How to get better sleep in your life

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Sleep may seem like a bit of a waste of time because as you snooze you could be answering e-mails, doing work or swiping right, but if you don’t get enough rest, you won’t do any of these things very well.

Sleep not only refreshes you and let’s your body, brain and skin recover from the day, it can also help ease depression and anxiety, decrease the illness, help with your memory, improve your immune system, prevent weight gain and make you happier and more productive.

If you want to get more sleep, and better sleep, we have some ideas that might help.

Make exercise a priority
Regular exercise that’s part of your daily life really can help you to sleep. As well as reducing stress and relieving anxiety, exercise, whether it be cardio, strength training or yoga can improve your general wellbeing, boost your mood and help your body to wind down at the end of the day so you can sleep. We wouldn’t suggest a HIT workout at 9pm, but you might find that some gentle stretches in the evening, combined with meditation, will ease tension and get you feeling more rested.

Go for de-caff
Many of us drink caffeinated drinks as a way of staying awake and alert during the day, but the downside is that this can actually keep you awake at night. Try to stop drinking caffeine heavy coffee, tea and fizzy drinks six to eight hours before bed, sipping on water and herbal teas instead, and you will be glad you did.

Make a list
You might find that making a list of things to do the next day will stop things going around in your head when you do get into bed. Another way to end your day is to list three things you have been grateful for and this means you will see just what you have accomplished and how well you are doing in life which means there is no need to lie awake worrying.

De-stress in the evening
Having a warm bath, meditating or listening to a calming app while lying in bed are all gentle ways to get you in the mood for sleep. If you can turn off your daytime worries and switch into a more relaxed mode, it will help you to get ready for sleep.

Get into a routine
You might not think it but your body craves consistency, plus you’re more likely to get enough sleep if you schedule it in the same way you do with other important tasks in your life. Set a time when you turn off screens, have slot for taking a bath or shower and set your alarm for the next day, and if you can, get up at the same time everyday so you keep things in a pattern, even better.

Create a sleeping haven
Bed is not a place for paying bills, writing reports or watching scary movies, it is a place for peace, quiet and sleep. Have clean bedding, comfortable pillows, a decent mattress, make sure the temperature works for you, get soft lighting and black out blinds and make your bedroom a place you want to be in.

Get up and stop fretting
If you don’t fall asleep after 15 minutes, why not get up until you feel ready to drift off? Don’t turn on your phone or start answering emails, instead have a warm drink, read a book, do some yoga or meditation and try to set your mind free.

If you’re still having trouble sleeping, why not speak with your doctor and see if they can help you get back on track.

Team Pure Beauty

Great books for a happy 2018

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#1 New York Times bestselling author, activities, Amazon, ‘Lose Weight for Good: Full-flavour cooking for a low-calorie diet’, ‘The Wellbeing Journal’, baked doughnuts with sweet five-spice dust, beautiful pages, block to happiness, books, buy me, drawing prompts, exercise routines, fallen in love, Fat-Loss Plan, Favourites, fit, fitter, four million followers, Gabrielle Bernstein, gorgeous book, grounded, happier, healthier, healthy body, home, inner peace, inspirational quotes, January, Joe Wicks, Judgement Detox: Release the Beliefs That Hold You Back from Living a Better Life, Kate Moss, lean, life coach, Lily Cole, look after yourself, lose weight, low-fat recipes, meditating, mental health charity, Michelin-starred chef, mind, modern day, motivated, Nadia Narain and Katia Narain Phillips, New Year, personal weight loss journey, recipes, regular hot baths, Self Care for the Real World, self preservation, share, Sienna Miller, six-step programme, social media, start, steak taco with lime salsa, sticky pork chops, sweet potato and black bean burritos, sweet treats, Tom Kerridge, veggie super bowl, warm halloumi salad, work clothes, yoga

It’s the start of a new year so if you go into any bookshop or look online there are a whole host of books promising a healthier, fitter, happier you.

We thought we would share our favourites, so you can buy something you think will work for you.

With an enthusiasm for life and an impressive mop of dark curls, Joe Wicks has yet another book out in 2018. Inside the glossy cover of his ‘Fat-Loss Plan’ are a series of recipes and exercise routines that are designed to help you achieve a fit, lean and healthy body. We love the steak taco with lime salsa, we are pretty partial to his goodness packed veggie super bowl and are impressed that he has included some sweet treats to keep you motivated on those dark January nights. With more than four million followers on social media, we are pretty sure this book will be as much of a success as the others.

With endorsements from Kate Moss, Sienna Miller and Lily Cole, it is little wonder that ‘Self Care for the Real World’ is flying off book shelves around the world. Sisters, Nadia Narain and Katia Narain Phillips, use this book to get to the heart of how to look after yourself if you often putting others first. From changing out of your work clothes when you get home, to having regular hot baths and meditating, this fantastic book shows you that even when the waves of life are high, you can keep grounded and well. We think this self-preservation read has ‘buy me’ written all over it.

For something a bit different, we love the Judgement Detox: Release the Beliefs That Hold You Back from Living a Better Life. By Gabrielle Bernstein, a life coach and #1 New York Times bestselling author, this book explores the notion of being judged as well as judging others, something that is part of modern-day and a block to happiness for many. Bernstein uses a six-step programme that includes yoga, meditation and other healing teachings to allow readers to let go of judgement and find inner peace.

Even if you don’t want to lose weight, Michelin-starred chef, Tom Kerridge has a new book out full of low-fat recipes that are beyond tasty. His experiences in the kitchen have been blended with a personal weight loss journey and the results on the pages of ‘Lose Weight for Good: Full-flavour cooking for a low-calorie diet’ are amazing. The warm halloumi salad, sweet potato and black bean burritos and sticky pork chops are good but for us the winner has to be the baked doughnuts with sweet five-spice dust. Genius!

Journaling isn’t anything new, but we have fallen in love with the ‘The Wellbeing Journal’ that’s been created in partnership with the mental health charity, Mind. The beautiful pages of this gorgeous book include activities, drawing prompts, inspirational quotes together with space for writing and reflecting on your thoughts so you can have a more creative, positive life.

Team Pure-Beauty