If there’s one thing in life that we all strive for and need, it’s a good night’s sleep. We each have different sleeping patterns and body clocks, but there are some simple adjustments you can make and products you can buy to help you feel more comfortable, sleepy and well rested.
Room Ambience
Let’s start with a simple one, is your bedroom a clutter free, calm space? For me, this is absolutely essential. Your bedroom is the one part of your home where you should feel like you can retire to and shut out the rest of the world. Try to keep your space a neutral palette of colours, not a bright colour that’s going to stimulate your mind. Whites, greys, and silvers to me, are the epitome of tranquillity.
Bedding
Now let’s consider your bedding. Of course we all want out bedding to look pretty but is it comfortable? Invest in luxurious materials that wash well and feel great. Look for bedding and pillow cases that mention ‘thread count’. The higher the thread count, the softer the material will feel and wear over time. The numbers range from 200-1000 generally and quality hotels tend to have the highest count, making you feel like you’re wrapped in a cloud. Lately I’ve been loving a set from Dunelm’s collaboration with Holly Willoughby in the colour ‘fawn’. My husband agrees that it is simply so soft and comfortable and I highly recommend it! It is beautifully feminine and spring like.
Loungewear
What you choose to wear to bed is also important. I love nothing more than buying a fresh new pair of pyjamas and in winter, wooly socks. I like to wear cosy lounge wear, but have the windows open! I think I drive my husband crazy as I also like to have my heating on full blast whilst driving and my heated seats on, but have my window open. I want to be warm and toasty, but I also want fresh air! Perhaps the most decedent but most loved item I have in my loungewear collection are these cashmere socks from The White Company. Just read the reviews! I dream of investing in their cashmere joggers one day…
Black out blinds
Our bedroom is a converted attic with Velux windows. We slept up there for almost a year before investing in proper black out blinds. The sun would stream in through the roof tops in the morning and I hated it! Why it took us so long, I don’t know. But when we fitted our black out blinds I actually had butterflies in my stomach to go to sleep! To wake up on the brightest of mornings to pitch black was heavenly! What a difference it made to me quality of sleep. Although I do sometimes miss watching the stars as I fall asleep! Ours are from Vale Blinds and they are fantastic! No light gets through at all.
Pillow Mist
You will have heard me talk about pillow mists on my Instagram Stories. I think I’m addicted! I need to have a relaxing, delicate lavender scent on my bedding and pillow case to drift off. I have three brands that I love – This Works deep sleep pillow spray (LINK), Soul Candles Relax room spray (LINK)Â and my favourite – Tropic’s So Sleepy pillow mist (LINK). This works specialise in this area and have an array of products if the spray doesn’t work for you. They have sleep balms, hair elixirs and even a sleepy shower gel! Imagine combining them all!
Room Scent
Whilst we’re on the subject of dreamy scents, I love my bedroom to smell amazing too. But I choose softer, more delicate notes from the rest of my home. Some of my favourite relaxing candles are Daisyblue Thai Lemongrass (LINK) and Yankee Candle White Tea (LINK). Both of these scents are fresh and give me spa vibes. I love to light a candle whilst relaxing reading a book or watching some Netflix in bed! I also have my Scensty warmer on the go at all times. The beauty of these are that you can leave them on overnight, they don’t get too hot, they simply warm the wax for a slow release and long lasting fragrance. They have one especially for night time called ‘Jammy time’ and I also enjoy ‘Clothesline’ as it smells of fresh laundry. I buy all of my Scentsy products from Carrie (LINK) who will ship across the UK and get you the best deals.
Create a snuggly nest
Layer your bed with cosy, soft fabrics. I have an array of throws and blankest which I rotate for the changing season. My favourite is this beautiful silky soft throw in Mimi Faux Fur from The French Bedroom Company. I also have an abundance of cushions and pillows, some of which are purely for show, others I use to build my nest! Sometimes I just like to cuddle a soft cushion as I drift off to sleep. In the winter I love to take a hot water bottle to bed, or I lay it inside side my bed before getting in. I love to buy a new one each year, preferably wrapped in faux fur to cuddle into. Layer your favourites and dive in!
Make yourself a warm drink and read….
I love to sit up in bed before I go to sleep with a warm milky drink. If I’m really treating myself I have a Green and Blacks hot chocolate, it’s the best. Why not be decedent and add some mini marshmallows and whipped cream? Heaven. However, it’s not something you can do too often of course! Why not have a relaxing cup of tea or warm milk? It’s so comforting to take some time just for you. I tend to read a book whilst I have my warm drink, or, I have to admit, I’ll browse on my phone. They do say to avoid technology, which sounds entirely sensible, but let’s be honest, how many of us are going to follow that rule? But if you’re having trouble falling asleep, try and read a book before bed. Nothing makes me more sleepy and I love that feeling when my eyelids become unbearably heavy and there’s nothing left to do but throw my book on the bedroom floor!
Run yourself a warm bubble bath
Sometimes I tell myself that I simply don’t have time for a bath and jump in for a quick shower instead. However, it’s important to make that time. There are a plethora of gorgeous products on the market designed just for an evening bath to help you relax and feel very sleepy indeed. Oils, foams, salts – you name it. If you want to really push the boat out and have an ultra relaxing soak, try Neom Perfect Night’s Sleep Bath and Shower drops (LINK). It smells divine – English lavender, sweet basil and jasmine. It promises to deliver therapeutic benefits to the mind and body, boasting a calm effect whilst keeping the skin supple. What a beautiful gift this would make for a new mum. For a more purse friendly alternative, try some Epsom Salts (LINK). When dissolved in warm water, the magnesium is absorbed through the skin, helping to replenish magnesium levels in the body. Magnesium helps you feel calm and relaxed and is thought to help you sleep and decrease irritability. It has lots of other benefits such as helping with muscles and joints and is readily available, give it a try! I keep them in a huge glass jar by my bath.
Relaxing skin care
I have an in depth skin care routine which you can find here. But there are certain products that feel and smell so wonderfully relaxing. I love to use Kiehls Midnight Recovery Oil (LINK) before bed. It smells of lavender and feels just delicious to massage into the skin before bed. When I have time, I like to give myself a little facial with my night oil, your skin will thank you for it in the morning. For moisturising my body, I love Lush’s sleepy lotion (LINK). The internet went crazy for this stuff last year. There was so much hype it almost put me off – was it all a big clever marketing ploy? I had to try it for myself and boy am I glad I did! Whether you believe that this can truly help you sleep or not could be disputed, but what’s not to love about a rich, buttery cream scented with lavender and a touch of oats (to my nose!) People swear by this stuff, read the rave reviews online. Many mother’s claim this help their babies and toddlers to sleep solidly through the night, Got to be worth a try, right?
Mattress
Now I’ve left my last tip until last. It seems obvious, but when was the last time you changed your mattress? Experts tell us to invest in a brand new one every eight years. We’ve all stayed in a fancy hotel and had the best night’s sleep as they tend to have such quality mattresses. Why wouldn’t you ensure you have that in your own home so that you can enjoy that every night? If you can invest your money in something that you’ll truly benefit from every single day, it’s your mattress. I read a quote once which read
‘Invest your money in your shoes and your mattress, as if you’re not in one, you’re in the other’
Now, I have found the best mattress from a company called Emma. My daughter has one and I cannot even tell you how wonderful it is. I lay in her bed every night to read her the latest David Walliam’s novel and often I fall asleep in beside her. It is a dream. So when moving Leo into his ‘big boy bed’, I knew that I wanted the exact same one. One of the great things about Emma, is that the mattress comes rolled into a box. No more struggling to carry a huge mattress upstairs! Before I had been introduced to Emma, It took three men, a lot of sweat and downright anxiety (on my part) to carry our king sized mattress up three flights of stairs. What a cumbersome job it was. I was terrified the bulky packaging would scrape off my newly papered walls! So, with Emma, you can live on the top floor of your building and you’ll get your boxed mattress up there with ease. A bed in a box? It doesn’t get easier than that.
You then have the pleasure of unwrapping your new mattress onto a flat surface and watch it expand before your eyes. I have no idea how they do it! But after a few hours, your new mattress is ready to be slept on. There’s also free delivery on all orders and they won the ‘Which? Best Buy’ Mattress of the year 2017. It also comes with a 10 year guarantee and a 100 night test at no risk, so if you decide it’s not for you, return it at no cost!
The mattress has four special layers ensuring you are as supported and rested as possible. It adjusts itself to your body perfectly with a progressive sinking technology ensuring you have the sweetest of dreams!
Emma have very kindly offered my readers a whopping £100 discount using the code PEONY100 which will be valid until 31th May 2018.
Just writing this post has made me feel relaxed and sleepy. I hope that reading this has made you feel the same. That is, if you’re at home and ready to take yourself off to bed!
Sweet dreams my lovelies….
Love
*This post was in collaboration with Emma Mattress