19 minute read
6 steps to better sleep
HEALTH 6steps to better sleep
Pillowsprays founder and sleep psychology expert Steven Crumblehulme believes a good night’s sleep is the foundation of a healthy body and mind. Here are his top tips…
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Light – get plenty of natural daylight during the day to help balance circadian rhythms
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Caffeine – try to avoid caffeine after midday, as this can negatively affect sleep quality 3 Screen time – a hard one but try to limit device use in the 90 minutes before bed. Light from such devices can disrupt your sleep cycle 4 Routine – whether it’s reading a book, or listening to calming music, a bedtime routine can prepare your body for sleep 5 Deep breathing – take some deep breaths and breathe out for longer than you breathe in. This kick starts your ‘rest and digest’ nervous system
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Temperature – a cool bedroom will increase your chances of sleeping better.
Sweet dreams
Natural sleep aids to help you drift off
In his work as a psychologist and reflexologist, Steven Crumblehulme continues to see the impact poor sleep has on peoples’ mental and physical wellbeing. He has since launched Pillowsprays, a series of natural sleep aids using premium essential oils which are not only organic, but vegan and cruelty-free. www.pillowsprays.co.uk
The new yu-nu sleep mask works its magic while you dream and features the same antioxidants found in fresh fruit and vegetables. It helps to replenish and restore skin cells damaged by ageing, as well as maintaining a balanced skin microbiome. The super-soft fabric blocks out any unwanted light to reduce distractions and disturbance throughout the night, creating a relaxing sleep environment. www.nanusleep.co.uk
Sleep specialist Mela has launched an all-new eucalyptus range that combines cloud-like comfort and built-in cool, to guarantee a great night’s sleep. The coolto-the-touch eucalyptus fabric is more breathable than cotton and feels even softer than silk. And, as eucalyptus fibres contain no essential oils and only natural ingredients are used to make Mela’s dyes, it’s safe for kids and pets too. Eucalyptus naturally repels dust mites and mould, producing a hypoallergenic product that helps keep stuffiness at bay for a more restful night. It also stays fresher for longer. The collection includes a duvet, bedding set, weighted blanket and eye mask. www.melacomfort.co.uk
The aromatherapy experts at Tisserand recommend a regular downtime routine before bed. For one week, trial users followed the Tisserand Aromatherapy 3- step pre-bed ritual, starting with a warm bath infused with the Sleep Well Bath Oil, followed by application of the Massage & Body Oil. Finally, users were asked to spray the Pillow Mist on their bed linen before sleep. 92% of users found it easier to get to sleep, and 89% found it easier to stay asleep. www.tisserand.com
VITAMINS FOR EVERY STAGE OF LIFE
Pregnancy For vegans, it can feel a little more challenging to get the vital nutrition needed during pregnancy. An easy way to make sure your vitamin and mineral levels are maintained is to take a supplement specially developed for pregnant women. Try Veganicity Pregnancy Essentials from veganicity.com
Kids Kids don’t always eat what’s good for them. Support their nutritional needs with some yummy gummies like Vitabiotics Wellkid Marvel Multi-Vit Children’s Vitamins. Available from Superdrug. Teens Adolescence is when healthy eating habits and physical activity should be at their peak but for some teenagers, it goes the opposite way. In fact, one in four school pupils aged 11-15 is obese. Support their growth and development with this Teenage Pack from healthplus.co.uk
Vegans Vegetology is a range of plant-based, vegan and vegetarian supplements. Their exclusive vegan Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) is derived from an organic plant source called a Lichen and it is this that makes up their Vitashine range. www.vegetology.com Active Women An active woman has greater nutritional needs than those who live a sedentary lifestyle, so if you exercise regularly and want to make sure your body is getting all the nutrients it needs, you might benefit from Active Woman Multivitamins. www.bio-synergy.co.uk
Later life Cartilage, muscle and bone health are vital to our wellbeing. JointVie is the result of extensive research into key active ingredients and is ideal for those with an active lifestyle, or later in life. www.vegetology.com
Season of transition Reflect, take heart and boldly go forward
Embracing change in your yoga practices can support building better resilience, insight, movement and strength, writes Lindsey Porter
One of the great things about the vast range of different yoga practices, from the movement of the body to working with the touch of the hands and different ways of breathing, is the way in which they can be adapted. Practices can be altered to suit the season, time, need of the person. And it’s within these changing practices we can be reminded of the wise saying, ‘trees that blow in the wind grow the strongest roots’. In our current climate of global turbulence, we can continue to work with our yoga practices to support and guide us through change, continuous and often uncertain changes. Starting small and building up is also good and here are two yoga practices to incorporate into your routines to play with in supporting yourself on and off the mat during the season. 1. Reflect and take heart It can be useful to take a moment, some time to absorb what’s been the processes, the journey that brought you to where you are now. To help the gathering of awareness and move towards acceptance practice this heart-centred mudra, hand gesture – Hridaya Mudra. Guidance to get you started: 1. Be seated in a comfortable position 2. Settle the breath. Close your eyes or soften your gaze 3. Bring hands into Hridaya mudra: fold the index finger to the base of the thumb. Bring the tips of the middle and ring finger to the tip of the thumb, allow little finger to remain out and lengthened. 4. Sit quietly, breathing gently for a few minutes.
Repeat frequently.
2. Boldly go forwards We may not be sure or certain about some things and we may be sidetracked by events as they un-fold. However, we can set a clear authentic intention and be there as it unfolds, growing and evolving. Practice this chest, heart opening move, expanding across the pectoral muscles, accompanied by a strong strap of some sort and a sturdy door. If you find visualisations useful in your postures I often like to think of being a figurehead on the bow of a ship in this position which were seen as the embodiment of the spirit of the vessel, offering protection and safeguarding its journeys. Guidance to get you started: 1. Find a suitable, sturdy door with handles that you can wrap a strap around 2. Secure strap around the handles on both sides and firmly hold one end of the strap in each hand, facing away from the door 3. Ground through your feet 4. Gently draw your shoulder back, engage your core to protect your lower back and allow your chest to lead forwards, allowing space and comfort in the neck and throat areas. NOTE: always listen to your body and do only what feel comfortable and right for you. Seek guidance from your physician if in doubt.
PICTURES: Sarah-Alexandra Teodorescu @lifeisjustastorywritten LOCATION: Calm On Canning Street, Edinburgh www.calmoncanningstreet.com
Reader Offer: 20% OFF Asquith activewear
Lindsey is pictured wearing Asquith activewear, which is made from organic bamboo and designed for yoga, Pilates, sports and living in. Claim 20% off the range using the code: HOLISTIC10 at www.asquithlondon.com
Lindsey is a yoga teacher and founder of Yoga Nu U, based in central Scotland.
She runs yoga classes and workshops throughout Scotland and is a Yoga Scotland Foundation course tutor, author, podcaster and mental health and wellbeing advocate. She is also a finalist in the Wellbeing Ambassador of the Year category of the Holistic Scotland Magazine Wellbeing Awards. www.yoganuu.com
HOME Clean team
Avoid chemical overload with these natural household alternatives
Ditch air fresheners with toxic levels of VOC’s and artificial fragrance by switching to Puressentiel’s Purifying Air Spray, which has been proven to: •
Reduce viable cells of bacteria, including staphylococcus and
E-coli, by 100,000
Reduce viable cells of fungal spores caused by the likes of candida and apserigillus niger by 10,000
Kill 100% of dust mites on carpets and mattresses within an hour
Improve lung function in 53 patients with a history of respiratory symptoms after 4 weeks of use Unlike conventional air fresheners, the spray’s unique combination of 41 essential oils help to improve air quality without adding to the cocktail of toxins present in most indoor environments. www.uk.puressentiel.com
Ditch furniture polish sprays for Bio-D’s new 100% natural, plant-based, cruelty free and vegan alternative. The polish is made from plant wax blended with natural olive and linseed oils and is ideal for nourishing, feeding and protecting indoor wood. www.biod.co.uk Switch your regular room spray for Smelly Trees. Created in Fife by Scottish actress, producer and yoga teacher Carina Birrell, the spray is a sustainable, ethical and natural unisex fragrance that can be used on you, your home, fabric or anytime you just want to breathe in a deep breath of fresh forest aromas. It’s made with a unique blend of pure, responsibly harvested conifer tree oils blended with lavender and eucalyptus and is reminiscent of Scottish woodland. A tree is planted for every bottle sold. www.smellytrees.co.uk
Breathe better by choosing plant, soy or beeswax candles rather than paraffin – and make sure they only contain essential oils or natural fragrance rather than parfum. The Bampton House range of aromatherapy candles are hand-poured natural soy candles with carefully chosen essential oils for their therapeutic benefits. www.bamptonhouse.co.uk
A nose for nature Scientific studies have shown that simply smelling the antimicrobial essential oils (phytoncides) contained within conifer tree oils - in particular certain types of Spruce, found in Smelly Trees - has also been shown to; boost the immune system, help us sleep better, stimulate our vagus nerve, and in turn the parasympathetic nervous system, helping us relax and heal, lower stress levels, boost our moods and improve heart rate variability.
A breath of fresh air?
We think of our homes as safe havens, but poor indoor air quality is helping to drive an epidemic of respiratory disease, according to a new report by Puressentiel. Air quality tests show that indoor pollution levels are worse than outdoors. • The number of people diagnosed with COPD has jumped by 27% in a decade • One in five households includes someone with asthma • Asthma deaths have leapt by 20% in five years • Tests on four average homes found indoor pollution was 3.5 times higher than levels “The one choice outside people can make is • Checks on 47 homes around the UK found almost half (45%) had hazardous levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to use fewer chemical products in their • Public Health England estimates pollution lives, says Professor kills between 28,000 and 36,000 people in Joost de Gouw the UK every year Some scientists are calling for traffic lightstyle health warnings on air fresheners, from the University of Colorado cleaning products, deodorants and other Boulder, who is products which release VOCs into the air. an international pollution expert.”
Redefining Wellness
Ill health is cruel, heart-breaking and can change your life in an instant
Bien Etre founder Elizabeth O’Brien Gore
True wellbeing means much more than how often we work out and making sure we eat our fivea-day. It involves a complex system of multiple, interconnected dimensions such as building a meaningful career, how our friends and family influence our decisions and even our sex lives. When adequately balanced, they can lead to a superior quality of life. It’s only when one of them is neglected for an extended length of time that bad things start to happen and, as they all overlap and affect each other, can have a detrimental effect on our overall health. Bien Etre Retreats is a growing community of wellness activists challenging the misunderstood concept of health and wellbeing. Its retreat programme has been designed around the above proven concept and is at the centre of everything it does.
Toby Maguire
Lower back pain, workplace stress, social anxiety and diabetes are all becoming part of many people’s everyday lives. In 2015, it was reported that over 95% of the world’s population is living with health problems, a bit too much for Bien Etre’s liking.
Bien Etre is on a mission to educate the world on the wellness space and its many dimensions, inspiring people to form mental shifts towards healthier, happier and more fulfilling lives. By installing life-long changes and giving people the necessary skills to shape their dream lifestyle, Bien Etre believes
Get a taste of multi-dimensional wellness and take your first step towards your optimum lifestyle of pure intention and purpose by following Bien Etre on Instagram: @bienetreretreats
that every person should experience the best version of themselves and reach their full potential.
Its retreats in the Southern Alps are led by Toby Maguire, a well-known health and wellness consultant and stress management expert with more than 20 years’ experience working in the healing arts. With a Master’s in Wellness and having lived in South East Asia for 13 years, Toby became a Qi Gong and Tai Chi teacher, studied meditation and Chinese medicine and has been a resident practitioner in some of the world’s most reputable health and wellness resorts, including Sha Wellness, Six Senses, Aman resorts and Mandarin Oriental. He also holds a Master’s degree in Wellness.
But it doesn’t end there. Toby has studied hypnotherapy, acupuncture and nutrition and has worked with
Bien Etre’s menu – developed by its own nutritional therapist, Oonagh English - is designed around the Mediterranean diet – claimed to be one of the healthiest diets in the world and the secret to longevity and good health in Mediterranean countries. The meals are built around plant-based foods and incorporate loads organic vegetables, olive oil, provincial herbs, sea food, beans and whole grains with moderate amounts of dairy, poultry and eggs (all locally sourced where possible). Guests also receive a complimentary consultation with Oonagh, who will take a holistic view of your lifestyle and provide personalised nutrition advice. Food for thought
Hollywood actors, the Saudi royal family, Olympic and Paralympic gold medalists, premier league football players and members of the England rugby team. He has been featured in Forbes Magazine, the Sunday Times and the Huffington Post for his work on managing stress and corporate wellness retreats.
Bien Etre has searched far and wide to find the best possible people to host its retreats and offer their support and expertise. Its incredibly talented team of wellness experts hail from all corners of the world and are specialists in their individual fields. They include Nutrition Therapist Oonagh English, Life Coach and Bien Etre Partner Kathy Richardson, who is an international dance artist and yoga instructor, and top London chef Pedro Lula. The programme focuses on the eight dimensions of wellness: Social, physical, emotional, financial, occupational, spiritual, intellectual and environmental health. It combines a wide range of outdoor activities, such as wild swimming, paddle boarding and hiking, with mindfulness and movement, encompassing yoga, meditation, dance flow, tai chi and qi gong, while complementary treatments include massage and acupuncture.
It’s ethos is simple: Focussing on surface-level elements is just not enough to make long-term changes to your health and well-being. A bit of yoga, healthy food and a couple of massages are great but can only get you so far. The Bien Etre difference is understanding the reasons behind your lifestyle choices and taking a holistic view of your wellbeing, drawing on the eight wellness dimensions.
Sanctuary in the Southern Alps
The Southern French Alps is known as one of the world’s healthiest environments, with The Telegraph rating is as one of the best places for ‘all-inclusive wellness’. Bien Etre retreats are situated in the centre of this nature heaven known as the Vallouise Valley, a popular location amongst French tourists. With the purest mountain water, air quality and 300 days of sunshine a year, this area of outstanding natural beauty has it all. Guests are hosted in Bien Etre’s stunning 4-star chalet which has a sauna and outdoor jacuzzi. With unspoilt, breath-taking mountain views from every angle, it’s the perfect place to get away from everything – and everyone. All Bien Etre activities are held in the great outdoors. You can expect walking to glaciers and waterfalls with sensational panoramic views, paddle boarding and wild swimming in refreshing mountain lakes and simply enjoying the wonders of the natural world. It offers something for everyone to try, regardless of your fitness level. Deep relaxation is a vital part of Bien Etre’s retreats and takes place in a spectacular mountain spa centre, which features everything from a hammam and underwater musical grotto, to sea salt pools and Frigidariums, perfect for toning, boosting circulation and flushing out built-up toxins. You’ll also get to choose between a complimentary massage or acupuncture session and can engage in some fantastic natural beauty workshops. Find out more at www.bienetreretreats.com
THE GREAT OUTDOORS Rewilding Scotland
Despite its beauty and drama, Scotland has become a nature-depleted nation. Our natural woodlands cover just 4% of their original range, many species that were once prolific now teeter on the edge, and others have been hunted to extinction.
But it’s time to rewrite nature’s story. The Big Picture DREAM is a vision for a future where abundance and diversity of life is returned to Scotland’s land and seas, to benefit nature, climate and people. It’s called rewilding.
The green shoots of rewilding are already emerging. In places, young forests are on the march, sea eagles are once again soaring high, ospreys and pine martens have bounced back, and beavers are rejuvenating Scotland’s wetlands. •
Scotland’s national bird has made a comeback thanks to a successful breeding programme at the Dundreggan rewilding estate in Glenmoriston. A pair of golden eagles has bred and successfully raised a chick in the Scottish Highlands for the first time in 40 years – five years after Trees for
Life and conservationist Roy Dennis MBE of the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation set up a nest (otherwise dubbed an ‘eyrie’) to entice the raptors back.
A campaign has been launched to protect
Scotland’s native wild beavers, which are at risk during the Autumn shooting season. The baby beavers are officially seen as no longer dependent on their mothers from 17 August – meaning farmers with unwanted beavers on their land can again apply for licences to shoot them. Last year, 87 beavers, a fifth of the Scottish population, were shot. There are fears the scale of the killing could be replicated this year but experts say each beaver shot is a wasted life that could have helped to rewild Scotland.
Trees for Life has been asking people across the Highlands to report sightings of red squirrels for the Great Scottish Squirrel
Survey this September. The rewilding charity wants to increase sightings of the animals across the region during the week and beyond – whether in gardens, local communities or in woodlands. Thanks to its pioneering red squirrel reintroduction project– which so far has relocated reds to nine Highland woodlands from which they have been missing for decades – there are now increasing opportunities to spot the much-loved mammals in the region. Sightings are also important for the reintroduction project’s long-term success. Find out more at www.treesforlife.org.uk
WILDLIFE WATCH
Bird watching can be a great way to lift the spirits – and you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own home. Why not invest in a bird feeder, just like this complete feeding station from Henry Bell? The visiting birds will provide endless entertainment. Henrybell.co.uk
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