Our Bodies Tell Us What We Need All We Have To Do Is Slow Down And Listen

We spoke to the remarkable Aoife Rafter about her sleep habits. Aoife outlines the importance of pure air to people with respiratory conditions and allergies and tells how she purifies the air in her bedroom.

1. Tell us why sleep is important, what are the health benefits of sleep to you?

Gosh, do I love and NEED my sleep!? If I don't have a decent night's sleep, especially consecutively, I become run down and ill due to my lung disease, Cystic Fibrosis. I generally require a little more sleep than the average woman my age, in order for my body to have the necessary healing and re-cooperation time that it needs. This could mean sleeping for 8-10 hours a night.

2. Is sleep a topic that comes up with friends, family, or the audience in your line of work? What are the issues that come up? What advice if any would you offer?

Sleep is a topic I've written about a couple of times for my Wellness blog and for other blogs, as the majority of my followers have health conditions. I have a few different tricks up my sleeve at this point, but my most loved one is cleansing the air in my bedroom as much as possible. This is especially important for people with respiratory conditions and allergies. To do this, I use a Saline Plus machine which removes dust particles and other germs from the air. I also use a de-humidifier to ensure the air isn't too damp as this too is dangerous for people with respiratory conditions- fungus and mould grow in damp areas and Ireland has a particularly damp climate. I also have a salt lamp on my bedside locker to enhance the air quality further.

3. Do you have a sleep routine – how do you enhance your chances of a glorious, restful night’s sleep?

If I'm going through a rough sleeping patch, I turn to Breathwork, Reflexology or Acupuncture for support. These are some valuable tools to have! I never have a bad night's sleep after engaging in any of these treatments. They are truly remarkable!

I also love to spray some lavender or eucalyptus on my silk pillowcase to help me relax and clear my airways too.

4. What is your favourite sleep accessory?

Definitely my silk pillowcase and essential oils! They are just a heavenly combination!

5. Any night waking? If so, how do you get back to sleep?

Sometimes I wake to go to the loo which is just SO annoying. My acupuncturist always seems to cure this for me though so again, you need to try it out!

About Aoife Rafter:

Aoife is a Cancer Survivor who also lives with a progressive lung disease, Cystic Fibrosis.

Through her health and wellness journey, she has discovered the power of both Reflexology and Breathwork, and how they can transform all aspects of one's health.

Her mission is to teach others how to take control of their health and improve their quality of life through alternative therapies, despite existing health conditions.

One of Aoife's biggest lessons through her wellness journey is that "Our bodies literally tell us what they need, all we have to do is slow down and listen".