Jayla Schmidt, R. Psychologist

Hi!!

I have some exciting new to share…

My colleague, Erica Ford Psychology, and I will be opening a new psychology clinic in Cochrane in September 2023!

Therapy West will offer counselling and assessment services to children, youth, and adults.

We are located in the heart of downtown Cochrane, in a lovely little character home on 3rd Ave…just down from The Greek Plate and right beside Jaipur restaurant.

I will be transitioning to the new clinic space in August, and hope to limit the disruption to my current clients. If you have any questions, let’s connect: [email protected]

🎃 Happy Halloween 🎃

June is Pride month, the time of year when we celebrate the impact that le***an, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally. It’s a great time to recognize the contributions of your LGBT+ peers, learn a little bit more about LGBT+ history, celebrate diversity, and consider the ways that you can contribute to creating a more inclusive society. 🌈 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️❤️

Happy Mother’s Day 💐

Ma*****na is becoming a popular option for battling sleep troubles, despite limited research confirming its long term impact on sleep architecture and overall sleep quality. While one study found that,  80% of research participants reported that the intervention helped them sleep, other research has shown that ma*****na can suppress or disturb important stages of sleep such as REM and slow-wave sleep.  

Ma*****na contains multiple active ingredients, called cannabinoids, that may impact sleep. Its main ingredients are THC and CBD. THC has sedating effects on the brain, which may cause a person to relax and feel sleepy. In contrast, CBD has an alerting effect that may lead to arousal and ward off THC’s effect on the brain.  These findings suggest that ma*****na with higher amounts of THC than CBD may better induce sleep, but significantly more research is needed to know the ideal dose and timing. 

A 2017 review analyzed multiple studies that have looked into the effects of ma*****na on various sleep problems. Overall, the researchers found that short-term ma*****na use may have therapeutic effects in helping a person fall asleep faster. Additionally, numerous studies also suggest that ma*****na may help lower stress and anxiety levels, improve mood, relieve pain, and manage exhaustion, all of which may be associated with supporting sleep. Researchers highlight that ma*****na’s effect on sleep depends on the dose, time taken, and method of use. Additionally, relying on ma*****na as a long-term intervention for improving sleep may lead to dependence. This long-term or heavy use may worsen sleep problems and lead to shorter sleep duration, poor sleep efficiency, decreased REM and slow-wave sleep, difficulty falling asleep, and frequent nighttime awakenings.

If you’re looking to use ma*****na to help improve your sleep, consider speaking to a doctor first, who may look at your medical history, screen for potential sleep problems, and recommend treatment. For most people, healthy sleep promoting behaviors and behavioral therapy should be a first line of defense for improving sleep.