Sleep – Its only one way of getting energy.
The function of sleep is to renew us and its gives us our vitality or give us energy to live our lives. But while it may be ideal to have 7, 8 or 9 hours a sleep it’s not always possible with our 21st century life styles. For many people there is simply too much to do to sleep. So given you can’t create time, what can you do. First remember that sleep is only one way to recharge our energy battery.
Energy
How much energy you have right now isn’t purely based on how well you slept last night or how well you have been sleeping recently. By “energy” I mean your personal ability to live life to its fullest capacity. So where would you put yourself on an energy scale of 1 to 100% where 1 is very low energy and 100 is full of energy? Below 30% we are de-motivated, low in self-esteem and feel out of control. Just like jump-starting a car when the car battery has gone flat, if your energy falls below 30% then you need an energy boost from something like acupuncture, shiatsu or reiki. Once your energy level is about 30% then it’s possible to help yourself boost your energy.
Physical Energy Boosters
This is what we do to care for ourselves physical and the things that give us our vitality and make us feel physically well and energised.
- Rest is not just the essential precursor to brilliant sleep; it is also a substitute for sleep as it allows us to recharge our batteries.
- A healthy diet provides the nutritional support your body needs to provide physical energy.
- Exercise including yoga, swimming, walking and tai chi help re-charge our batteries.
Emotional Energy Capacity
This is related to your emotional health and energy – your ability to manage your guilt, worry, concerns, fears and anger. How you nourish positive energy enhancing emotions such as joy, happiness, love and build supportive relationships with your nearest and dearest.
Mental Energy Capacity
This is about the ways in which we think, problem solve and nourish ourselves intellectually. For most people this boils down to how we manage our need to control what’s going on around you and our tendency to be a perfectionist. It also incorporates how we deal with uncertainty in our lives and how we generate optimism even in times of adversity.
Spiritual Energy Capacity
Spiritual energy is different for every one, I define it as what makes life worth living, its what motivates you. Its unleashed when you tap into your values when we are doing something you believe in, and gives you determination and resilience.
For anyone struggling with their physical energy levels, why not try Reiki, I offer 15 minute Reiki tasters for £12.50.
Related Posts
Natural remedies for the winter blues – Part 1
By January I am seriously missing the sun. While I know we have had the shortest day, the grey weather and the snow jsut reminds me we are in deep winter. So with the Brexit impass being deeply demoralising and frustraing, I wanted to share some tips to combat the blues. 1. Vitamin D Most people are short of Vitamin D in the uk. One of the signs of being short of Vitamin D is feeling blue. 2. Spice it up. Earlier today I was planning my meals for the week before I went to the supermarket. At this time of year I always fancy dishes containting yellow rice i.e. paella or pilau rice. I know its the yellow colour that particularly appeals which you get by adding either Tumeric or Saffron. In clinical trails Curcumin the main active ingredient in Tumeric (the bright yellow Indian spice) has been to be as effective as Prozac. A review of several trains of Saffron found it was a safe and effective treatmetn for depression. While I like to cook with the spices, it isn't as effective as supplements which are standardised extracts. For me cooking with the spice is fine as I am not depressed. 3. 5-HTP A naturally occuring amino acid, 5-HTP is used by the body to make serotonin the "happy hormone". Suplements produced from the seeds of the West African medicinal plant Griffonia Simplicifoia show promised for depression. References Woo YS, Kim S, Jeong JH, Jung YE, Kim MD, Bahk WM. Vitamin D Deficiency/Insufficiency among Inpatients with Depressive Symptoms. Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci. 2019 Feb 28;17(1):121-124. Sanmukhani J, Satodia V, Trivedi J, Patel T, Tiwari D, Panchal B, Goel A, Tripathi CB. Efficacy and safety of curcumin in major depressive disorder: a randomized controlled trial. Phytother Res. 2014 Apr;28(4):579-85. Moshiri E, Basti AA, Noorbala AA, Jamshidi AH, Hesameddin Abbasi S, Akhondzadeh S. Crocus sativus L. (petal) in the treatment of mild-to-moderate depression: a double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled trial. Phytomedicine. 2006 Nov;13(9-10):607-11 Birdsall TC. 5-Hydroxytryptophan: a clinically-effective serotonin precursor. Altern Med Rev. 1998 Aug;3(4):271-80.
Can acupuncture cut hot flushes by half?
Hot flushes are temporary but recurring feeling of warmth that spreads over the body which often begins in the head and neck region and can be very troublesome. Hot flushes often occur during sleep, producing perspiration known as night sweats. As a result, hot flushes can have a big impact on your quality of life. Hot flushes are one of the most common symptoms women have when they go through the menopause. About 3 out of 4 women going through the menopause (75%) will have hot flushes. If you've had one, there's no mistaking it: the sudden, intense, hot feeling on your face and upper body, perhaps preceded or accompanied by a rapid heartbeat and sweating, nausea, dizziness, anxiety, headache, weakness, or a feeling of suffocation. Researches recruited 209 women who experienced at least four hot flushes or night sweats every day. All the patients received up to 20 acupuncture treatments within 6 months. Nearly half the women saw a 47% reduction in hot flushes or night sweats, while almost 12% reported that their symptoms had stopped almost completely although 4% actually saw an increase in their problems. What is interesting is that most of the women how saw their hot flushes and night sweats decrease started seeing improvements after three sessions. Research http://www.wakehealth.edu/News-Releases/2016/Acupuncture_Reduces_Hot_Flashes_for_Half_of_Women,_Study_Finds.htm
Headaches – How to tell when they are serious
More than 10 million people in the UK get headaches regularly, making them one of the most common health complaints. The most common treatment is to take a pain killer. In previous blog posts I have explored other treatments including
Most headaches aren't serious and are easily treated. However it is important that anyone with a headache “that is out of the norm” should see their GP as soon as possible. Particularly if the headache is more likely to be serious i.e.:- it occurs suddenly and is very severe – often described as a blinding pain unlike anything experienced before
- it doesn't go away and gets worse over time
- it occurs after a severe head injury
- it's triggered suddenly by coughing, laughing, sneezing, changes in posture, or physical exertion
- you have symptoms suggesting a problem with your brain or nervous system, including weakness, slurred speech, confusion, memory loss, and drowsiness
- you have additional symptoms, such as a high temperature (fever), a stiff neck, a rash, jaw pain while chewing, vision problems, a sore scalp, or severe pain and redness in one of your eyes
