GET WINTER READY WITH A GOOD SLEEP

What does winter mean to you? To me it conjures thoughts of warm throws, dark nights, hot coco and cosy sleeps. There's nothing better than being wrapped up in bed with a good book when it's cold outdoors and hitting the snooze button for those extra few minutes before the day starts, but for me it's a place to rest my head and get winter ready with a good sleep. So when Leesa, the online mattress brand got in touch and asked if I wanted to test out their mattress I jumped at the chance to get my zzz's on.


After a few clicks of a button I ordered our King Size luxury mattress and it couldn't have been easier, all I had to do was sit back and wait for it to be delivered to my door free of charge. Now normally with a product like this I would spend time wandering around stores, listening to some sales spiel while trying to figure out what will fit through the front door.

Instead a super neat box box was delivered to our door with our mattress rolled up inside, making it easy to transport, unwrap and unroll it in the bedroom without the entailing the pivot scene from Friends.

Once unwrapped, the luxury mattress decompresses and all creases fade away leaving us to enjoy this super comfy foam mattress. It's made up from three separate layers: The bottom layer dense core support foam, the middle layer contouring foam and the top layer cooling Avena foam, all wrapped in stylish soft fabric, designed to create the perfect nights sleep.

I loved our mattress and it works perfectly for us as I'm a deep sleeper – it would literally take an earthquake to wake me – and even though I'm often the first to drop off I do tend to move around a lot which tends to wake Paul who is a light sleeper. I found that the top layer seems to absorb any movement creating a peaceful night for both of us, especially if you add a wriggly F into the mix!


Not only does Leesa give you 100 days to try out your mattress at home, ensuring you're happy with your investment and a ten year warranty, but for every ten mattresses sold Leesa donate a mattress to a shelter spreading the joy of sleep to those in need, meaning you can get a good nights sleep and a feel good factor. We loved our so much we'll be buying F one of his own and fingers crossed it will stop him coming into our bed!

Leesa are offering you £50 off your purchase when entering the promotional code wildandgrizzly40 at the checkout and I can honestly say I would definitely recommend this for a hotel bed experience at home.

*I received a mattress from Leesa for review purposes only. All words and opinions are my own.

A PERFECT SUNDAY MORNING // INTERIOR INSPIRATION

Those perfect Sunday mornings are few and far between, long gone are the days of endless lie-ins and indulgent hours spent day dreaming between the sheets, while sipping coffee and flicking through the pages of a good magazine. It’s crazy how you take such a simple act for granted. In those younger and seemingly naive years, I never saw an end to these simple pleasures, instead I whiled away the hours without much appreciation and then... BHAM! There is a small person who is not that up for me having an hour to wake up slowly on my own. Nope, it’s all about loud shouts demanding cornflakes and transformers, and any visions of sipping coffee in the comfort of my bed turns into the reality of avoiding lego, while blindly making my way bare foot through the obstacle course he’s created between me and the kettle. Thankfully he’s a cutie so it’s sweetens the deal :)

So when the lovely folks over at Loaf sent me a Lazy Linen Bundle, made of super-soft crushed Belgian linen, I jumped at the chance to indulge in a slow Sunday and enjoy a morning to myself wrapped in my luxuruious new bedding. I chose the dusty pink duvet and complimented it with a light grey sheet and pillowcase –  which start from £15 – and spruced up my king sized bed. The natural fibres are great, they keep you cool in summer and warm in winter and I love that you don't need to iron them as it's all about the natural crumpled look. That's a win win right there! Is it just me or is there something really satisfying about fresh new sheets or am I just showing my age?

So when this morning rolled round and the boys headed out into the rain, I bunked down with a freshly brewed cup of Arabica coffee, my favourite banana pancakes with maple syrup and one of my many ‘to read’ mags that lines my bedside table…oh pure bliss!

If you are a fan of pancakes but have any diary or gluten intolerance than these are the perfect snack and are super simple to make. All you need is: 1 Banana, 2 Eggs and some natural coconut oil.

To make:

• Mash up a banana in a bowl.
• Next whisk in two eggs until it looks like pancake batter.
• Add a teaspoon of coconut oil to a frying pan and heat.
• Pour a small golf ball sized dollop of pancake batter.
• Use a spatula to flip over and cook both sides and repeat.
• Serve with Canadian Maple syrup and enjoy!

I served it straight onto a wooden board to give that hotel feel and make my breakkie that little bit special and enjoyed eating it in bed, yep folks it's all about doing it for yourself. I even had time to catch up on a few of my favourite bloggers posts, write this post *insert shocked emoticon face here* and slip into the depths of pintrest for more bedroom interior inspiration.

Loaf's founder Charlie Marshall has kindly shared some bedroom styling tips to help you create your own sanctuary at home.

1)  Choose a natural bed linen - it's breathable and keeps you cool. Crushed Belgian linens work a treat as you don't have to spend hours ironing too!

2) Throw the windows open, draw your curtains or blinds right back and make the best of the natural light. A nice large mirror will help to keep the natural light bouncing around the room.

3) Flowers instantly lift a room! Spend a tenner on some freshly cut blooms and display them in old jam jars. Cheap as chips too!

4) Declutter the area around your bed and keep only the essentials on your bedside table for a calm sleep space.

I've also been watching the lovely Heather at Home vlogs and checking out her tips for decluttering, getting organised and coming up with fun interior ideas. I'm determined to make my space the perfect retreat that can enjoyed all day round, rather than snatching a moment here or there amongst the chaos. What would be your perfect Sunday morning?

I hope you've had a relaxing morning and a fab weekend! x

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?

A MORNING MOMENT

Image source Pinterest

Muffled sounds slowly seep into my ears and my mind flickers, consciousness starting to dawn. Everything begins in slow motion. The last deep sleepful breath escapes my lips and the momentary breath of wakefulness drags through. A tiny sliver of light pushes its way through heavy lids, as I slowly start to blink my way into a new day. My body then follows suit, I twitch my hand in and in one lumbered move I roll pulling the blankets with me, entwining myself into a grip I don't want to escape. Then the sounds of the day get louder, clearer. Heavy footed steps making there way to me, loud shouts for breakfast are calling me, but I want more sleep. I feel tired. The tiredness is boring me. I long to skip out of bed with some vigour but this last week I have been struggling with this cold. I can feel it dragging on me – though that could be the toddler wrapped around my leg. The weight the same. So like a million other mamas out there, I reach for the coffee and muddle through.

Check out the lovely Che & Fidel's latest post on nurturing a healthy sleep routine for you.