5 tips for a better sleep

I love sleep. Your body is able to rest and re-charge in the comfort of a warm and cosy bed that you never really want to get out of. Naps are also amazing but who really has time for them except on Sundays? Back to sleeping though, I've always found it hard to drift off peacefully, without the blue light distraction of technology or 1,000 thoughts in your head about the day's events. It's honestly like I have 100 internet tabs open in my head when my head hits the pillow.

Over the past few years though, I've come across some clever tricks and tips to help get a good head start at drifting off. Note: These are what I use to help me and I'm in no way implying that they will work for everyone or that everyone has to do them, I just wanted to share my tips to try and help others who have difficulty sleeping.

1. Try not using technology straight before bed. The blue light on phones, laptops and tablets etc give your brain the signals that it's still day time and needs to function like you are still at work/ school. Creating a darker atmosphere with dimmer lighting helps your brain to realise it's time to relax and unwind. Instead, try reading a book or a magazine, not Facebook or Daily Mail online! (My bad habit).

2. Give your digestive system a break. Eating after 7pm has always been known as a bad habit, due to the fact your metabolism slows down after 7; but it can also effect your sleep. If you're eating late, your body needs time to digest, which can keep you awake for longer. With this, try and eat before 7pm with no snacking before bed. Swapping from normal tea that contains caffeine to a herbal tea that can also aid your digestive system will help you drift off a lot easier too. Choosing one with sleep inducing extracts like lavender like this Pukka Night Time Tea is bound to get you sleeping like a baby and I personally love this brand.

3. Ever tried spritzing your pillow with a soothing scent to help you sleep? Well neither did I until I  found this wonder of product from Temple Spa. It's the Quietude Room Spray that just relaxes you as soon as you spray it. At £22 it's quite pricey for a spray, but I've used it so much and the bottle still looks full so you definitely get your money's worth. You can spray it on your pulse points, in the air or on your pillow and just breathing the smells in send you to such a relaxing place.

4. Writing down your worries and thoughts before you sleep can often help you let go of them for the night, instead of thinking about them over and over until you realise it's 3am! Once it's all written down, I leave it all on the page and try to think about nothing else but going to sleep. You don't have to keep it all, I just throw it in the bin the next day, but I get it all off my chest and often solve a lot of my problems by writing them down before bed. Writing lists of what I need the next day also gets a big worry off my chest, just the thought of forgetting something in the morning can keep me up all night!

5. Exercise! I know, I know, no one has time or can be bothered; but the simplest of routines to keep you stimulated during the day can help you sleep better at night. You know the feeling after eating your tea and could just fall on the sofa and relax for the rest of the night? Well don't! Or try not to anyway. Washing the dishes, taking a little walk around the street, tidying your room; anything mildly stimulating to ward off that drowsiness is sure to give you a better night's sleep. I often clean and organise my room on a night to keep me active so I'm extra tired and really ready for my bed.

I hope this helps anyone that can't get a good night and that you all have peaceful sleeps from now on!

Emily x

Obsession of the week- denim shirts

Wednesday's have become my obsession days, partly due to the fact it's the middle of the week and you need something to get you through to the weekend! This week I am loving denim shirts! I bought mine a while back in Asda, as I accidentally threw a darker one out last year. I know, so heartbreaking. Anyhoo, it was a lovely day so I decided to pair it with a blue floral skirt that I've had for years (one of my definite forever pieces), a chunky silver necklace from Primark and tan sandals from Schuh. Et voila! The blue hue mastered. 

Chloe S/S 2010

Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake. Katy Perry and Riff Raff. From Billboard.com

Loving the homage to Britney and Justin that Katy Perry pulled at the VMA's. It went down a treat. I would say though that this amount of denim can only be pulled off on either the red carpet or the catwalk. If you're not sure how to pull off a denim shirt there's many ways you can wear it. Wear it unbuttoned over a plain t-shirt, acting like a blazer almost; with something more fitted on the bottom like shorts, leggings or skinny jeans. If you're wanting a wider leg jean or skirt, I'd button the shirt up and tuck it in; just so you're not swamping your figure. The good thing about denim is it goes with almost any colour and anything so you can add your own personal twist without looking over the top. I'd usually go for tan sandals in the summer like these gorgeous ones from Schuh I'm currently loving called Strawberry Sundae, but it's your denim, your style.

Emily x

Monday's beauty brag

As Monday's are generally known as not a very nice day, I decided to post what I'm loving beauty wise; to make the day seem a little less glum. I've recently bought Body Shop's Honey Bronze Shimmering Dry Oil after seeing some very glamorous legs on Pinterest covered in the stuff. It smells better than biscuit flavoured fake tan, moisturises, shines, shimmers- it's just a night out saviour. For these reasons, I'm making it my first beauty brag. At £16, it's not exactly the cheapest body bronzing wonder I've come across, but a few drops of this oil go a lot further than creams and mousses. Plus, with a Body Shop card you get 10% off, making me love it even more!

Here's a photo of it on my right hand to show the difference. I did try the lighter shade on my left hand this afternoon and I think you can still see it which shows it lasts!

It's really not glittery in real life, the camera flash mixed with not giving the product time to sink in somehow gave my hand a glittery effect but it's more like a glossy, shimmery loveliness.


Emily x



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Obsession of the week- Dream catchers

I wanted to share this gorgeous dream catcher I recently bought from my trip to Greece. I've always loved them and have wanted to get one for my room but they were so difficult to find! Long story short, I saw a shop in Rhodes selling tonnes of variations of them and thought this blue and white beauty would be perfect. At £5 it just had to be mine and now takes pride of place near my bed catching all of my dreams! If you know any shops that sell them in the U.K please let me know, I could easily start hoarding them.

New moisturising saviour!

After running out of my Manuka Doctor bee venom moisturiser (which was amazing by the way), I decided to take a more mainstream approach to my skin care and see what else was out there. No joke, I was in Boots for about half an hour going up and down the same isle; inspecting every detail of every moisturiser on offer.
I've realised that I need to have separate creams for day and night as your skin's needs differ. I actually came across my night cream in my local Co- Op of all places! It's the Organic Surge Overnight Sensation which smells of lavender and helps me drift off into a peaceful moisturised sleep. Although that's not why I'm writing this post. I'm writing to talk about the miracle that is the L'oreal Skin Perfection cream. I've only been using it for about two weeks now, but it's improved my skin tone, texture, pore visibility, the lot! Another moisturiser to add to my list of saviours, I just don't know which I prefer between this and Manuka Doctor!

Henna art

I'd been seeing a lot of henna art on Pinterest of late and I've always had a secret love for it. After deciding to buy some from an Ebay shop, my sister and I spent one morning playing with different designs and patterns. For a first attempt, I'd say it went pretty well, so if anyone wants a henna tattoo I'm open for business!

This was taken while it was drying. You can see lines I made in eyeliner as a pattern to go by, which I think is a handy tip as it's not something you can freehand easily. I'd also suggest buying the cones instead of tubes, as they have more of a smaller point, making the lines thinner and the shape is easy to hold and use.

Henna cones were purchased from this page: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/191253138368?_trksid=p2060778.m2749.l2648&var=490383527727&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Kendal called... and so did the rain.

As my first post, I would like to dedicate it to the wonderful weekend I had at Kendal Calling festival. The rain poured and the grass became sludge, but the music and entertainment made it all worth while. Being my first festival, I wanted to take it all in. Flower garlands, UV face paint, fancy dress... the lot. It was amazing. If you ever want something a bit smaller than Leeds; with a lot of food choice, family friendly zones and a more chilled out vibe; then this festival is your answer. Will definitely be booking my ticket for next year.

(Note: I'm not a photographer and was probably under the influence when these photos were taken so apologies for the poor quality)