Dressing Gown Dreams Part II
However a good night’s sleep can change the whole nature of the day ahead. In order to achieve sensual slumber there are 3 distinct phases one needs to consider:
Ablutions
One’s evening preparations and cleansing needs to be thorough, but done with care.
First off Make sure your bed looks inviting and is at least made in some semblance or manner. Ensure your bed is made up of woolly blankets, silk sheets or feather duvets – whatever your pleasure – just make sure it’s calling to you.
Secondly remove all garments and preferably slip into your SoffiaB luxury silk robe. If one doesn’t avail you at this time, make sure it is something that is made of natural fibres, not that nasty left over spa robe or the cotton short robe that is freezing and no not even that big fluffy full length towelling robe. It has to feel good against your skin and something that doesn’t resemble a tent.
Next make sure all lights are either off or dim, especially in the sleeping chamber. Our natural circadian rhythms want us to go to bed when the sun goes down. Clearly this is not viable in today’s world so we have to emulate it.
And this harried people includes your iPhone or whatever device you are communicating with these days. Fine if you must use it as an alarm clock but don’t look at it. Very few of us have someone’s life hanging on whether that latest email or FB post is read by you.
I don’t recommend candles as there’s always a possibility you’ll become so zen like you’ll forget to blow them out and then the house will go up in smoke – not recommended!
Next head towards your ablution station commonly known as your bathroom for cleansing of face and knashers.
It doesn’t really matter if you’re a bath afore ye bed type of gal, as long as it’s not too hot, it will calm and soothe you. Also using cleansers that smell delicious to you are good as well although nothing too citrusy or piney as that tends to give you an energy boost or remind you of loo cleaner depending on your view.
Darhlings do remove your make up, yes even you Tarquin! It really doesn’t do your skin any good at all and Panda eyes are only good on, well, the panda, not you sweetie. Plus Panda eyes can give your bed companions a nasty shock!
Once thoroughly abluted you are ready to hop into bed and settle in for the night. Make sure your boudoir isn’t too hot and stuffy, yes even in winter because the slightly cooler temperature helps our bodies focus on all the repairing it needs to do and not be distracted by cooling us down.
The ZZZs Themselves
So to the ZZZs themselves, the hardest part of the equation. Because even though we may have done all the precursors, switching off one’s mind is the toughest bit.
If you concentrate on all the steps previously it will take your mind off the frustrations and anxieties of the day.
But if you’re having trouble getting to sleep, dab a little lavender oil essence on your pillow and make sure it’s the oil not just scented with lavender because that has no sleep inducing properties, it has to be the real deal!
Find your most comfortable position and think about something lovely, very specifically. So not just your last holiday, but the colour of the pink sand at dusk, not your child but their hair and how very soft it is, not that gorgeous meal, but the texture of the soufflé you had for dessert and think deeply about those aspects that makes that particular thing so lovely. You’ll be asleep in seconds!
Now if you do wake and there’s some awful percentage like 46% of us wake during the night, there are a few things to try, but this is the most tricky part sweethearts. So some people say read, others say go back to the sheep, some say get up and a friend of mine swears by having a port.
And of course there is always the drug-induced slumber which I encourage you to avoid unless under conditions of extreme duress and under advisement from your Doc. Even with alcohol sweet things the older one gets the more it becomes a sleep depriver and less of a sleep inducer, sadly.
All I say is don’t think about getting back to sleep, that is the sure way of not returning to z-land. Deep breathing works, thinking lovely thoughts as per previously, but sometimes you will just have to get up and begin your day a few hours early. I’ve seen a few sunrises and I’ve seen many grey, overcast mornings but still there is a magic and beauty to that time of day.
And The Awakening
Awakenings can be very stressful with ankle-biters flinging themselves at you, grumpy partners losing keys, lunches and the dog, extra bed companions that you don’t remember inviting in and so on. None of these things can we really control all that well, except maybe the last one. So making sure you are calm is paramount and then coping becomes easier.
One thing which I absolutely abhor but works, is to rise earlier than everyone else (except for the hamster of course who is typically just going to bed). Put on whatever you flung off that feels good against your body and makes you look like an adult. Of course I recommend a SoffiaB luxury silk robe, because the aim is to begin the day with calmness.
If you do manage to rise earlier than the rest of the household, take 5 minutes to unscramble your cobwebby brain, take a few deep breaths and knowing what your usual routine is, get started.
I know, I know all this is easier said than done and these tips won’t prevent a lousy morning happening, but I hope they will enable you to deal and cope with one better.
Meantime to restful, rejuvenating and restorative Dressing Gown Dreams ……
Look Gorgeous, Feel Fabulous - Sophie