I know how elusive sleep has been for so many struggling with this issue, alongside varying degrees of worry, anxiety, grief and other difficult emotions recently.
Last year was a tough one for me – like many of us – but (looking back) it provided the perfect backdrop for testing wellbeing products.
I’ve been studying natural health for about 25 years since I lived in Los Angeles where it was, and still is, normal to have a chiropractor, acupuncturist, herbalist, nutritionist, gynaecologist, in addition to your “primary care doctor”, therapist, etc, etc, if you can afford to (not to mention acting or singing coach!).
One thing out of many that I loved about LA other than the climate, beach, music and big Californian salads was the lack of judgement or cynicism. Everything felt possible and there was lots of encouragement around if you had a big or small dream. Another sunny day, another dream to build.
LA was already into green juices and alternative therapies long before London caught on, but we (Brits) have Dr Edward Bach (Bach Remedies) and natural modality luminaries such as Robert Tisserand (Tisserand Aromatherapy) to thank for helping keep us on an even keel.
Speaking of an even keel, nothing is a worse wellbeing saboteur than bad sleep. I’ve worked 16 hour days more often than I should have but some of the products in this post have definitely helped me “re-set” and recover (APOTHEM’s LIGHTS OUT CBD DROPS, BACH FLOWER REMEDIES (White Chestnut and Olive), TOGETHER HEALTH’S NIGHT TIME MARINE MAGNESIUM COMPLEX AND SOLGAR’S 5-HTP COMPLEX, specifically).
So if you’ve been feeling down, lacklustre, pandemic-weary, anxious and/or not sleeping well, here are some of the things that I use and have tested for many, many months (except Solgar’s 5-HTP Complex which is a new purchase – UPDATE 8 April 2021 and 5-HTP is working beautifully, I’m sleeping better no doubt about it).
First up, BACH FLOWER REMEDIES – my “fab four” have been:
Olive – exhaustion
Star of Bethlehem – grief (it helped a lot when my mum passed away last year)
Mimulus – for “known fears”, eg fear of being alone, losing a job, etc. I took this with Star of Bethlehem and they were fantastic together! I think these remedies may arguably work better if you’re more open to them or a more sensitive person generally. If you don’t believe they’ll work they won’t, but they certainly DO for me. I wish Dr Bach were alive now, he’s a genius and was so incredibly ahead of his time.
(Three other Beauty Shortlist flower essence winners that spring to mind are Saskia’s Flower Essences, Australian Bush Flower Essences and Pacific Northwest Essences – all very good).
White Chestnut – another single remedy, White Chestnut is the antidote to that all-consuming, life-fatiguing cycle of racing or looping negative thoughts. This remedy calms the swirling in your head when you crave stillness and a quiet mind (try this as a combo with insomnia products to shut the door on that negative loop and pave the way for sleep).
SPACEMASKS
A big Beauty Shortlist favourite and winner!
If you are prone to headaches from eye strain, these ingenious masks are a lovely mini escape from the worries of life. Place on eyes and let the self-heating warmth comfort you.
Best enjoyed with an aromatherapeutic candle and silence or peaceful music or a guided meditation, when you have nothing planned afterwards…ahhhhh.
AROMAWORKS HARMONY CANDLE
This candle is in my bedroom right now – I thought I would like it when I saw the scent notes…and it’s bliss! If you love these flowers and fruits, I think this is such a “pretty” but also reassuring blend which fills a bedroom: calming, uplifting but equally important it’s grounding and comforting.
Rose – Intense calming, mood booster
Rose Geranium – Uplifts, balances
Bergamot – Boosts happiness
Mandarin – Uplifts & de-stresses
In summer, I mix rose geranium and sweet orange in a spritzer bottle (room mist), or blend those two essential oils as a warm season natural fragrance. (Be careful with citrus-based oils in the sun – they’re phototoxic and can leave little “burn marks” which take ages to fade). Such as bergamot, grapefruit, orange, lime or lemon.
HARMONY is an ideal “balance : de-stress : uplift” blend for quiet evenings and ‘early night’ nights, I’ve found it helps me switch off from the madness of a work day.
I think I might light it late this afternoon, make a chai tea and watch Joanna Lumley in Egypt or India or maybe Greece – somewhere warm!
If you fancy treating yourself, this candle comes in small (£15), medium (£32) and 3-wick (£43) sizes.
SOLGAR 5-HTP COMPLEX
5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan, also known as oxitriptan, is a naturally occurring amino acid and chemical precursor as well as a metabolic intermediate in the biosynthesis of the neurotransmitter serotonin – Wikipedia) is a sleep-helper.
Because of the serotonin boost, it can also improve mood and calm down overthinking (I have this problem). And it helps you sleep better, but not necessarily longer, which means you could still be sleeping seven hours but have a better, deeper sleep.
Solgar have teamed 5-HTP here with B6 (involved in the production of seretonin and GABA, so again it’s a mood balancer but also good for brain fog and memory) and relaxing, anxiety-reducing valerian and a touch of magnesium (personally, I’d have put a bit more in this formula as magnesium deficiency is almost a silent “epidemic” – similar to the broad lack of Vitamin D across the UK population).
I wouldn’t take this during the day because I need to feel sharp mentally, but you could try it if you don’t have a demanding workload for example and have the luxury of chilling on the sofa.
APOTHEM: LIGHTS OUT CBD DROPS (3,000mg)
5-6 drops at bedtime
For me, some of the most interesting 2021 Wellbeing Awards entries were the great-tasting CBD entries. I actually quite like the taste of raw CBD oil but I get why some people hate it.
Brands like APOTHEM, OTO CBD and Cheerful Buddha have solved this problem completely, so have a look at these brands if you prefer an orange or peppermint or choc-hazlenut flavour (Cheerful Buddha do a delicious one!)
APOTHEM’s LIGHTS OUT has been a bedside table stable. And they’ve added 5-HTP to the mix – the ingredients are:
Organic MCT Oil, Cannabidiol Isolate (derived from Hemp), Flavour, Milky Oats (Avena Sativa), Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), Passionflower (Passiflora), Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), Catnip, Griffonia Seed Extract (5-HTP), L-theanine, Vitamin D (as Cholecalciferol).
L-Theanine, another calmer, is actually useful on its own, away from this formulation, if you are studying because it doesn’t interfere with energy levels but calms and clears your head. Good for exams.
LIGHTS OUT has a gentle, warm vanilla/brown sugar/caramel taste and 5-6 drops should be enough to unwind after work or before sleep (I leave CBD oil drops under my tongue for 60 to 90 seconds to absorb properly…don’t swallow it immediately).
Max suggested dose 40 drops per day.
PURESSENTIEL REST & RELAX SPRAY
My “serenity spray”. Yes here’s one I keep buying (and use all over the house not just in my bedroom). I also buy their essential oils. The blend contains 12 pure essential oils and I spray this in the sitting room, bedroom, bathroom, and spray something citrussy in the kitchen.
I dropped a few drops of Tisserand’s peppermint oil into an old Tisserand spray bottle, added water and it’s a fantastic spritz for the office (the spare bedroom). The next morning, you walk into a fresh, minty office – I’ve started doing this again, it helps me focus a bit more and it’s so lovely to get that aromatherapy hit first thing in the morning before you start work.
Puressentiel’s spray contains:
Asia Rosewood, Roman Camomile, Cypress, True Lavender, Lemongrass, Mandarin, Marjoram, Neroli, Orange, Palmarosa, Petit Grain, Sandalwood
It’s hard to describe the scent with so many oils in it but the overall effect is restful and serene with that all-important grounding factor for a sense of “all is well” stability during unpredictable times.
CORINNE TAYLOR BALANCE HIMALAYAN BATH SALTS
Into the bathroom now.
One for bath lovers.
I like Beauty Shortlist winner Corinne Taylor’s himalayan salts (options: Balance, Calm, Detox, Aches and Pains or Recharge) planet-friendly glass jars and you can dip a toe into these instead and try a try-me sachet size first.
She’s also added coconut oil to balance any drying effect from the salts – another plus. Also if you’re not a lavender fan, these have none: instead Corinne’s Balance pink salts contain…
Himalayan Salt (Sodium Chloride), Coconut Oil (Capric Triglyceride), Rose Geranium (Pelargonium Graveolens) essential oil*; Clary Sage (Salvia Sclarea) essential oil, Cypress (Cupressus Sempervirens) essential oil*.
A gift I’d love to get or give to perhaps a worrier or someone who can’t switch off, or a friend going through a hard time.
TOGETHER HEATH NIGHT TIME MARINE MAGNESIUM COMPLEX
A nice, straightforward and effective sleep supplement which I’ve used time and again is Together Health’s Night Time Marine Magnesium – and extra points with 5-HTP making an appearance here as well.
The ingredients are (see image for quantities):
Magnesium from purified sea water, Griffonia extract providing 5-HTP (from Griffonia simplicifolia), Hop extract (Humulus lupulus), Lithothamnium seaweed. All in a vegan-friendly Vegecap (vegetable cellulose).
Hops are famous for being soporific and there are 5 kinds of magnesium in the formula.
The dose is 2 capsules half an hour before bed, but you could take one of these at the end of a hectic day to decompress, and the other just before bed, perhaps with extra magnesium or some CBD oil for sleep and to relax muscles.
FUSHI’s WHOLEFOOD CALMAID
And finally…Fushi!
There’s always a lot of love for this Ayurvedic-centric brand at the Beauty Shortlist Wellbeing Awards and far more than a supplements company, Fushi’s offerings include Amla juice, skincare products, and fresh-pressed oils in glass bottles.
The brand continuously aims for 100% earth-friendly production processes, it’s big on refills (see Fushi’s GO FOR ZERO reuse-refill-save campaign)
I absolutely love Fushi’s commitment to the environment, outlined here to give you an idea:
“8 million pieces of plastic pollute our oceans every day. 100,000 marine mammals and turtles and 1 million sea birds are killed by marine plastic pollution each year.
Almost all of our products come in recyclable glass bottles helping retain freshness and efficacy.
We use paper packaging, paper adhesive tape and outer boxes which we shred and use to pack our orders. Our in-house printing uses vegetable inks and non-laminated labels.
We recycle our waste, reuse our paper and card, and reduce our energy consumption to as low as we can.”
But veering back on track: Calmaid.
If you’re stressed and also feel run down, Wholefood Calmaid offers the back-up of nerve-nourishing, fatigue-combatting B vitamins and adaptogen Holy Basil which helps relax the system and uphold energy levels.
OK – one more!
WUKA, maker of eco period underwear, also make a wonderful wearable hot water bottle. I’ve been using it on my knees if it’s a little chilly in the office, and in bed. Every single night.
It also has two “slots” in the middle like pockets can’t think of the right name right now, for your hands, so you can wrap it around you and tuck your hands in for extra warmth. Perfect for the sofa when you’re watching a movie.
It’s a FABULOUS hot water bottle, too, either laying alongside you if you don’t have a gorgeous Italian husband (yet) or to warm your toes.
I’ve had an Achilles issue recently and this WUKA is the perfect shape/low height for resting my left heel on it. You can either fill it up totally OR so it’s plumper and more bendable (eg for over your shoulders/neck if you’re stiff in those areas) use less water.
Teamed with a sherpa fleece blanket on chilly nights, this is a super-comforting combo.
I wish everyone had a WUKA wearable hot water bottle. I love mine.
So that’s it for this morning. The sun’s out so I’m going out for a walk shortly.
I hope you have a nice weekend ahead, and “see you on the other side” this Tuesday 2 March for this year’s Beauty Shortlist Awards!
There are so many beautiful, ethical, useful, healing, uplifting, problem-solving, feel-good, nature-centric new stars this year and the COMPLETE 2021 WINNERS LIST will be published in the morning.
Till then, take care and dose up on sunlight and good food (and sleep!) Wishing you a lovely weekend X