later.

I’ve always thought of my nighttime anxiety as perverse and twisted, an unhealthy and self-sabotaging impulse. It’s a huge relief to learn that nighttime anxiety is perfectly natural; in fact, it was once useful for survival.

As is learning that all those people who think they sleep an uninterrupted blissful sleep from 11pm to 7am are wrong – we all wake up.

This gives me one less thing to be stressed and frustrated about at 3am – and it might be the thing that makes all the difference.

If you're struggling with your sleep, read our guides to how to sleep better with anxiety or how to fall asleep fast.

Reference: Your Health: Rebecca Gillam

Anorexia shrinks the brain more than any other mental health condition

Reference: The Telegraph: Sarah Knapton 

Myth cannabis relieves pain: Review finds 'little scientific proof'

Cannabis is not an effective pain reliever — despite what its supporters may say, according to a review.

Advocates of marijuana claim the drug has a myriad of health benefits, including being able to soothe aches and pains. 

But a US Government-backed analysis of 25 trials has concluded there is 'very little scientifically valid research' it is an effective pain killer.

The review involved nearly 15,000 people who consumed a wide range of cannabis products. Some of the studies looked at the plant itself, while others looked at CBD oils or synthetic cannabis tablets.

No noticeable long-term pain relief was seen in people who smoked the plant itself, or took products containing barely any THC – the psychoactive part of cannabis that makes users feel 'high'. This includes CBD oils and ‘edibles’. 

CBD oil is made by extracting the non-psychoactive ingredient in the plant, which was hoped could create a drug that has all the benefits without the cons.

The only products which did show any statistically significant benefit for pain were synthetic THC tablets, which had little CBD. 

However, the pills only worked in short term and came with a host of side-effects, including dizziness and fatigue.

Experts concluded the evidence for using any cannabis products to treat chronic pain — defined as pain lasting more than three months — was not sufficient. 

Produced by Daily Mail Oregon Health and Science University researchers found synthetic products with high THC — the psychoactive ingredient in the drug — helped relieve chronic pain by up to 30 per cent

Drugs with higher THC levels compared to CBD were more effective at reducing pain.Nabiximols, a spray made of equal parts THC and CBD, also appeared to have some benefit, the researchers added.nnabis is legal in 19 US states for recreational purposes and can be bought for medical use in 38 states, including for chronic pain in some states. 

Medicinal cannabis has been legal in the UK for several years, although it is rarely prescribed.

There are currently few pain treatment options in Britain, with NHS patients often prescribed powerful and addictive painkillers.

Around 15.5million people in England — a third of the adult population — live with chronic pain. Some 100million are thought to have it in the US.

The health service is set to start trialling cannabis as a treatment for chronic pain over the next three years, with the view to offering 'whole plant' medications.

 

Thousands of people to be given cannabis as a painkiller every day in major new trial 

Cannabis will be tested as a pain relief drug on thousands of Britons - which, if successful, could see the drug prescribed on the NHS.

It looked at evidence from 18 placebo-controlled studies and seven long-term papers from around the world.A total of 14,835 people were involved in the trials and took the products for up to a year.Patients were asked to assess their pain before, during and several weeks after taking cannabis-based products.

Results showed some synthetic products with high THC content had a 'moderate effect' on reducing pain, causing pain to fall one to two points on the scale.

The health service is set to start trialling cannabis as a treatment for chronic pain over the next three years, with the view to offering 'whole plant' medications.

Thousands of people to be given cannabis as a painkiller every day in major new trial 

The latest review, by experts from Oregon Health and Science University, was published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

It looked at evidence from 18 placebo-controlled studies and seven long-term papers from around the world.

A total of 14,835 people were involved in the trials and took the products for up to a year.

Patients were asked to assess their pain before, during and several weeks after taking cannabis-based products.

Results showed some synthetic products with high THC content had a 'moderate effect' on reducing pain, causing pain to fall one to two points on the scale.

But they had a 'large effect' on causing dizziness, a 'moderate effect' on tiredness and 'potential effect' on nausea.

Using the cannabis plant itself did not show a statistically significant benefit and the results were marred by methodological issues, including not recording dose levels or side effects.

The authors said: 'Evidence for whole-plant products, CBD, and other cannabinoids was limited by serious imprecision and lack of ability to assess consistency and study methodological limitations. 

'These studies were not designed to evaluate harm outcomes and often excluded patients who were at higher risk for harms, potentially underestimating the harms of cannabinoid treatment.'

Psychosis and cannabis addiction were also not considered by the 'whole plant' studies, they said, which is one of the main concerns about using the drug.

Lead author Professor Marian McDonagh, an epidemiologist at the university, said the review found a surprising lack of evidence for using cannabis to treat pain.

She said: 'In general, the limited amount of evidence surprised all of us.

'With so much buzz around cannabis-related products, and the easy availability of recreational and medical marijuana in many states, consumers and patients might assume there would be more evidence about the benefits and side effects. 

'Unfortunately, there is very little scientifically valid research into most these products.

'We saw only a small group of observational cohort studies on cannabis products that would be easily available in states that allow it, and these were not designed to answer the important questions on treating chronic pain.' 

Writing in a commentary in the same journal, University of Michigan anaesthiologists Professor Daniel Clauw and Dr Kevin Boehnke said the study was unable to prove the benefits of cannabis due to study limitations.

They said: 'These limitations are well documented in the cannabinoid and chronic pain literature and are due in part to "War on Drugs" policies that have overwhelmingly favored studying cannabis-related harms over therapeutic effects. 

'Unfortunately, this means this well-conducted review found limited generalisable evidence to inform long-term use of available cannabis products for chronic pain.'

But the researchers called on doctors to be pragmatic when dealing with patients who want to try using cannabis for pain relief. 

They said: 'Conventional analgesic medications are effective only in a subset of persons, so it is no wonder that many patients are drawn to widely available cannabis products. 

'Clinicians can compassionately witness, record, and offer guidance to help patients with chronic pain use cannabis wisely.' 

Reference: Joe Davies Health Reporter For Mailonline