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Spring Wedding

8 Fresh and New Wedding Themes for 2018

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Spring weddings in 2018 are sure to be a fantastic way to welcome the New Year. Couples planning the knot in Spring 2018 will be the first to set new trends for the coming year ahead. Spring is always an eagerly awaited season, and most couples plan their entire year around their weddings in Spring.

Katie from Orla James loves weddings in Spring since they signify a change for something brighter and better. She advises couples to be cautious while planning their Spring wedding. It can be quite easy to go overboard with the colors and themes.

Let us look at 8 fresh and new wedding themes for Spring 2018. These themes feature around colors, invites, cake décor, and Spring 2018 fashion.

  1. Spring colors:

Spring is the time to experiment with lighter floral colors. Leave the metallic shades and dark rich hues to winter and instead concentrate on embracing natural colors blooming around you. Pinks, mauves, lavender, buttercup yellow, greens, and reds are a sure way to get the feeling of your Spring 2018 wedding. Pairing bright colors with lighter ones are a sure way to set the mood for your wedding. Pair colors like pink with gold, black and white with some red or mauve. Opt for coral shades to contrast with plum for your décor and invitations.

  1. Wedding Invitations:

Use floral motifs, floral engravings, and bright colors for your wedding invites. Play around with muted color palettes to bring out the vibrant flower prints. One sure way to bring in your Spring 2018 wedding is a combination of anemones with formal gold or black lettering. Since Spring is known for its impressive colors, highlight the season through your invitations. This is also an excellent way to let guests know that the wedding is sure to be fun and enjoyable.

  1. Wedding venues:

Select gorgeous outdoor wedding venues to accentuate your wedding. Nothing makes a wedding lovelier than a beautiful wedding that shares the theme of your wedding. Select a practical, yet gorgeous place so that your guests can have fun while enjoying the natural beauty of the venue. Design your wedding attire in a way that allows you to be comfortable even during the afternoons or evening.

  1. Wedding Cake:

Yes, you can let your wedding cake be a part of your Spring 2018 theme. Leave behind the boring white wedding cakes and opt for a cake with edible gold and silver work along with floral designs in edible colors. If you want, you could choose a cake with a white background, but add spring colors to the cake design. Another way to welcome Spring would be to order an ombre wedding cake of peach and pink with red roses or flowers.

  1. Go Green:

Spring is verdant with all shades of greens. While there might not be too many blooms, wherever you look, there’s bound to be abundant natural greenery. Incorporate greens in different palettes across your centrepieces and wedding favours. Opt for a tasteful combination of green leaves with spring vegetables like carrots as centrepieces. Trendy brides can also opt for full green leaf bouquets as against floral bouquets. Hang beautiful greenery as hanging installations to be part of your wedding décor.

  1. Tuxedos, Gowns, and Dresses:

Forward-thinking brides can get into the spirit of Spring 2018 by selecting wedding gowns in beautiful shades of peach and light pink. Brides wanting to stick to traditional white designs for wedding gowns can add floral lace prints in bright spring colou of lavender, mauve, light rose, and pink. Bridesmaids can also opt for dresses in spring fashions of teal, plum, green, and light blue. Grooms wishing to get into the Spring 2018 fashion trend can add pocket squares in bright shades to their tuxedos.

  1. Opt for floral jewellery:

Wedding rings in floral motifs, patterns, and designs are a beautiful way to remember your spring wedding for life. Brides can also wear pretty floral crowns as part of the ‘something blue.’ Jewellery in floral patterns like earrings in flower patterns and a pendant or choker in a floral design would also add to the Spring theme of your wedding. Why not buy yourself a patterned wedding ring?

  1. Wedding favours:

Brides and grooms should consider potted herb plants for wedding favours since not everyone has a green thumb! It’s much easier to tend to and grow herbs instead of flowers. You could add potted semi-herb plants to your table décor that can also serve as wedding favours for your wedding guests.

 

Skin care

All You Need to Know About Skin Rejuvenation

It is a well-known fact that ageing is a natural process, and everyone has to go through it. Everyone believes you should look your age irrespective of how old you are. While this is true, when to start fighting the signs of ageing is an entirely personal choice. Many people prefer fighting signs of skin ageing from their twenties, while some prefer waiting till they reach their late thirties or forties.

While it is widely believed that lines on the face are a reflection of a good life, editing the fine lines, wrinkles, crow’s feet (lines at the corners of the eyes), and laugh and frown lines are possible with a few skin rejuvenation techniques. Overexposure to the sun, pollution, and stress tend to take a toll on the skin, reminds James from online pharmacy Quick Doctor. There is an array of options available to rehydrate, re-patch, and rejuvenate the skin to look younger, healthier, and happier.

Let us look at some ways that you can rejuvenate your skin to look better.

Common procedures:

There are plenty of dermatological and cosmetic procedures that help the regeneration and rejuvenation of the skin. These processes are used to erase fine lines, wrinkles, uneven textures, pigmentation, and imperfections from the surface.

  •   Chemical peels: an acid solution of salicylic or glycol acid is applied to the skin to remove the top layer (epidermis) and dissolve dead skin cells. This treatment helps discolouration, age spots, superficial scarring, and precancerous skin growth.
  •   Botox: an injection of botulinum toxin is administered to the skin and areas of the face to smooth wrinkles, fine lines, and laugh lines on the brow, neck, and face.
  •   Tissue fillers: injections of hyaluronic acid, platelet-rich plasma, and fat are used to reshape the face, fill fine lines, restore plumpness to the nose and cheeks, and neck area.
  •   Microdermabrasion: this is an inexpensive treatment where the doctor sands the areas on the face and neck with aluminium hydroxide crystals to create healthier and smoother looking, younger skin.
  •   Laser therapy: laser treatment removes imperfections, scars, improve skin texture and tone, birthmarks, and spider veins from the face and body. This procedure also eliminates areas with acne pits, adds Zapp Laser Studios.

Home remedies:

Home remedies are the preferred option for countless people across the globe since the ingredients used in natural remedies are readily available and cost much lesser than procedures.

Homemade remedies for facial skin rejuvenation are:

  •   Honey lemon: the juice of half a lemon mixed with a half a tablespoon of honey applied to the face helps overall skin complexion to reduce age spots and other signs of ageing and protect the skin from free radical damage.
  •   Cucumber yogurt mask: mix two tablespoons of grated cucumber (with its water) and half a cup of full-fat yogurt to make a facial mask. Apply this on your face and wash off after 20 minutes to nourish and hydrate the skin. This mask eases sunburn and helps clear acne-prone skin naturally. Cucumber also promotes younger looking, glowing skin.

Homemade remedies for skin rejuvenation:

  •   Papaya and honey rub: mix half a ripely mashed papaya with four tablespoons of honey and one tablespoon of lemon juice and apply to your arms and legs. Wash off after 15 minutes to get blemish-free skin without dark spots, pigmentation, and acne. Vitamins A, C, and E present in papaya help rejuvenate the skin and keep it soft and exfoliated.
  •   Turmeric and yogurt rub: mix 400 grams of yogurt with 2 – 3 teaspoons of organic turmeric and two teaspoons of gram flour and apply this paste to your body. Once dried, wash off with tap water and get healthy, younger looking skin that helps remove excess tanning while hydrating the skin from within.

Lifestyle changes:

Your skin is a result of the lifestyle you lead and the way you take care of it. Eat energy boosting salads and juices that hydrate the skin all day long. Fruits like watermelon, melon, and water-bearing fruits help keep the skin well-hydrated all-day long. Eat foods that are lesser in oil and fat to keep your skin looking younger and healthier.

Avoid being out in the sun between 10 am, and 4 pm since overexposure to the sun can also cause skin pigmentation, dryness, waxy layers, and wrinkles. Excessive sun can also cause skin cancer.

Smokers should reduce and eventually quit smoking since smoke causes the skin to dry out and causes premature greying of the skin and hair making them look older than they are.

Regularly exfoliating, moisturising, and toning the skin can help reverse the signs of ageing and promote healthier, rejuvenated skin within a few months.

Check out www.skinexcellenceclinics.co.uk for professional skin rejuvenation tips and treatments.

 

safe homes

Feel safe in your home at night

Living alone is scary enough without watching horror movies. Every small sound, shadow, or tick can make you jumpy. If you’re living alone or only with roommates, you might not feel so safe at night. The fun experience of branching out and living by yourself may turn out to be a colossal nightmare. Many neighborhoods get deserted at night since people head home to sleep and spend time with family. At such times, there is a marked increase in the rates of violence, crime, thefts, and robbery incidents.

You must take appropriate steps to ensure your safety at night. Continually being afraid of things that go bump in the night and being jumpy is not the solution. You must be aware of the risks attached to your home, its vulnerable entry and exit points, and how to take precautions to oversee your safety.

 

Let us look at some ways you can secure your home.

Safety Check:

Stand outside your door and try to break in. The minute you change your perspective, you would be able to identify vulnerable areas to the entry and exit points of your home. Change your door to a stable wood door with a safety door outside to take precautions against intruders. Do the same for your backdoor and basement entry. Opt for a consultation with a reputed locksmith to secure all the doors and windows of your home. Upgrade your deadbolts and locks to ensure they become impenetrable.

 

Install CCTV cameras:

CCTV cameras are an excellent way to deter intruders. Almost all CCTV cameras are linked with live footage feeds to a mainframe with the security service. Thieves, criminals, and robbers do not want to be recorded on camera. Cameras and CCTV footage do not prevent a crime from occurring but help in identifying the people responsible and also act as evidence in courts of law.

 

Get to know your neighbors:

We all know its annoying when your landlord or neighbors keep track of your movements, but sometimes, it is necessary. Your neighbors will be the first people you will turn to in the event you need to leave your house or call for help. Getting to know them better will help ensure your safety in the long term. If your neighbors turn out to be exceptional people, you could also leave a copy of your keys with them for safety and security. This helps prevent you from leaving a spare set of keys outside your main door. Most times, thieves know the best hiding spots for keys.

 

Security System:

Always invest in a good security system that can be controlled remotely through wifi. Security feeds and live monitoring of your house can also be done with the help of a handheld or smartphone. Research available security systems, their effectiveness, and reviews according to your budget, and install a security system as soon as possible.

 

Keep lights on outside the house:

Even if you are going to bed, keep the outside lights on. Lights help capture better CCTV footage and features of intruders and also act as deterrents. Keep your curtains or blinds drawn and lights on to keep thieves and criminals away from your front door. You can also opt to install motion sensor lights that run on solar power. These lights come on automatically as soon as there is any movement. Lights and sounds work as prime factors in keeping people away from your home. With the added CCTV and security systems, any thief or criminal will reconsider coming to your house.

 

Don’t keep a set routine:

Change up your routine as often as you can. Most criminals like to follow you till they can get an approximate idea of your routine. Avoid keeping a fixed place to run or jog or a specific time to exercise. Opt for newer times, flexibility in spaces, and mix up your routine. Mix up your daily pattern of leaving and returning to your home. Keeping a fixed time slot to move can turn out to be harmful. Avoid announcing on social media sites and check-ins to your house and hotel stating that you are going for a holiday.

 

Don’t be afraid to ask for help:

Most people do not like to call for help from friends and neighbors. If you are hesitant about involving friends, ensure, you have the non-emergency number of your local police station on speed dial. Report any suspicious activity, vehicles, and people you see around your neighborhood. If you are not in danger, someone else might be. Staying vigilant is always an excellent way to keep yourself and others safe.

Yoga Pose

The Benefits of Yoga

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Yoga is an ancient Indian method of training through body postures and poses. The word ‘yoga’ in the olden language of Sanskrit means ‘connection’ or ‘union’ between the mind and body to induce relaxation, improve health, breathe in a controlled manner, and meditate. Yoga is a deeply spiritual path to bring harmony to the body, spirit, and mind. Yoga helps in teaching how to breathe correctly, how to control the body, reach a higher level of mental and physical well-being, and how to meditate to control the mind and bring peace.

The postures or asanas are only the first steps to start the beautiful journey that is yoga. It is a method to control the mind over the body to fine-tune your abilities, concentration, body postures, and health. There are a lot of added benefits to managing the mind and body through yoga, like better flexibility, increase in focus and clarity, reducing stress, learning how to meditate and relax, and so on apart from the weight-loss and skin benefits. In the earliest texts of Hindu scriptures, Yogis (saints practicing yoga), used yoga to transcend the physical body and help attain enlightenment through breathing, meditation, and body control.

While we are not on the path of transcendence, people practicing yoga today have also seen numerous benefits to the age-old practice, notes Camille from www.thefloatspa.co.uk. Followers of yoga do not have to make any changes to their faith or beliefs since yoga is a method to achieve a healthy mind and body. It could be likened to jogging or running to improve circulation and get the blood pumping. Physical exercise and concentration do not hinder one’s religious beliefs or faith. Yoga is also a practice that does not require an investment of money, only time and dedication. It is widely known as a lifestyle change that helps improve the body and mind and achieve peace and relaxation.

Let us look at some advantages of yoga classified into internal and external health benefits.

Internal Health Benefits:

  • Lower blood pressure: blood pressure gets controlled with regular practice of yoga. Breathing exercises in yoga help in improving the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood and keep blood pressure controlled.
  • Lower respiratory rate: since yoga greatly depends on controlled breathing, the lungs are forced to get full to optimum capacity. This helps control the respiratory rate of the body and allows the lungs to work efficiently.
  • Increased circulation: transportation of nutrients and oxygen in the body enables better circulation of blood to the body thereby reducing health risks and concerns. Improvement in the flow of blood due to oxygenation helps improve skin quality and promotes glowing skin.
  • Gastrointestinal health: digestion and gastrointestinal functions of the human body are improved with regular yoga practice. It helps in increasing resistance to diseases and improving bodily functions.
  • Increase in metabolism: yoga helps in increasing and improving metabolism in the body. This increase helps keep fats in check and assists in weight loss and maintenance of healthy fat to fit ratios in the body.
  • Improved sexuality: yoga helps in increasing confidence and control over the body. People with performance anxieties and confusion can attain better sexual wellbeing in the long term and improve relations with their partners.

External Health Benefits:

  • Improving Posture: yoga helps in controlling the body and improving posture. It also helps improve flexibility through the help of various asanas and poses. With correct breathing and positions, the body develops a remarkable stance. This helps in looking healthy and feeling confident.
  • Premature aging: yoga is a useful way to detox the body of the ill effects of drinking, smoking, and strange eating habits. With the help of yoga, free radicals and toxins get eliminated from the body. These benefits help keep the signs of aging at bay internally and externally.
  • Increase in strength and stamina: since yoga depends on body weight exercises and breath control, strength, stamina, and endurance increase greatly.
  • Balance: with the help of simple and complex postures, yoga increases the stability and stature of the body. Balancing helps in improving posture, flexibility, concentration, and focus throughout the day.
  • Increase in core strength: core workouts help in improving the core strength. Since yoga depends on body weight postures and exercises, it helps improve the core strength gradually. Developing the core strength also helps heal better and increases resistance to minor injuries and ailments.

Apart from the internal and external benefits of yoga, it also helps in creating a healthy union between mind and body. Yoga works in keeping depression at bay, helps in controlling anxiety and stress, assists in mood improvement, focus, clarity, concentration, and maintaining a positive outlook towards a healthy and wholesome life.

Drinking Water

Home Water Filters and Healthy Living

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Clean and safe water is exceedingly crucial for showering, cooking, cleaning, and drinking. People today mostly consume chlorine treated water which still contains harmful contaminants, chemicals, and bacteria that harm the human body. While most water is treated for safe use, many times, this water might still be unsafe despite being treated at a water treatment facility for local treatment and distribution. This mostly happens due to contaminants that are picked up after the treated water leaves the treatment plant. A sure way to remove heavy metals, bacteria, pollutants, and chemicals is to filter the water as soon as it reaches your house.

There are several types of water filtration systems available today. It is imperative to understand the quality of water you are being supplied and correct filtration process to treat that water. You can speak to your local water supplier or carry out tests to determine the quality of water. You must be aware of what issues or problems the water supply has and what needs to be treated to make the water safe for your home. Apart from this, you should also educate yourself on the necessary nutrients that should be preserved in the water, the capacity of water, usage requirements, and purity of water before you install a home water filtration system.

The type of filtration system you select should be based on the quantity of water used daily. Many times, there are minimal amounts of water that need to be purified for small-particle contaminants in water. This small quantity filtration is usually required for polluted pesticide water. You could also opt for a reverse osmosis system used for removing the suspended solids and different types of contaminants depending on the source of the water.

In the UK, an ideal water treatment system for safe potable water could comprise of a combination of Reverse Osmosis (RO), Ultra Filtration (UF), and Ultra Violet (UV) treatments. A combination of these is best suited to remove harmful contaminants and impurities thus disinfecting the water for safe use.

Let us look at the benefits of home water filtration systems for healthy living.

Removal of toxic metals:  Untreated or poorly treated water has an unhealthy mix of minerals and metals like copper and magnesium. Many minerals present in water do not pose a threat to human consumption, but the reaction of these metals cause deposits which may prove harmful. Many times water also carries toxic metals like lead and copper which have disastrous effects on the human body. Long-term exposure to these metals and minerals coupled with regular consumption may increase health risks and deadly illnesses. Water filtration helps in removal of minerals and metals that prove harmful to humans.

Safe drinking water: With water filtration, you can ensure that the water in your home is safe for human consumption and healthy living. In comparison to the mineral water bottles and municipal water systems, getting your water filtered one more time before it is consumed will help reduce future health complications. Water that is screened at the local filtration and treatment plant might still contain trace qualities of lead. Installing a home water filtration and treatment system helps remove trace amounts of lead, fluoride, and chlorine from the water thereby making it completely safe for consumption. A double filtration system will also help remove toxins from the water that might be left behind of accumulated in the time taken for the water to reach your home.

Cost saving: Installations of home water filtration systems are cheaper than buying mineral water bottles daily or weekly. For a family of four, the cost per year of bottled water is extremely high in comparison to installing a home water filter. While the installation might cost slightly more, the maintenance and replacement of filters costs can be controlled while saving hugely on purchasing bottled water monthly. Apart from buying water, there is a remarkable decrease in price for plumbing repairs per year.

Eliminate hard water: Hard water contains chemicals and minerals that can cause scaling in the plumbing and harm the body. Hard water affects clothes, electronic appliances like dishwashers and washing machines, and may leave a soapy residue on clothes. When a person uses hard water to bathe, the harmful compounds present in hard water may be absorbed directly into the skin causing dryness and skin conditions. Similarly, chemicals like chlorine present in the water also may be incorporated into the skin and might lead to cancer. Installing a water filtration system helps free the water from dirt, toxins, debris, contaminants, metals, bacteria, and harmful minerals.

Check out www.ukh20.co.uk for a range of water softeners.

General Wellbeing Tips for Men

Earlier, the consensus amongst most people was that grooming and wellness were mostly centered on women. Thankfully, this is not the case anymore. With advancements in technology, health, the pharmaceutical sector, and sharing of knowledge and information, men are also able to benefit greatly. Physical appearance, mental wellbeing, and being well-groomed are traits that are now common to both men and women.

It is widely known that looking good and feeling better are closely linked to confidence and an outgoing personality. This outlook helps personal mental health and social standing substantially. When you meet someone new or old, the physical appearance, the way they conduct themselves, and how well they are dressed play a vital role in how we judge someone. Most men today have started paying attention to their appearance and health and have started looking and feeling better.

Let us share some general well-being tips. Many of these tips might help improve the quality of life and help you move further in your life.

Sleep well:

It is widely known that a good night’s rest helps the next day become brighter and better. Sleep helps the body and mind recover from fatigue, stress, anxiety, and general wear and tear. Sleeping well also helps the body recuperate and rejuvenate from an entire day of work and keeps the energy levels high, keep the memory functioning correctly, and heals our bodies naturally. Ideally, eight hours of sleep is what is prescribed, but if not possible, try to get five to six hours of restfully undisturbed sleep to avoid health, alertness, and concentration problems. Keep a sleep cycle and try to sleep at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning.

 

Physical fitness:

Physical fitness is crucial for mental health and physical wellbeing. Unless you have a specific ailment of injury that does not allow physical exercise, it is imperative to be physically active at least once a day. A brisk walk, quick run, or jog should help in maintaining blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and improve stamina of the body. If you do not have an interest in running, jogging, or walking, you could opt for alternative mediums of exercise like joining or learning a new sport or lifting weights in the gym. Regular exercise will also help in controlling stress levels and improving mental health for longer durations of time.

 

Beard grooming:

Most men today love growing beards or keeping stubbles. If this is the case with you, then ensure that you are maintaining the health of your beard. Similarly, if you need to sport a clean-shaven look, opt for a well-renowned safety razor that will give you the perfect shave instead of reusable razors that can harm your facial hair and skin. If you are sporting a beard, get it trimmed regularly and maintain the health of your beard with a good beard oil to keep facial hair soft.

 

Moisturise:

Keeping your face and body hydrated is fundamental to grooming. Use a moisturiser with SPF for your facial skin and body according to your skin type (normal, oily, dry, mature, and sensitive). Avoid using hot water to shower or take a bath since hot water strips the body of its essential oils and leaves the skin feeling rough and itchy. Use lukewarm or cold water to invigorate your senses and protect your skin. Moisturising the skin regularly also helps smooth out wrinkles, clears out acne, tightens the pores, and reduces sun and dust damage to your skin.

 

Healthy food habits:

Food is essential for physical and mental health. A balanced diet will help reduce fats, increase energy, and reduce cholesterol levels in the body. It has been observed in the past that men’s foods were usually not as healthy in comparison to women’s diets. A right balance between fats, carbohydrates, protein, dairy, sugars, vitamins, and minerals will help your body stay fit and active for more extended hours. Avoid oily and fatty foods and fast foods that cause more harm than good. A balanced diet also helps significantly in the way you think.

 

Avoid alcohol, narcotics, and nicotine:

Men tend to depend on alcohol, drugs, and nicotine to change their moods and the way they feel more than their female counterparts. Many men drink due to an emotional response or trigger that is uncontrollable. The same is the case with narcotics and nicotine products. Avoid using any of these products and instead, in case of emotional upheaval or feelings of depression, consult a doctor or councillor to assist you. Mental wellbeing is as important as physical wellbeing for your long-term health and success.

The Positives of Spending More Time Outdoors

Nowadays, it becomes very easy to get caught up in the world of technology and spend more time staring at a screen than we do at the sky. Between juggling busy lives and trying to keep up with the latest trends, the majority of us spend a shocking 90% of our time locked away indoors. Spending time in dull environments has a direct correlation on our mental and physical health, and unfortunately, a lot of unhappiness stems from little access to sunlight and fresh air.

It’s time to make a change.

We are here to provide you with reasons on why you should be spending more time outdoors, along with tips on how to do so. It is time to unplug your devices, take a step outside, and see yourself become a stronger individual, both physically and mentally.

First off, it’s worth knowing why you should spend more time outdoors. Well, the list is endless, but a few advantages include:

Lowered Stress Levels: It is amazing how much clearer your head will be after taking a short walk outside. Studies have shown that if you walk through a green area, then you reduce levels of stress hormones, which decreases thoughts and feelings of stress and anxiety. As well as this, it reduces blood pressure and fatigue; making it an excellent source of exercise!

Increase Attention Span: If you find yourself having trouble concentrating or remembering information, it’s time to get outside. Interacting with nature has been proved to improve your memory and attention span…

Boost Your Immune System: We all know that without trees, we would have a very hard time breathing. We are far more likely to come down with a rotten virus when stuck in stuffy environments for hours on end. Spending as much time as possible outside (providing the weather is nice) helps to boost your immune system and fight off any nasty lurgies that will bring you down.

So, it is clear to see why you should be spending time outdoors, but how can you do this without getting bored? While taking a nice short walk is healthy, there are plenty of other ways to ensure you are outside and making the most of your time.

Camping: Camping trips are an excellent way to spend time with great company and make memories that’ll last a lifetime. Being able to sleep under the stars and wake up at sunrise is an experience like no other; it also acts as an extraordinary detox. Camping trips allow you to learn new skills and push your limits like never before. If you are fully equipped for a camping trip, then it’ll be the adventure of a lifetime. Why not try prepping your own food from scratch with the help from a practical pocket knife? Taking a knife on your camping trip will also help to open any tough packaging and act as self defense in a worst case scenario. It is worth researching into the best EDC knives from this year in order to establish what will serve the best purpose for you. Don’t forget to pack a trusty knife sharpener so that your culinary skills are not cut short!

Exercising: The great thing about exercising outdoors is the fact that it is completely free. Going for a run or kicking a ball around does not entail any gym membership fees and allows you to work out literally whenever you like. Not only will you get to spend time outdoors, but you will also be getting a great workout at the same time.

Ditch The Public Transport: Unless completely necessary, why not try cycling or walking rather than hopping on the bus? You’ll see far prettier sights when you ditch public transport, not to mention the extra boost of energy and positivity you’ll feel for being outside. I’ve recently started cycling to my new serviced office in Liverpool Street, and I must say I’m feeling more energised and getting more work done which is fantastic, as well as feeling fitter at the same time.

As you can see, the reasons as to why you should spend more time outdoors are endless. With plenty of fun ways to do so, there is absolutely no excuse! Improve your physical and mental health in an instant and take a step into nature as soon as you can.

 

 

 

 

insomnia

Dealing with Insomnia

Getting restful sleep is one of the most important things in today’s world. With stressful jobs, financial worries, travel stress, noise pollution, social media notifications on your handheld device, and general anxiety, it becomes very difficult to get a good night’s rest. There are lots of people who suffer from the problem of ‘not getting sleep’. Having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep (even if you have fallen asleep), and not getting restful sleep can be caused due to the medical condition commonly known as Insomnia.

Sleep disorders can be of several types – insomnia, restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy (daytime drowsiness and dysfunctional sleep regulation), sleep apnea, working in shifts, mental illness disturbance, and sleep disorder due to addictions. Sleep disorder and insomnia can be short-term (acute) for a few weeks due to temporary work stress, traumatic events, and family pressures or long-term / ongoing (chronic) that lasts months and maybe years.

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that is usually a symptom of another condition, disease or habits like smoking, doing drugs, drinking excessive alcohol, work stress, or too much caffeine in the bloodstream. An overdose of energy drinks during the day that might help in staying awake to finish work or focus extra can also cause insomnia. This, however, is a form of acute insomnia and can be easily cured by avoiding energy drinks containing caffeine the next day.

We can help you deal with insomnia through lifestyle changes and with the correct medication. Let us take each one by one.

Medication:

The preferred medication for treating Insomnia is Zopiclone. It is a type of hypnotic sleeping pill that helps treat bad cases of acute insomnia. It helps you sleep quickly while ensuring you don’t wake up in the middle of the night.

  • Zopiclone acts on the messages that are sent to the brain which in turn helps you sleep faster. The length of sleep increases while the time taken to fall asleep lessens considerably, thereby ensuring you get a good night’s rest.
  • Zopiclone is available in tablets and can be taken orally with a few sips of water. It is also possible in liquid form for people who can’t swallow pills, but this can only be ordered by the doctor. Zopiclone is available through prescriptions for people suffering from acute insomnia and can be used as a safe treatment.
  • Zopiclone doesn’t immediately put you to sleep. It takes approximately an hour to kick in and is usually prescribed for up to 3-4 weeks. Continued usage after this time limit could cause dependency and the body might stop responding to the treatment.
  • Zopiclone is available in 2 strengths – 3.5mg and 7.5mg. If you have any side effects like a metallic taste in your mouth, daytime sleepiness, and a dry mouth, please contact your doctor immediately. Also, avoid Zopiclone if you are pregnant or are currently lactating.

 

Lifestyle changes:

  • Get Up: One of the things people forget to do is wake up if they’re not getting sleep. Forcing yourself to sleep does not work in cases of acute insomnia. Doing something that might bring sleep is a better idea – reading a book, watching a boring TV show, and so on.
  • Don’t eat: Do not eat during the night as you might condition yourself to eat after supper and before breakfast daily. This will further break your cycle of sleep and interrupt your schedules causing prolonged insomnia.
  • Don’t sleep in: Always wake up when the alarm goes off the next morning. If you try to sleep in the early hours of the morning, you will again upset the circadian rhythm of your sleep causing insomnia the next night too.
  • Dim the lights: Dim the lights to make the bedroom drowsy. Dimming the lights helps create an ambient of sleep and might make you drowsy and knock you off in time. You could also make the room very dark to get peaceful sleep. Avoid lights from mobile phones, chargers, bedside alarms, and from laptops.
  • Join a gym: Join a gym to regulate your physical fitness. Getting tired at the end of the day and physically exhausting your body will help in getting fitful sleep resulting from fatigue. Exercising helps in falling asleep faster and staying asleep for longer times. This will help cure your insomnia naturally and will keep you healthy too.
  • Avoid smoking and alcohol: Avoid smoking, alcohol, energy drinks, and narcotics before you sleep. These will hamper restful sleep and worsen the problem even further. They will also disrupt your sleep cycle causing a change in your metabolism and overall health.

How You Can Improve The Atmosphere In Your Home

It is no secret that your surroundings affect your mood, which is why it is so important to ensure that your home environment has a positive atmosphere at all times. Focusing on creating a home that you love and want to be in is the key to keeping an uplifted mind-set. When it comes to interior design, there are a variety of factors that contribute to making a room the best space it could possibly be. You are far more likely to feel unhappy and stressed in a dark, cluttered room than you would in a bright and spacious one. Read on to discover our best tips for improving the atmosphere in your home and, as a result, lifting your mood entirely.

Lighting

First of all, you need to pay attention to the lighting situation in your home. If your home is prone to having restricted natural light, then it is worth investing in high quality lights which are powerful enough to light up a space without creating lots of shadows. If possible, install a skylight, as these welcome natural light in to even the darkest of places.

A lot of homeowners says Harlands are faced with the struggle of figuring out how to make a small space look as large as possible. Having a well-lit room will not only create a bright and welcoming atmosphere, but will also give the illusion of a bigger and clearer space. It is no myth that the majority of people feel happier on sunny days, which is why it is vital to remember that lighting will always have a noticeable effect on our moods.

Temperature

Another factor to consider is the temperature of your home. Although a warm environment may feel like a cosy one, it’s highly likely that you will find yourself feeling very sluggish and unmotivated. If you spend a lot of time in your home, and find yourself constantly resisting the urge to have a nap or lie down, then it is definitely time to make some changes to the temperature of your home. Purchasing a portable air conditioner is a cost effective way to have full control over the temperature in your home and create a more productive environment. A room with a slight chill with keep you on your feet and keep you moving, and you will find yourself feeling far more awake and motivated throughout the day.

Smell

Your most powerful sense is your sense of smell, and the last thing you want is the smell of last nights dinner constantly floating around your house. The smell in your home will also be the first thing that visitors will notice, so making sure that your home smells good is vital. Allow fresh air in to your home when possible and also find air fresheners, candles, and flowers which you enjoy the smell of. You will constantly look forward to walking in to a nice smelling room and it’ll improve the atmosphere instantly.

Sound

It is a known fact that music can affect our mood; whether it is a dance-hit or sad love song. Playing your favourite music in the background will have a positive effect on how you feel when in your home, and will make whatever it is you are doing far more enjoyable. The music doesn’t need to be too loud, as having it as subtle background noise is enough to lift spirits entirely.

Lifting the atmosphere in your home is one of the best improvements you can make, and it barely costs a single penny. Your home should always be an environment that you look forward to being in, and the atmosphere plays the biggest role in achieving this!

Affordable Ways To Revamp Your Home and Lift Your Mood

If you find yourself feeling uninspired and unhappy in your home, then it is definitely time to start making some changes. It is amazing to see just how much of an impact revamping your home can have on your mood. Your home is a place that the majority of time is spent in, and should therefore be a reflection of your interests and tastes. Re-decorating your home does not have to be an expensive venture and there are plenty of affordable ways to change each room in your home and give it the fresh new feeling it deserves. Watch as your mood improves dramatically as you improve the look of your home and keep a healthy bank balance!

Pay Attention To The Stairs

In most cases, stairs are the first thing that a person will see when walking through the front door. As this is the case, making your stairs presentable is a change that will have a significant impact on the appearance of your home. By simply adding a stylish stair runner, your stairs will look as good as new and will be sure to hide any footprints left from that one time you ran up the stairs with shoes on…

The good thing about stair runners is that they are a very cheap alternative to replacing the whole staircase, and also come in a variety of different designs.

Take Advantage of Mirrors

Mirrors are excellent pieces of décor that help to give the illusion of a bigger and brighter room. Bright and spacious rooms can improve your mood dramatically, as they eliminate the dull feeling that comes with a cramped space. If you are looking for the most affordable yet effective option, then acrylic mirrors are the perfect thing to implement in your home. Plastic mirrors are extremely reflective and also incredibly strong, meaning they are easy to install in your desired spot and won’t ever shatter like glass. Acrylic sheets are far cheaper (from Cut My Plastic) than other materials and you will be able to purchase as many beautiful plastic mirrors as you like without breaking the bank.

Add a Skylight 

Adding a skylight to a gloomy room will lift the mood immediately and allow natural light to shine through all day long. Skylights are surprisingly cheap to implement and will save you a whole lot of money from electricity bills! If you have an attic room or a room that currently has very little natural light, then a skylight is the perfect thing to install and also adds a unique touch to your home.

Remember The Little Things

Sometimes, a room just needs a touch of paint or a new ornament to come back to life. Before you consider stripping the whole house and starting fresh, look online for some room inspiration and pay attention to detail. You may soon realise that the room just needed a fresh batch of flowers or a new set of curtains… less is more! There is no need to go overboard on new worktops renovations, especially when the current room has no damage. Small pieces of decoration can be very cheap and there may even be DIY pieces that you take a liking to and can have a lot of fun with.

It is important to remember that you are in charge of the appearance of your home and should therefore have full control over how it looks. If you feel unhappy when walking into a particular room, then focus on what you dislike about it and find ways to make it a space that you enjoy and look forward to walking in to.

Revamping your home does not need to be a stressful or expensive experience; it should be an enjoyable one… one that makes you proud!