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Lost sleep leads to low energy, mood swings, poor decision-making and increased frustration and irritability. No one likes to feel like this, so I’d like to share a practical technique that I learned many years ago from the late Bert Weir (1926-2012) at the Brisbane Relaxation Centre. I don’t remember what Bert called the technique. I refer to it as the Rainbow Relaxation technique.

Before you proceed, there are two pre-requisites. 1. You need to know the colours of the rainbow (in order!) and 2. How to count backwards from 21 to 1. Rest assured, I’ve successfully taught this technique to many children so I suspect you’ll do just fine! Just in case you’ve forgotten: the colours of the rainbow are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo (dark purple) and violet (light purple). It helps to remember ROY GBIV. 

Three steps to getting to sleep easily

Step 1 – visualise

If you find yourself lying in bed, thoughts wandering, frustration mounting, you’ll know it’s time to get started. Simply say to yourself,  “I’m thinking of the colour red” and visualise a red object. Eg. “I’m thinking of the colour red, a big, red, juicy apple”. You can substitute the red apple with anything else you may like to imagine – it could be a favourite red dress, a red sports car, a red ball – you get the idea. Next, say to yourself (under your breath of course so no one doubts your sanity!) “I’m thinking of the colour orange, a big juicy orange (I know, not very original, but it works). Again you can imagine anything you like but it needs to be coloured orange). Continue with each colour, taking time to really picture the object you are thinking of, in your mind.

eg. “I’m thinking of the colour red, a (big, beautiful, smooth or whatever other adjectives you may like to add) red ________, I’m thinking of the colour orange, an orange _________, I’m thinking of the colour yellow, a yellow _________, I’m thinking of the colour green, a green __________, I’m thinking of the colour blue, a blue ___________, I’m thinking of the colour dark purple (indigo), a dark purple ___________, I’m thinking of the colour light purple (violet), a light purple ___________.   

Step 2 – count

After you’ve completed the colours of the rainbow (if you’re still awake) then you may begin counting backwards from 21 to 1, in groups of three. After each group of three, imagine you’re feeling more relaxed, sinking closer to sleep.

eg. “21, 20, 19”, (pause)  “18, 17, 16” (pause)  “15, 14, 13” (pause)  “12, 11, 10” (pause)  “9, 8, 7” (pause)  “6, 5, 4” (pause) “3, 2, 1”.  

Allow yourself to relax between each group. That’s the way…

Step 3 – imagine

After you’ve finished counting down to 1 (only if you’re still awake, of course!) the next step is to imagine yourself in a peaceful place in nature. This can be anywhere at all, as long as it is a restful place for you. You’ll need to engage all your senses here – eg. imagine the feel of the sun shining gently on you or the sand between your toes, listen to the sound of the birds in the trees or water bubbling over the rocks, see the view around you or the butterflies fluttering past, smell the scents of the place you are… really get absorbed in the experience.

eg. “I’m imagining myself sitting beneath a huge, old tree with sunlight gently streaming through the branches and ever so gently, warming my skin. I can feel the coarse texture of the blanket I’m sitting on, comfortable and cozy, inviting me to lie down and rest. All around me is the chorus of the forest, the sound of birds in the distance, singing a beautiful melody, just for me, I notice the fragrance of trees flowering… there might be butterflies, babbling brooks, horses or sheep grazing on the hills around…the possibilities are only limited by your imagination. You can stay in this place, away from any cares, feeling completely at ease until it’s time to wake up refreshed. Or, you could start over again…

Be warned, this really does work. You may need to persevere at first, especially if you’ve been in the habit of letting your mind run away with itself, engaging in unhelpful worrying at sleep time. The more difficulty you have focusing and directing your mind, the more the practice will benefit you and the easier sleep will come with practice. When I need to use this technique now, I often don’t get past the colour orange or yellow. Perhaps my mind says, “Okay, I’ve been here before, how about we just go to sleep.”

Wishing you many nights of refreshing slumber,

Laurie 

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The plantar fascia, a band of muscles, tendons and ligaments which runs from your toes to your heels, can become stiff and tight for a number of reasons; commonly, poor fitting shoes, walking or standing on hard tile or concrete floors, a lack of exercise and ageing. When the band becomes stiff and tight, tiny fibres begin to tear away from the bone, resulting in inflammation and pain – most often in the heel area. Some people try using gel pads, purchase (often expensive) shoes with medial arch support or have cortisone injections for the pain, but these are not always successful. To resolve the pain and stop the inflammation, the plantar fascia needs to become strong and stretchy again.

For some people, Bowen Therapy successfully resolves the pain of Plantar Fasciitis. During a treatment, we gently manipulate the muscles, tendons and ligaments of the feet as well as provide a whole body Bowen Therapy treatment. Circulation is stimulated, muscle fibres ‘untangled’ and the plantar fascia is helped as a result. Most clients report feeling much better overall because a Bowen Therapy treatment addresses back, shoulder and other joint issues at the same time.  In many cases, three or four appointments, spaced over a few weeks, are enough to give long-lasting relief.

Step Forward Orthotics are another helpful approach for the pain of Plantar Fasciitis. These flexible, preformed orthotics provide support for all three arches of the foot – medial, lateral and transverse arches – and provide a correctly shaped platform for your feet. The orthotic is constructed to be the correct anatomical shape of a foot and over a period of time the foot moulds to the orthotic, allowing the fascia to strengthen and become more elastic. Because the orthotics flex they exercise the foot muscles as you walk.

Step Forward Orthotics come with a 10 year product guarantee, a 90-day satisfaction guarantee and they fit into most shoes so there is no need to purchase expensive footwear to get your feet back into shape. I’ve been wearing them for a number of years and can honestly say they’re one of the best things I ever did for my feet.

If you’d like more information about how Bowen Therapy or Step Forward Orthotics may be able to help you with the pain of Plantar Fasciitis, please ask a question below, send an email or call the clinic on 0417 636 582.

Here’s to happy, healthy feet!

Laurie

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In 2004 Dr. Alan Pennebaker from the University of Texas at Austin published “Writing to Heal”, which taught people how to use journalling to overcome emotional upheavals in their lives. Dr Pennebaker called the technique ‘Expressive Writing’. He found it reduces depressive symptoms, rumination and general anxiety.

Several years ago I was encouraged to keep a journal. I don’t think I realised then how therapeutic writing was, but I did come to enjoy the head space and the chance to record how I felt or what I was thinking at any given time. Writing helped give me clarity. My journal became a vehicle for learning more about myself – what made me happy and what was upsetting. I was able to see what I expected of myself and everyone else and then stand back and check if it was realistic or not.

If you’re looking for a way to get more clarity on something or to work through a stressful event, you may find it useful to experiment with Dr. Pennebaker’s 4 day writing strategy.

I suggest choosing a special book that invites you to come and write, so it’s worth investing in something that appeals to your senses.

How to get started:  

• Choose a time and place free of disturbances
• Write continuously for 20 minutes or more
• Don’t worry about spelling or grammar
• Write only for yourself
• Write about something important and personal for you
• Deal only with events or situations that you can handle now

A note of caution:
If something you’re writing about makes you really upset, then please stop. You can come back to it later if you choose.

Journalling has been proven to deliver positive results. Be curious. You may not notice changes immediately and you may even feel sad for a day or two, but the research says that the benefits are evident within days or weeks and often go on for years. I’ll vouch for that.

Laurie

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