Sleep better - naturally

Sleep may be one of the things affected in these hard time of shutdown and constantly hearing about Corona virus on the news. The whole world is in a bit of turmoil. Is it any wonder your sleep patterns are disrupted? However it is important to get a good, restful night’s sleep to function properly next day. Lack of sleep will affect your focus and concentration and eventually your health. If you are someone that struggles to get to sleep, stay asleep or are restless at night there are many things you can do to help yourself.

Turn off what would keep you awake

Firstly blue light that comes from our TV, computers, phones and tablets causes sleep issues as it can reduce the melatonin production, which is the hormone that promotes deep sleep. So these things make it hard to fall asleep. Turning off these devices at least two hours before bed can help you to get a more restful night’s sleep. If you find that this is just not practical as you are overloaded with work you can try using some essential oils that will help to relax your mind and body.

Things to remember when using oils

Remember all oils should be mixed in a carrier oil if applied to the skin but if you are using a burner you put them in water. Also no carrier oil is needed for diffusers. Less is always best in the burner so just a drop or two is enough. Similar for a bath – 3 to 4 drops of each oil you want to use (depending on the size of the bath).

What oils do I use

Sandalwood is one that can help. By placing a drop under your nose and on your forehead between your eyebrows, where your 6th energy centre is (chakra) it corresponds with your psychological skills and mental abilities. So use it to help you relax. Also the pleasant smell of some of these oils helps as it’s something pampering before you go to bed.

Some other oils that can be helpful include Lavender which is a well-known calming oil and you can put a drop under your nose, on your big toes, or a drop on either side of the pillow (this is good for the elderly or children). If you have a diffuser a few drops is good to let it fill the room and the droplets in the air will help you to relax. Cedarwood is another good oil you can use with Lavender. You can rub both these oils on you if they are blended with a carrier oil and you only need a little.

Valerian is one of the major sleep assistance oils but it must be applied just before bed because if you put it on too early it may lose affect. RutaVaLA is a combination oil. It consists of Ruta, Valerian and lavender, it is a stronger blend than using the oils on their own. Roman Chamomile is a great oil for both adults and children as it is gentle.

If you have a diffuser you can set it to also use ‘Awaken’ oil just before you need to wake up or you can add it to your sleep oil but in smaller quantities to ensure you not only have a great night’s sleep but also wake up feeling refreshed and relaxed. However, when using awaken you should be careful as it is photosensitive meaning it must be in a carrier oil and you can be affected if you go out in the sun after applying it. Obviously if it’s in a burner once again you don’t need a carrier oil. Keep it away from the face.

So next time you are having trouble sleeping make sure you have a supply of these oils which you can obtain from myself or on the net if you know what you are buying. Always make sure your oils are pure and high grade as the cheap ones have chemicals in them and your body is simply becoming toxic if you use those. It’s good to have a few different oils as you feel differently on different days. If you use the same oil the effects may be less on a day you feel differently. Alternatively call me and I can make a special oil just for you, mixed according to sleep issues you have, and post it out to you. 

Knee replacements – are they worth it?

Knee replacements are often recommended for people suffering with osteoarthritis, joint disease or serious injuries from earlier in life. Knee issues can cause excruciating pain so often specialists recommend a replacement as a way to free up the patient from continually popping the pain killers.

Symptoms of arthritis, or a serious injury in the knee are swelling, pain, and deformity of the knee. This can seriously affect your quality of life and cause some restrictions on you day to day activities. It can cause problems doing tasks such as getting in and out of the car, climbing up the stairs, and sitting or walking for extended periods of time leading to frustration but not necessarily surgery.

There are other treatments that can be tried before resorting to surgery. Some of these treatments include physiotherapy, pain medications and anti-inflammatories, also weight loss helps as the risk of osteoarthritis is twice as high if you’re overweight.

The operation

If you do require surgery, the good news is that the replacements have continued to improve over the years. Not only in how they are made but also the way they are inserted into the knee which decreases the recovery time. The metal and plastic bits, the way they are fixed to the bone, the techniques used, the technology to put them in and even rehab afterwards has improved over the years. However if you can delay surgery for as long as possible that one expense and inconvenience will last you the rest of your life also saving you future pain.

The knee replacement procedure is done by making small cuts into the leg, allowing the surgeon to then either replace the whole knee with prostheses or only part of the knee. The procedure is performed under a general or local anaesthetic.

Recovery

Recovery from the operation can vary from person to person but can take anything from 6 weeks before you are feeling up to being up and about to 12months. Medication will be given to keep pain at a manageable level, and your pain should decrease in the first few days after surgery. Many doctors get patients up within 4–6 hours after the operation and within 3 or 4 days they can usually go home.

Other options

If you are feeling hesitant about having knee surgery why not try some natural options first? Reducing your inflammation with the help of a naturopath at our clinic, correct diet and supplements, losing weight, reiki or other energy healing and exercise. Quite often these can help you avoid an operation. Give us a call to find out how we can help.