Lifestyle & Wellness

People on average need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep, and women especially need to get all their hours in. We need rest to rejuvenate our systems and the average person will get better rest if they sleep when it’s dark outside. That’s why it’s so important to make the most out of all the daylight hours, so we aren’t working into the night. From night owl to early bird, here are our best tips and tricks to get you waking up every morning refreshed and ready for the day ahead. Why do we wake? The short answer? Circadian…

Our sense of smell can be one of the most important of the five senses. Our olfactory system can trigger memories, change thoughts, and make food taste... at all. Throwing in a contradictory scent can completely change a flavour. Aromatherapy, or using aromatic plant extracts and essential oils for healing and cosmetic purposes, can change your mood, put you to sleep, and even invite different kinds of dreams. For a run down of the best scents to sleep to, read on. Something smells good In the National Sleep Foundation’s 2012 Bedroom Poll, 78% of people said they were more excited for…

Toilet trips are a slightly embarrassing, but very common, disruption to our sleep. Various factors, such as your age, can make these trips more frequent. This is known as nocturia - when you wake up in the middle of your sleep to urinate. Over a third of adults over 30 make at least two bathroom trips per night. For those who struggle with sleep issues, such as insomnia, it can be difficult to fall back asleep after visiting the toilet. This leads to tiredness the next day and an overall inconsistent sleep schedule. Preventing these trips as much as you…

Lettuce has been making waves on the internet recently for its supposed link to providing good quality sleep. In particular, lettuce water is being hailed as inducing sleepiness for those who drink it. Creators on TikTok have gone viral for their videos on drinking warm lettuce water before bed, citing the drink as a miracle cure for insomnia. https://www.tiktok.com/@shapla_11/video/6968179022928809222?lang=en TikTok user shapla_11, who suffers from insomnia, received over a million likes for her glowing review. She added the lettuce to a mug of boiling water, with a peppermint teabag for flavour. She let the tea brew for 10 minutes. Hours…

A horror movie with friends may seem like a good idea at the time - a fun thrill ride at the cinema - until you get home that night. When your adrenaline is going after watching a film, it is easy for your imagination to run wild. It can be difficult to relax and get into sleep mode when you're having anxiety about who could be in your house, or what's under your bed. Even when you can get to sleep, quality sleep is not guaranteed when you're scared. Going to sleep with anxiety means that you're likely to be…

Mental imagery can be an effective way to get your brain into sleep mode. Focusing on one image can help clear your mind of buzzing thoughts around your brain and relieve anxiety. In a way, it is a form of meditation, as it involves focused relaxation that forces the mind to concentrate on one image. Sleep experts recommend these as a way to bring sleep. They can also provide relief from physical and mental pain that delay sleep. Certain mental images are scientifically proven to provide a particular boost to this process. This is sometimes known known as "guided imagery".…

Talking in your sleep can be embarrassing if you are caught by someone or even just yourself. If you share a home, you could be disturbing your partner or roommate and affect their own sleep. Most people dislike the idea of talking in their sleep, as they have little control over what they're saying. You may just be saying silly little things to yourself because of your dreams, or in some cases, may be screaming in terror and disturbing the sleep of yourself and others due to night terrors. This can lead to sleepwalking, or kicking and punching while you…