Sleep Well

Make sure you get your beauty sleep and sleep well?

It really is important to get a good nights sleep.

Sleep is when your body sets about maintaining itself, as the growth hormones enable our cells, (particularly skin, blood and brain cells) to renew and repair.

Research has found that failing to get enough beauty sleep increases the signs of ageing and age-linked diseases, such as diabetes.

It can also undermine your immune system, add to stress levels and have an adverse affect on your memory and attention span.

So how much beauty sleep do we need?

Some sleep experts claim we need as much as 10 hours a night, but the general consensus is that people getting 7 and a half hours beauty sleep each night are not sleep-deprived and have slept well.

How To Get A Good Nights Sleep ...

Calm, Restful, Dream Rich Sleep

• To sleep well go to bed at a regular time, preferably 8 hours before you need to wake.
• Create a calming bedtime routine, try a warm relaxing bath, get your clothes ready for the next morning and then read or listen to some peaceful music.
• Try to rid your mind of worries. Worry won't help you sleep well and it may help to take a few moments to write down reminders or plans for the next day before you enter the bedroom, and leave worries behind.
• Ensure you have a firm, supportive mattress and keep your bedroom well ventilated.
• Limit the amount of alcohol you have in the evening! You may drop off to sleep quickly after a few drinks, but they tend to cause restless sleep, leaving you jaded the next morning.
• Avoid caffeine and refined sugar in the evening as both can stimulate the body. Replace with herbal teas like camomile, water or a warm milky drink.
• Don't eat your main meal within 2 hours of going to bed and try to avoid highly spiced meals as these too are thought to have a stimulatory effect on the body.
• Aim for a little exercise every day, it'll help you work through any tensions and reduce any anxieties that might otherwise keep you awake.

A nutritious remedy for a good nights sleep.

This soup is very cooling and will balance the heat in your body. Thai Bak Choy is cooling and this soup should be boiled for the recommended time to lower the cooling properties and make it more balanced.

Tofu has phyto-oestrogenic properties that regulate any excess circulating oestrogens, which may play a part in the build-up of arterial plaque.

Ginger is warm aromatic and healthy. It is rich in Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Potassium. Ginger is an anti-spasmodic that prevents nausea and improves circulation.