Dreaming of better sleep…

Sleep like a baby you say. I wish! I am the proud owner of a husband who just has to look at his pillow to fall asleep whilst I toss and turn, fidget and wriggle, and remunerate on the days’ events until my body, and mind, finally gives in. I can’t even blame it on children and the perennial ‘one ear always listening’ syndrome – I’ve always been a poor sleeper (not through lack of loving the activity but the struggle to get there!).

Approach me with caution before 7am, and even then only with a cup of tea in your hand!

And once I’m in that dreamy place the rude awakening of an alarm is literally like nails scraping down a blackboard to my sleepy head. Approach me with caution before 7am, and even then only with a cup of tea in your hand!

So this year I decided to take action and try and turn my poor sleep habits around. Before you yawn (unintentional sleep pun) this is NOT a lecture about screen time limitation and phones being left 200 yards from the bed locked in a vault. We all know that blue light consumption is probably a major factor in poor sleep quality but lets focus on habits we can create rather than the ones we know we probably should crack…..

.….lets focus on habits we can create rather than the ones we know we probably should crack…..

First up, scent. And in particular Neom’s scent to sleep spray which has fast become my most reached for item on my bedside table. I’ve tried pillow mists in the past and have always been left feeling slightly underwhelmed by the effect and fragrance, which while lovely, did nothing to induce me into the land of nod. This one however is a bit of sleep inducing hero and the combination of 14 essential oils, including lavender, chamomile and patchouli spritzed liberally on my pillow, and everything else in sight, just before getting into bed, really does have a soporific effect. Even my husband has stopped rolling his eyes when I reach for it, whilst he’d never admit it I think he secretly likes the smell too…..

A combination of 14 essential oils, including lavender, chamomile and patchouli…

Next up, temperature. This is a bit of a personal one in terms of your own body but the principle applies across the board – warm but not too warm. You can play around with bedding and fabrics but the best way to signal to your whole body that it’s time to switch off is by having a warm bath. It’s no secret that I’m a massive bath advocate, I really do notice an improvement in how quickly I drift off when I’ve had a long soak especiallywhen it involves a cup or 4 of Epsom salts. There’s nothing fancy needed here, your local pharmacy, chemist or health store will all stock industrial sized bags, some fragranced some not. My current favourite, Dr Teals come in several scents – I don’t think it really makes a huge difference however as it’s the magnesium in the salt which is the sleep ingredient. Absorbed through the skin, the magnesium helps muscles relax, to aid relaxation – combine this with warmth and a little mindfulness and you’ll be counting sheep before the bath’s run cold.

Absorbed through the skin, the magnesium helps muscles relax, to aid relaxation…

And finally ritual. A concept rather than a product per se, I truly believe that the body learns and responds to routine. Having a simple but effective wind down process that gives your mind and body the green light to stop and do nothing – being consistent is key. For some it may just be teeth brushing and a few pages of a good book (or a quick scroll, you do you)….for me its my PM skincare. A solitary 10 minutes of alone time (you’d be surprised how many products you can squeeze in in this time!) in the bath room to process any events of the day whilst cleansing away the grime of the day really does signal sleep to me. And whilst I want my skincare to be functional and perform there are some inclusions which benefit my mind as well as skin…..Wildsource Apothecary’s products are the perfect bridge between both. Advocates of intentional beauty, a few drops of Night Nectar pressed into the skin offers hydration and glow, whilst the addictive Golden Hour oil has become a post bath must for my body. Inhale the dreamy scent and feel shoulder drop and weights to lift.