HOW WELL DO YOU SLEEP? NATURAL SLEEP REMEDIES & ULTIMATE SLEEP GUIDE

Ever since the miscarriage, truth be told my sleep has been all over the place and I seem to be continuously sporting dark circles, bags and even a small suitcase under these eyes of mine. Imagine my horror as I approached the Chanel counter *insert me swooning over their product* in the hopes of a miracle cover up, only to be told that 'Darling Chanel can't fix this' and a circular finger motion that indicates the lady at the counter is not going near these bad boys. Oh how I laughed, then secretly had a little cry, being told by a relative stranger that you need sleep and water is the wake up call I needed to try and look after myself.

My sleeping habits tend to be completely erratic, some nights I'll fall into a restful slumber, others I'll struggle to drop off or most likely I'm tempted by the soft glow of the iPhone. Either way bedtime doesn't start until midnight or there after, and with a small boy to wake me in the early hours I'm not doing myself any favours.

So when Barker & Stonehouse asked me to trial some natural sleep remedies over a month as part of their Ultimate Sleep Guide I was all for it. I was sent a box of natural goodies to try once a week and feedback on how well it helped my nights. Each product was easy to use and it was interesting to see the difference each one. Here's a little weekly break down of my sleeping habits:

Week 1 - Relaxation CD
At first I found having music on after the lights went out a little strange, but once I focused on the soft wave sounds and let the melody wash over me it was very relaxing, and I found I was able to fall asleep very quickly. I didn't even wake when the music stopped! I would definitely say this is a great way to help those who struggle falling asleep.

Week 2 - Lavender Pillow Spray
It was interesting using a scent to help me sleep, I didn't do as well with the lavender but I think that's due to the association I have with the smell. At first I used too much and found it quite overwhelming when using it on my pillow, which meant I was struggling to get comfortable, however after I used a tiny amount and let it air off before bed, I did find it a little relaxing.

Week 3 - Cherry Juice
I was quite excited to try the cherry juice drink as I love cherries and I know the health benefits of this super food and how it supports healthy sleep. I found it very easy to use, I mean who doesn't like a fruit drink? Although I can't say it helped me fall asleep quicker, I certainly felt rested on waking, which in turn made me feel good throughout the day. I'm pretty sure this was doing some good but it didn't help me relax and switch off.

Week 4 - Hot Bath
This was probably the most effective at getting me to drop off quickly. I'm normally a shower person, using it to wake up in the morning. Using a hot bath with candles at night meant I got my body into a good night time routine and I found myself relaxing as the evening drew near. It did make me feel super sleepy and ready for bed, and I found I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Overall it was interesting to see the part each natural remedy played in having a healthy nights sleep. For me I think having a routine which allows me to switch of mentally plays an important role, plus being in bed at a reasonable time rather than my usual 1.30am habit.

I always forget how important sleep is, aiding your body and brain to reset itself for a new day and process the 24 hours just gone. It effects everything from your weight, skin, concentration levels, moods...to be honest I'm surprised I've managed to function this long without a good rest. Thankfully taking part in this campaign has really helped me see the importance in switching off and taking care of myself.

How well do you sleep? Do you think natural remedies might help you drift off?

CLEANSING GINGER AND LEMONGRASS TEA RECIPE

If I had shares in coffee companies I would be laughing all the way to the bank –  no joke – with my current caffeine consumption at an all time high, I swear I'm single-handedly keeping the industry afloat. Every now and again it's good to curb my intake and take stock of my habit, making room for cleansing teas and detoxifying drinks to help boost my immune system and keep me from the jitters. So I thought it would be good to post about my current health kick in an attempt to get back on track, with this cleansing Ginger and Lemongrass Tea.

I've noticed that my taste for good old English Breakfast tea has totally left me and I only seem to manage a cup of builders tea when in the throws of a hangover *shhhh*, instead opting for a cup of boiled water if I fancy a hot drink. Now although this is good for you it can get a little boring, you can imagine the conversation at friends houses over a good gossip:

 them: "ooh do you fancy a cuppa?' 

me: "mmm yes please can I have a cup of *ahem* boiled water"

 them: ".....erm yeah...sure...do you want a tea bag with that?'

So why Ginger and  Lemongrass tea? Well it packs a punch with anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, disinfectant and diuretic properties that allow you to detoxify the pancreas, kidneys, bladder and the digestive tract, while helping you eliminate excess fat much faster and reduce water retention in the body amongst other amazing health benefits. Plus when made with filtered water you know you're getting the healthiest version of this hot beverage.

It's easy to make, all you need is:

• 4-6 thin slices raw ginger

• 250-375ml water

• 1-2 tbsp honey or agave nectar

• 2 lemon slices

• 1 stick lemongrass, outer leaves removed

To make, simply peel the ginger and add to a pot of water, allowing it to boil for around 10 minutes to release the flavour and goodness. Pour into your cup or glass and add a couple of slices of lemon and sweeten with a little algarve honey. Serve with a stick of lemongrass. Alternatively to create an intense flavour crush the lemongrass with the flat side of a knife and boil alongside the ginger to create your tea. 

Now I'm not crazy enough to give up coffee completely, but I am trying to alternate my drinks in the hopes of helping kick start my health routine after a stressful few months. Kinetico have released a simple water recipe book which is free to download and is packed with refreshing summer drinks that give water a fun twist.  

*This is a collaborative post.

MY PERSONAL FITNESS JOURNEY AND EATING HEALTHY

Over the last eight weeks I've been really focusing on getting fit and have been making dramatic changes to my eating habits. So far I've been keeping this rather quiet on the blog and IG, but I have been inspired by friends/lovely bloggers who are also on a personal fitness journey such, Keri-Anne  Gingerlilly Tea, Hayley from Southwood Stores and Catherine from The Triple Triangle, to get myself into shape. After a very over indulgent Christmas full of rich food, chocolates and crisps, I was left feeling sluggish, tired and not fitting into my usual clothes, but now spring is here I want to get back in control of my bad habits.  

I've never really been one to do sports, at school I was the kid that was last at every sport in P.E and being naturally slim I've not really paid much attention to what I eat, but as I get older I'm becoming concious of being a good role model for F when it comes to healthy eating and exercise. 

So for the last month or so I've been exercising 25 minutess a day and trying to swap meals for healthier options, using Deliciously Ella for inspiration and using an eat clean diet where possible, making sure to avoid any processed food, sugars, dairy and wheat. 

I've created a seperate IG account to keep track of my fitness progress and snap pics of my meals to keep me motivated, and I'm using my FitBit to track my progress too. 

I find exercising makes me feel happier, probably all those endorphins being released, and making smarter choices with food has really boosted my energy levels. Here are some of my recent meals:1. Fruit! I've been using fruit as a snack rather than reaching for biscuits, crisps and cakes. Plus F really enjoys coming along for the fruit haul. 2. Raw energy Coconut and Cacao Bites from Deliciosly Ella. I made a load of these with F and keep them in the fridge incase I need a boost. 3. For lunch I've been eating more open sandwiches. My favourite is Organic wholemeal Sunflower Rye Bread, avocado, tuna, sprouting lentils and tomatoes.4. Breakfast has always been a tricky one for me as it is the meal I tend skip even though it's the most important. Instead I've been trying to have an energy filled start to the day with a bowl of porridge made with Almond milk, topped with cinnamon, whole almonds and poppy seeds. 5. I have rediscovered my love for salads with this healthy Nicoise Salad made with tuna, sprouting beans instead of olives and potato, fresh peppers, egg and poppy seeds.6. Homemade soups for lunch are great as they are healthy and filling. I've been trying different recipes and always accompany it with some fruit and hot lemon water.7. Pomegranates are one of my favourite things to snack on in front of the TV. This is my weakness as I want to eat lots of crisps and dips, but as this fruit is fiddly it occupies me while wanting to snack and it's super tasty too. I'm really hoping to stick to this new way of living and I have invested in some work out gear and equipment to get me going. I'm going to post once a month about what I've been eating and also a bit more about my workout routines to keep a log of my progress and in the hopes it might be inspiring. I hope you'll follow me along my journey.

KICK START JANUARY WITH THE FITBIT CHARGE

So here we are again, the month where we all make promises to quit this and stop that, to do more exercise and eat less, to swap our vino for water, the whole shebang. January is renowned for the month that we are told to basically do better, to dust ourselves off from the heavy carb loaded christmas and alcoholic tendencies of New Years Eve and make a new you.

Don't get me wrong I love a clean slate so to speak. But truthfully it's not as if your body resets to factory mode on the strike of midnight come NYE, to be healthy you have to work at it. Not a fad or an half hearted attempt to have a dry month only to last until the weekend. No wonder most people fall at the first hurdle! With me I'm an all or nothing girl, so when it comes to making healthy choices it's hard to reach the perfect middle ground.

Where I lack motivation is:

Sleep – I think it's enough but it's definitely not enough.
Healthy food – Sporadic. Either a health fest with eat clean tendencies or you can find me in Dorito heaven.
Exercise – Running around after a four year old counts as this right?!
Fluids – Water? erm what's that again...oh you mean coffee yes?

So when I was asked to test out the Fitbit Charge, a wireless activity wristband, I didn't know what to expect or how it would impact my day to day lifestyle. Well it has, so much that I think I'm a little bit in love with it, in fact it's like having a personal trainer on your wrist!

The Fitbit Charge is sleek in design, lightweight and splash proof, and basically looks like you're wearing a really cool watch. It's super easy to set up with a free downloadable app for your phone or computer where you enter your details such as: Gender, weight, height, date of birth and you're all set.

It's that easy. You literally wear it all day and night and use your bluetooth to sync the info to your app. So I've been using my iPhone to chart my progress and achieve the daily milestones: walk 10K steps a day, 30 minutes of active minutes, plenty of water etc. as recommended by the government for a healthy lifestyle.

The Fitbit Charge will log your steps automatically as well as stairs climbed, calories burned, distance in km walked, active minutes, calories eaten, water consumed and it also logs your sleep and for me this is a biggie. It tells you how many hours you slept and during that how many minutes were restless and any periods you were awake. So all that sleep I thought I was getting, erm not so much.

When I first started inputting how much water I was intaking I was horrified to realise that it equalled 200ml, that's a cups worth. So all that lack of energy, feeling groggy and headaches was down to dehydration. Even though I feel like I'm drinking a ridiculous amount of water I'm still only filling up on 1100ml a day, just over halfway to my daily recommended target.

Having something which easily allows you to see your daily activities and celebrates your milestones certainly changes your way of thinking about your health plus you can share your results on your social platforms too. If your arms are full of shopping/ a hundred and one things there is even caller ID synced with your phone. One glance and you know whether it's worth dropping all those bags for.

I love the Fitbit Charge and if you want to hear me chat about it some more and other wearable fitness technology then I will be live tonight at 19:00 hours GMT on a google hangout hosted by Faya from Fitness on Toast for Argos with me, David from MensRunning and Liina from Mind Over Matter. You can use the link to tune in and find out which Fit Tech is best for you, otherwise you can find more information about wearable technology at Argos

*This post is in association with Argos.

23/52

"A portrait of my son, once a week, every week, in 2014."

F: A day of simple pleasures as he runs happily in the sun, his only concern a melting ice-lolly.

Those who are regular readers of this blog will have noticed my absence from it over the last few weeks, it has not been from a lack of wanting to write and share but more of an inability to clear my mind and straighten my thoughts. So as deadlines come and go, I am taking time to be kind to myself and take positive steps, while feeling grateful for this boy and his deep belly laughs.

Linking in with Jodi

GIVE ME LEMONS AND ROSES

I've finally returned to the land of the living after suffering with F's sick bug for what seems like forever. The beginning of last week held such potential: birthday celebrations, anniversary fun, cinema trips, drinks out with friends, all to be cancelled with the onset of extreme nausea and vomiting. Now I can handle most illnesses, give me a cold, aches and pains anytime, but sickness I can't do. For three days nothing but warm lemon water passed my lips and I filled the house with pink roses to lift my spirits.

After inadvertently detoxing I now feel extremely healthy. I have dropped a few pounds, can fit into those super skinny jeans and I have rescheduled the fun.

What things make you feel better when you're sick?