This short note is based on personal experience. There is no better way to learn about something. I broke my left hip (neck of femur) on 6th Sept 2025 at the Palestine Action protest when a police officer unexpectedly charged at me and violently pushed me over on tarmac. I was thrown to the road and fell on my upper left leg. St. Thomas’ Hospital is nearby and they brilliantly operated the next day. I had a short stay at hospital thanks to my eagerness to leave and thanks to doing Pilates at home for years to improve conditioning, flexibility and upper body strength (very useful post-surgery to compensate).
Back home with a pile of meds I found it hard to get off to sleep. One reason was that I stopped taking the codeine (opiate) as it caused chronic constipation and Laxido (a laxative also given to me) does not counter that problem because opiates kill bowel movement and Laxido softens the stool. Laxido does not directly reinstate bowel movement and I found that the suppression of a bowel movement by opiates overwhelms treatments to have a sh*t.
To return to the insomnia. I would lie in bed feeling that my brain was slightly agitated. It just was not calm enough. It was ticking over. Not because I was thinking of stuff – not at all – but because it was agitated by the whole experience – the assault and injury, the hospital stay (excellent by the way) and the entire post-op experience.
The brain was under attack and behaved like a car engine ticking over but not turned off. I guess it was waiting for the next assault on the body. Remember that the body suffers two assaults/injuries under these circumstances: the fall itself and the operation to repair the damage.
As I said, I could literally feel the brain on ‘tick over’ as I lay in bed trying to get off to sleep. I was suffering insomnia. What could I do? Not a lot needs to be done to assist in getting off to sleep.
Update: I also believe that a factor here for the insomnia was coming off the codeine. I should have tapered it. Today 24th I took some codeine – 3/4 of a single pill to see if my insomnia abated. It did. The fact is that although everything stated on this page is correct, the reason why I was suffering insomnia is because I came off dihydrocodeine. It is a very toxic drug. Also, I should say that I was acutely sick today, vomiting in 3 sessions with five vomits per session which was very distressing. The cause in my considered view: dihydrocodeine. It also gave me a headache. I have learnt that this is both a very effective drug for some uses but also quite horrible in many ways. Users need to remember this.
Well I decided to bring out some Kalms, a brand of traditional herbal medicinal products, primarily formulated to provide temporary relief from symptoms of stress, mild anxiety, irritability, and sleeplessness. The range typically uses extracts from the valerian root and hops, which have a long history of use in herbal medicine for their calming and sedative properties.
I had some in a draw and tried it last night. I believe it helped and will report back. I also used Rescue Remedy.
The Kalms product line is segmented, with formulations like Kalms Day containing a blend of valerian and hops designed to promote daytime calm without significant drowsiness. Kalms Night products, on the other hand, contain a higher concentration of valerian root to specifically aid in promoting restful sleep.
As a herbal remedy, its effectiveness is based on traditional use rather than modern clinical trials. Precautions are recommended, including avoiding alcohol due to potential interactions, and consulting a doctor before use, especially if pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking other medications.
Cavaet and disclaimer: Some people might say to check with your doctor before taking it to make sure there is no clash with existing medication. This does not apply in my case. Note: I am not a medical expert. But I am a patient! And I have given this a lot of thought.
Calming exercises
I like the idea of calming exercises. The idea is to tell the brain not to be vigilant; to relax. The exercises work backwards and make the brain believe that there is no need to be in stress response mode.
Various calming exercises can be highly effective for patients struggling with the brain’s stress response, particularly when trying to sleep. These techniques activate the body’s parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system, countering the “fight or flight” state induced by stress hormones like cortisol.
For someone recovering from a hip fracture, some methods may need to be adapted for limited mobility, but the following exercises can generally be done comfortably while lying in bed or sitting in a chair.
Deep breathing techniques
These simple exercises focus on slowing and controlling your breathing, which helps reduce your heart rate and calm your mind.
- 4-7-8 Breathing: A popular and effective method developed by Dr. Andrew Weil.
- Exhale completely through your mouth with a “whoosh” sound.
- Inhale quietly through your nose for a count of 4.
- Hold your breath for a count of 7.
- Exhale completely through your mouth, again making a “whoosh” sound, for a count of 8.
- Repeat this cycle three more times, for a total of four cycles.
- Box Breathing: Used by military and law enforcement, this technique helps steady your focus and calm your nervous system.
- Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose for a count of 4.
- Hold your breath for a count of 4.
- Exhale slowly and completely through your mouth for a count of 4.
- Hold your breath for another count of 4 before inhaling again.
- Repeat for several rounds.
Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR)
PMR is a technique for releasing physical tension, which often accompanies mental stress and agitation. It involves tensing and then relaxing different muscle groups throughout the body.
- Head to toe: Systematically focus on different muscle groups, such as your feet, legs, buttocks, stomach, and arms.
- The process: As you inhale, tense a muscle group for about 5 seconds. As you exhale, suddenly release the tension.
- Be mindful: Focus on the contrasting feeling between the tensed and relaxed state. Do not create intense or sharp pain.
Visualization and guided imagery
Visualization allows you to redirect your thoughts away from worries and toward a calming scenario.
- Create a mental sanctuary: Imagine a peaceful and safe place, like a favorite beach or a quiet garden.
- Involve all senses: Focus on all the sensory details of your peaceful scene: what you see, hear, smell, and feel. For example, picture the colors of a sunset, hear the sound of the ocean, feel the gentle breeze on your skin, and smell the salty air.
- Use audio guides: If focusing on your own proves difficult, you can listen to guided meditation or imagery recordings available on various apps and online platforms.
Bedside journaling
For a racing mind filled with anxious thoughts, a “brain dump” can help quiet your mind and release worries.
- Write it down: Keep a notepad and pen by your bed and write down everything that is bothering you before trying to sleep.
- Schedule worry time: Tell yourself that you have recorded your concerns and can revisit them during a scheduled “worry time” the next day. This helps defer the anxiety until a more appropriate time.
I belive in healing that is as natural as possible under the circumstances. The idea is to minimise drugs and chemicals inside the body. All drugs are posions it is said. The doctor who said that is a vet in the USA. He is correct. There are upsides and downsides. A drug works when the upsides are greater than the downsides.
Should not have happened
P.S. This is today’s medical tip from a patient struggling to cope with a tragic hip break. I still sit in bed and wonder how the hell it all happened. It should not have happened. My life should not have been turned upside down by one nasty cop.
And it is going to be all but impossible to gain some degree of accountability and compensation from the police as they close ranks under these circumstances. They lie as well. I am seeking video evidence but at present I am told that the cops had their body-worn camcorders turned off during the protest! If that is true, it points to prejected guilt; foreseable bad behaviour. And the police want the public to trust them more!
When I tell people what happened they can’t believe it. They think I am lyning or exaggerating. I most definitely am not. I was photographing the protest. An innocent and entirely legal activity.
The police had been given orders to barge their way through the crowd if needs be after arresting someone to clear a path to the waiting vans or holding area. That was their dangerous MO.
The cop who barged me did not need to do so as there was space around me. And there was no need to run at me and do it so violently. If he really wanted to get through he could have bloody well ASKED! Even shouted at me, I don’t care. I would have moved. But the assault came out of the blue and as I type this I can hardly believe that it is me who suffered this horrendous experience.
