Natural relaxants

Natural relaxants

We all get stressed from time to time and in some ways it’s not always a bad thing.

A bit of stress keeps the adrenalin flowing, helps you to meet deadlines, keeps the brain active. There’s also a school of thought that thinks that it keeps the immune system primed to fight off bugs like colds, flu and other viruses. If your mind is working hard then your body is too – which is why at times like Christmas and holidays you can find yourself suddenly coming down with something, because your immune system has allowed itself to relax.

Managing stress

Wheter this applies to you or not, it’s certainly true that you need to keep stress well managed.

Exercise certainly helps. If you work in an office and want to avoid that afternoon slump feeling, get out for a walk at lunchtime. The fresh air and sunlight will have a beneficial effect on your brain and leave you feeling refreshed. Whilst it may be tempting to sit and read the paper and have a sandwich, try and interserse this with some gentle exercise.

And of course, a trip to the gym, either at lunchtime or after work, can do much to combat stress and improve your overall physical fitness too. The trick is to do exercise that you enjoy – if you force yourself to swim, go to the gym or play squash when it is not reallly your thing then you’re unlikely to keep it up. Find something you love doing – which could be just walking – and stick to that.

And there are other ways of destressing too.

During the week, it’s good to have a wind down routine so that you sleep better. Avoid drinks with caffeine in after 4pm – and that also includes dark chocolate, which can also interrupt sleep patterns.

Try camomile tea, which is said to have a soporific effect, or peppermint tea after your evening meal.

A long warm bath is also a time honoured way of winding down. Add a sprinkle of our original Dead Sea Bath Salts and you’ll help your muscles to relax after the rigours of a tough day. The natural bath salts will also help to draw out toxins acccumulated and if you suffer from stress related skin problems like eczema and psoriasis, the salts have been reported to alleviate these too.

Finally, try and read an old-fashioned book in bed rather than a screen. Research shows that looking at a screen before going to sleep can interrupt your sleep patterns – so you’re probably best off reading your favourite magazine, a best seller or paperback in paper form.

There’s never been a better time to buy Dead Sea Bathcare products as we are currently running an offer in Boots on three products for the price of two. You can buy them online here or instore.

 

 

How To Relax During Exam Season

How To Relax During Exam Season

So it’s that time of year. Exam time.

It’s a crucial phase in your life and you need to perform at your best so that you set yourself up in the best possible way.

Being prepared

Obviously you’ll have a revision programme in place – but between bouts of revision and actually sitting down and taking the exams themselves, you’ll need to relax and look after yourself so you’re in the best possible shape. And remember a bit of stress isn’t always a bad thing!

Looking after yourself

First off, make sure you’re eating properly.

Have a decent breakfast that will sustain you. This is the time to have three good meals a day with plenty of vitamins so that your immune system is in good shape. Don’t be tempted to diet at this time – focus on eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, protein rich meals and energy-giving carbohydrates. It’s probably a good time to ditch the alcohol too. Drink plenty of water, avoid fizzy and sugary drinks and switch to caffeine-free tea and coffee after 3pm so you sleep well.

Don’t be tempted to burn the midnight oil fuelled by black coffee – you won’t get the deep rest you need and you’ll end up feeling twitchy and anxious.

Keep your exercise routine going too. Exercising releases those all-important endorphins which will give you more energy. Try and make breaks in your day for a walk outside, a trip to the gym, a swim or whichever exercise you enjoy. Even short breaks of 20 minutes for a stroll will help.

As part of your revision and exam routine, build exercise into your timetable – as well as fixed bedtimes and wake-up times. If your body is used to going to bed at the same time and waking up at the same time, your brain will function better and you won’t feel sleepy when you wake up. It’s not the time for lie-ins!

Get a bedtime routine set up – which might include a warm drink (camomile tea or hot chocolate can be very relaxing), some time away from a screen (which can interrupt your sleep patterns) and a warm bath.

Which is where we can help

Throw a handful of our Genuine Dead Sea Bath Salts into your bath and lie back and relax in mineral-rich water, which will sooth muscles and help your brain to switch off from the concerns of the day. (If you suffer from skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis, you may find that the minerals help these too.)

If you’d like to add a bit of fragrance to your bath, then you could opt for our Aromatherapy Bath Salts with either Jasmine or Frankincense oil and rose petals.

Sometimes stress can exacerbate skin conditions like acne, eczema and psoriasis and reports from our users suggest that they have found our mineral rich soaps, bath salts, lotions and body washes very helpful in treating these complaints.

None of our products are expensive – you can buy them in Boots online here and prices start at £3.75 for our Black Mud Mask soap.

Looking after yourself is key at this time, so it goes without saying that you should step down on the social life and focus on the next few weeks and what is important to you and your future.

Minerals from the Dead Sea have been renowned for their relaxing and restorative qualities for thousands of years – so maybe it’s time for you to see what they can do for you.

In addition, all our products are 100% vegan, vegetarian and also contain no parabens – so you know that you’re avoiding any potentially damaging chemicals.

In the meantime, we’d like to wish you good luck with your exams and hope that we can help you on your way to success!

 

 

Are You Troubled By Insomnia?

Are You Troubled By Insomnia?

It’s often the case that when we have a busy, active life we’re actually troubled – ironically – by insomnia.

There’s nothing worse than feeling tired, planning on having an early night – and then being unable to sleep.

So what can you do to help this?

Taking medication for insomnia isn’t always the answer – although it’s a good idea to make an appointment to visit your GP if it’s starting to become a real problem.

There are in fact other things you can do to help encourage healthy sleeping patterns in the meantime.

Avoiding caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant. So if you find it hard to drop off to sleep, you might want to reassess your caffeine intake. Resolve to avoid caffeine-containing drinks after 3pm in the afternoon and switch to caffeine-free tea and coffee and soft drinks instead. Some people report that a night-time drink of camomile tea helps.

Also alcohol

You may think that a glass or two of wine helps you to feel sleepy, but in fact you don’t sleep as soundly after you’ve had a few drinks in the evening – so limit your intake.

Exercise

This is a good way to make your body feel naturally tired – particularly if you have a desk bound job. Your brain may be weary but your body may be under exercised. Try and build exercise into your day – a visit to the gym, a brisk walk.

Keep to the same sleep pattern

Although a lie-in at the weekends may be tempting, it actually disrupts your sleep cycle. So set an alarm at weekends and don’t lie in too long.

A relaxing bath

Try and have a wind-down routine at the end of the day. A relaxing bath will help (this is one of the recommendations given by the NHS for insomnia) – and this is the perfect time to throw in a handful of our Genuine Dead Sea Bath Salts which will relax and soothe your muscles. If you’d like to add a touch of fragrance, then try our Aromatherapy Bath Salts to scent the water. The natural minerals contained in our bath products are reportedly very soothing and calming.

Finally – bedtime is not the time to check your e mails, social media channels and text messages. Screens are said to disrupt sleep and so it’s much better to read an old-fashioned book, newspaper or magazine just before you turn the light out!