Olbas : A Hug in A Bath!

Recently I attended an event for mothers-who-blog which focused on children & sleep, particularly during this time of year when coughs & cold are prevalent.

We met lovely, knowledgeable & eminently sensible sleep expert & paediatric nurse Kathleen McGrath who talked at length about the importance of a good night's sleep for everyone.

She specifically explained how to deal with children who are congested or unwell, suffering from coughs or colds.

Her tips for congestion before bedtime :

* make sure your child drinks plenty of cold fluids before going to sleep

* don't let them get overheated, cotton nightclothes are best

* make sure the room is well ventilated

* put a natural decongestant on the child's pillow or baby's bedsheet

*if possible, raise the head slightly higher than the rest of the body in order to make it easier to breathe whilst sleeping

The better they sleep and more rest they get, the quicker the child tends to recover.

I have been familiar with Olbas for years, my mother swears by it & I had already used it when my children were young.

So I was very happy when we left the event with a bag full of Olbas products.

My children have always been pretty good sleepers & are exceptionally healthy - 

when my son was suffering from tonsilitis recently & we had to visit our doctor, the doctor informed us that the last time he saw my son was 4 years ago!!

But, the last 5 weeks has been non-stop coughs/colds/sore throats....

and yes, sleepless nights.

As most mothers know, if your children are sick, you get less sleep....

and often, you eventually succumb to coughs & colds yourself.

I thought I had managed to avoid the bugs & germs this winter but this past 10 days my son & I seem to be swapping germs, sniffling our way through the days & nights.

Olbas contains a combination of essential pure plant oils, such as eucalyptus, mint, clove, juniper berry and cajuput.

I have always used the Inhalant Decongestant Oil for myself and Olbas have now introduced a Children's Decongestant Oil which can be used from age 3 months upwards.

My absolute favourite product though is the Olbas Bath....

a gorgeously green warming bath product which you pour into a hot bath.

It is perfect for children, clearing their heads and noses and leaving a gentle scent on their skin which eases their breathing at night-time.

I have to confess to loving the Olbas Bath so much that I have been known to use it even when I've been 100% healthy, there's something so warm & comforting about it.

And the last few weeks, when we have all been under the weather, I have honestly been beyond thankful for all the products and can't recommend them enough.

Unless absolutely necessary, I try to avoid taking medicines & Olbas with its gentle essential oils is perfect. 

Below is a "sleep tips" video from Kathleen McGrath from the day.

  

I was given Olbas products at this event, but all views are completely my own and I have tried all the products myself....several times ;)

    

House & Home : The Bedroom

I've recently written a few pieces on my blog about sleep....both the lack of & importance of it.

I recently made over my children's bedrooms....

which naturally, I suppose, got me thinking about my bedroom & what it means to me.

For some people I know, their bedroom is simply a place to sleep, it's purely functional.

For some, it's a place of sanctuary....

not just for rest, it's a place of comfort, a haven.

I definitely fall into the latter group....

I've been slowly making over the bedroom during the last few months....

simplifying, adding and taking away in order to create just the right balance.

I've painted the walls white which has added not only a bright, clean feeling to the room but has given it a calm quality.

I never thought white walls were for me - I preferred pale colours but thought white was too stark.

But I can see now it's incredibly calming and also provides a blank canvas which colour can be added to in the form of a painting, books, rugs or bedding.

I love my room....it's definitely a place of tranquillity for me, a safe haven.

When I was growing up, I had to share a room....

something which had to be but which I never really enjoyed.

I can however remember creating a corner which was just mine....

a small place containing my treasures & some of my favourite & most special things.

I watch my children adding to their own spaces…

with their own drawings & decorations, a reflection of their own personalities.

Funnily enough - or maybe not - subconsciously, I think I still do that.

Favourite books are at my bedside, personal photographs, an old lamp, my notebooks....it’s funny how childhood habits die hard.

I love having my own space....although equally I love my children being able to run into the room, jump into our bed & burrow down under the covers.

A place of comfort, a place to exhale, unwind, relax and rejuvenate....

it's all those things I guess.

Everyone’s different; learn how to choose your perfect bed at Silentnight. 
For advice on how to get good night’s sleep, check out advice from our sleep & energy expert Dr Nerina.

Top 10 Tips For a Good Night's Sleep

I'm not a bad sleeper but I'm not a brilliant one either.

I'm not a late night person but seem to have developed an awful habit of staying up until past midnight.

I am aware that I don't get enough sleep & rarely wake feeling rested.

I also sometimes feel that since I've been a parent, I've never had a good night's sleep!

I'm aware that it's something I should think more about and so, in the interests of writing this piece, I read as much as I could about how to increase your sleep, sleep tips, your sleep environment.

There is certainly a lot of advice & information out there. 

I have taken information & tips from different websites, The Sleep Council & various magazines and come up with the following "Good Sleep Suggestions"....

1. Have a consistent sleeping & waking time - I read several times that sleeping in is in fact sometimes the worst thing you can do, your body will respond much better if you go to bed and get up at pretty much the same time each day. A "sleep schedule" is essential - this applies as much to adults as it does for children.

2. Create a bedtime ritual - try to stick to the same bedtime preparation each night. If you are able to take time getting ready for bed, your body will naturally wind down & will recognise that you are preparing to sleep.

3. Reduce screen time before bed - every website I looked at said to avoid technology in bed and not to have a television in the bedroom.
I will often be on my laptop reading or working until late at night & then read my iPad in bed even after I've turned out my light!

4. Create the right sleeping environment - a good comfortable bed and not too much clutter - see below for some more tips on this.

5. Pay attention to your caffeine intake - we all know people who can drink coffee late at night and still go straight to sleep - my own husband is one of them - but the recommendation is not to drink coffee after 8pm latest. If you like a hot drink late at night, choose hot milk or camomile tea.

6.   Temperature - both room temperature & body temperature. Your bedroom should not be too hot, the cooler the better. You also shouldn't have a hot bath right before bed as body needs to be at a particular (cooler) temperature to sleep soundly, a warm bath is best.

7. Keep your bedroom dark - I read lots of suggestions about light dimmers and different lighting settings in order to make your brain aware that sleep is approaching. Blackout curtains/blinds or a sleep mask are also a good idea in order to keep your body clock regular.

8. Switch Off - literally. Don't watch TV or work online up until you go to sleep....take sufficient time to wind down. Find an activity which helps you to relax before bedtime.

9. Good pillows - an essential as far as I am concerned & the biggest reason for not sleeping well!! If I go away & I can take my own pillow, then I do. That said, I do not have good pillows right now & it's driving me crazy. Pillows should be firm but not too firm and your head & neck should be roughly in a straight line.

10. Exercise promotes quality sleep & Only sleep when you're tired - there is nothing worse than going to bed early and then lying awake for hours. Exercise will help ensure that your body is physically tired and therefore ready for sleep. Do make sure that you don't exercise right before sleeping, have enough time to wind down.

Other Things I Learned :

For an adult, 7-9 hours of sleep is recommended each night - less than 6 hours a night is considered partial sleep deprivation.

Quality of sleep is just as important as quantity.

Creating a calm environment helps to ensure undisturbed sleep.... 

as does making sure you don't have children or pets in your bed with you :) 

Sleep/energy balance is really important - lack of sleep may disrupt appetite, promote greater food intake, reduce energy expenditure and change body composition to favour more fat storage.

Sleep deprivation can be linked to obesity.

Good Feng Shui Bedroom Tips

no TV, computer or exercise equipement in the bedroom

open the windows - good air quality is essential

have good lighting - candles are apparently even better

good paint colours - the best are "skin colours" - pale white to dark brown

choose images/pictures carefully - choose those which reflect happiness or things that you would like to have happening in your life

your bed should be approachable from both sides & should have space underneath it

all doors in the bedroom should be closed - this includes en-suite & cupboard doors.

I found some fabulous "10 Best Sleep Inducing Treats" here  - I often use Aromatherapy Associates essential oils and their Support Supersensitive Massage & Body Oil is a wonderfully relaxing and comforting product for night-time.

I also recently bought a mattress protector which provides an extra quilted layer underneath my sheets for comfort. 

Any sleep tips that you'd like to share? 

                                                      

The sofa beds which dresses your house...

A sofa bed for your living room? Yes it is possible. Most sofa beds on the market are bought for studios, spare bedrooms or home office rooms. It is very hard to find a good looking modern sofa bed with high quality standards and sooner or later you end up buying a very commercial piece.

Today we would like to present on of our modern Italian sofa beds. With its clean lines, it represents a simple minimalistic piece which hides a genious opening system. So good looking and so flexible, you can use it in your living room. First thing first, one of the best feature of this sofa bed are its numerous compositions. Different seat elements are combined together to form sectional layouts. Not only you can compose a classic L shape by adding two end element bond together by a corner element, but you can add a chaise lounge which add a touch of modernity and style. If you are not satisfy and need extra footrest space to relax watching your favorite movie, you can add up a large comfortable ottoman on castors, easy to move and with a storage space to store your favourite blanket during winter or your sheets or pillows. What better can you find if you already have a sectional sofa with a side converting to a queen size bed?

But the real deal is the opening system. So light and so effortless ! Because you do not need to remove any cushion or undress your sofabed...everything stays right to its place and while opening, the seat and back cushions follow the opening movement and end up below the bed, safely stored to keep the best shape. But how does the opening system work? By simple grab the back cushions from the top and pulling them toward yourself the sofa bed will unfold in two simple steps. The mattress will pop up in no time !

So you will preserve the seat cushions and keep them in shape because nobody will sleep on them and you will guarantee your guests with maximum comfort on a queen size mattress....and yes we'll guarantee.....NO WOOD SLATS AT ALL....the bedspring is electrowelded and guarantee solidity and firmness.

Another advantage of this product is represented by two hidden pockets which can be used to store pillows and sheets while your guests are gone and you decide to keep the sofabed close.

So you can't go wrong with it and obviously you can choose between a wide array of modern fabric textures and colors and high quality full grain leather.