Sleep Hygiene

Why and How We Live Rhythmically at Two Dreams The chains of habit are generally too small to be felt until they are too strong to be broken – Samuel Johnson Every living organism has a natural rhythm. These rhythms are disrupted by illness, particularly drug and alcohol use. A drug can create false sleep.…

It is estimated that between 75 and 90 percent of Americans have cell phones. The numbers are increasing each year, with plenty of young children being granted cell phones each year as well. Now, in and of itself, this is not an issue, but it does become an issue when someone becomes addicted to their cell…

Recovery is largely about ritual, and at Two Dreams we encourage the establishment of rituals that promote regular, high quality sleep. For example, each morning residents on the Outer Banks embark on a sun salutation walk on the beach to expose their retinas to sunlight, encouraging the switch from a sleep state (when GABA brain…

It can be easy to get into the habit of pushing aside concerns and replacing problem-solving behaviors with substance use or other non-constructive methods of coping. We all get used to behaving in certain ways in response to stress; in fact, after reacting to a situation the same way a few times, our brains program…

To gain control over addiction, it is important to remove all drugs from your system that affect neurological signaling, which includes caffeine. Although caffeine is commonplace and not considered to be harmful in most cases, it is an addictive substance that can cause its own set of health problems such as upset stomach, sleep disorders,…

It used to be, if you visited a physician for a medical exam, he or she would most likely ask you few if any questions at all about your lifestyle: what kind of food you ate each day, how well you slept each night, and whether or not you incorporated exercise into your life on…

Dream Journal Volume XXXV / December 2015 Note from Dr. B. The holidays can be a difficult time for individuals in recovery: frustrating family members, crazy Christmas parties, stressful shopping trips, etc. You don’t have to let the season get you down though! There are plenty of ways to stay centered and sober during the…

Dream Journal Volume XIX / July 2014 Note from Dr B. It gives me great pleasure to announce that I have been featured in the current issue of Addiction Professional Addiction Professional. I emphasize in the article the call to come together as treatment providers and programs and set aside our differences. This message parallels our theme…

VOLUME IX / SEP 2013 Two Dreams is a wellness program led by Andrea G. Barthwell, MD, FASAM that provides individualized care for those who dream of recovering a healthy lifestyle. NOTE FROM DR. B. As we move forward on our path to recovery, I wanted to highlight the Ninth Step with The Ninth Step…