40 winks. No more, no less.

My ASMR post was popular so I've decided to carry on with the theme of sleep with some of the ways I make sure I get my full forty winks.

I don't want to recycle the usual 'have a bath, no caffeine after seven, avoid screens etc' that's obvious and frankly anyone who is having trouble sleeping probably has adjusted their routine.Even if you don't have issues sleeping, if I use the products I'm going to tell you about I have such a refreshing sleep accompanied by the really satisfying feeling of waking up easily with ... no reaching for the snooze button. Getting to sleep is half the battle, a good nights sleep is an entirely different ballgame. 

First off, I always take a drink to bed.  Tea or water. I'm not particularly sensitive to caffeine so a cup of Lady Grey doesn't stop me drifting off however my bedtime preference is the wonder brew Snore & Peace. I am utterly obsessed. I love that I only ever drink it at bedtime, its a special ritual and it's gorgeous lavender fragrance makes me yawn just thinking about it. It is not a tea as such as it doesn't contain any tea whatsoever, instead it's a organic chamomile, lemon balm and lavender infusion. I don't find it has the 'herbal' taste some teas have, I find it has quite a floral flavour. I highly recommend it and as an additional plus point the bags are in their own little envelopes which makes it so convenient for taking it away for a few days with you!

Clipper - Snore & Peace

£2.00 

20 enveloped bags

Pillow spray may seem like a overly indulgent purchase but can be so effective. I've tried several over the years and although the familiar lavender and geranium scents were relaxing none of them had the same effect as this particular spray.  The spray is targeted at restless sleepers and is a potent infusion of Lavender essential oil  as well as patchouli, wild camomile, Ho wood  and vetivert  which are released throughout the night stimulated by movements you make during slumber. It used to be available in two sizes a travel pack of miniatures and the standard bottle, I think I'm going to purchase the big bottle as it's so effective! It's a really for the good short term to help rectify your sleeping pattern.

This Works - Sleep Plus Pillow Spray

£25.00 75ml

( pictured is one of the travel miniatures but sadly they appear to be discontinued ) 

Finally write a list. Bad nights sleep for me are usually triggered by stress and over worrying about things, writing down a to do list, ideas, meal ideas can work wonders.. especially if I'm worried about forgetting something. I keep a notebook and pen in my bedside table exactly for this reason.

Let me know if you try any of these! 

Sweet dreams 😴

Rachel X

Peachesandcreambb 

ASMR .. The secret to a good nights sleep?

ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response a term used to describe a tingling sensation over the scalp and down the neck .. you may have experienced at the hairdressers or a makeup counter. It is usually triggered by soft speaking, gentle touch or watching something relaxing such as painting. Many people have experienced this since childhood but not been sure of what it is called, I think my earliest memory of AMSR is when we used to trace pictures on each others backs in the playground at Primary school... Soooo relaxing.

Although currently there is little scientific evidence the ASMR community provides a lot of anecdotal evidence to support it's effectiveness to aid sleep especially in people with PTSD, depression, anxiety and imsomina some scientists belive that ASMR may block certain stress receptors in the brain resulting in a very relaxed and restful state. It has even been suggested that the personal attention aspect of ASMR could be linked to why primates groom each other!  

There is a very strong ASMR community on YouTube with many ASMRtists producing really professional content specifically to trigger tingles by creating  videos with story readings, guided imagery, role plays... You name it there is a video for it and some videos reach over 9 million views! There is a strong emphasis that these videos are purely for relaxation, no mucky business. Although it isn't for everyone and for some people listening to soft speaking or whispering is just darn creepy ! However it does help a lot of people get a really good night sleep which is surely a great thing. 

I discovered these videos after using the Headspace app and was searching youtube for something similar as it really helped me fall asleep. I'm totally addicted now! If I've had a stressful day the best solution for it is putting on my headphones and immersing myself in a video.

I have put a list of my favourite ASMRtists below if you are interested :)

Rachel 

Peachesandcreambb 

x 

Gentle Whispering

https://m.youtube.com/#/user/GentleWhispering

Accidentally Graceful

https://m.youtube.com/user/accidentallygraceful

Whispers Lily

https://m.youtube.com/#/user/whisperslily

ASMR Angel

https://m.youtube.com/user/TheASMRAngel

The One Lilium

https://m.youtube.com/#/user/TheOneLilium

Springbok ASMR

https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC-r8XyqbggZobMiNsqgWkDg

Body Shop - Detox Bloggers Event

The body shop bloggers event at the Trafford Centre was a really good chance to ask as many questions about different products that could pop into my head without feeling like I was pestering! I attended it with Elise (piccadillypostcards).The products mainly featured in the skincare demonstration were mainly from the Seaweed Range. My current skin care regime features the Body Shop Aloe cleanser, I will expand more on this in my Body Shop favourites post though. It was a really informative evening, the staff were so lovely and answered my questions with incredibly detailed responses. The Body Shop staff are so passionate and knowledgable about their products, I love this! 

We were given a sample of the Bounce Back to Youth sleeping mask which despite it's flubber like consistency (which could take some getting used to) did make my skin really soft the next morning. I can't give a proper review as one night is no where near long enough to go off but initially very promising. The recommendation is mid twenties to really start using anti ageing product but the renewing properties of this mask could be useful for people suffering skin complaints such a acne. 

I've not been in the body shop since the Smoky Poppy range launched, oh my goodness it smells amazing so luxurious. Definitely on my wish list, I bet on a blind test people would think this was a high end scent. 

I'll try to keep this short and sweet so I don't end up repeating myself in my favourites post, I've been so busy with work recently by will get back into posting more regularly soon. Sorrrry! My little notebook is full of ideas though :)

Rachel 

Peachesandcreambb