Sleeping Beauty
Well you might have guessed that being the creator of SoffiaB luxury robes & dressing gowns, sleeping is something that is very dear to my heart. I have always been an avid sleeper, unlike Arianna Huffington it didn’t take a literal bump to my head to convince me of the beauty of sleeping and the beauty that we derive from sleeping.
Of course as a teenager I slept for England and given the opportunity throughout my 20s and 30s I slept with enjoyment. I remember my best friend’s husband, with whom I was staying, shouting up the stairs “she’s not a teenager anymore you know” trying to wake me.
However once I hit my mid 30s things began to change and perhaps this is all part of mid-life crisis mode or perhaps I began to feel the responsibilities of adult-hood, I don’t know? Sleeping became harder, getting to sleep became hard first off, then I managed to reset my brain and get to sleep quickly, then staying asleep was impossible I would linger in that 2.00-4.00am timeslot desperate for shut-eye and then it all came together in one big “can’t get to sleep, can’t stay asleep” maelstrom! Yuk!!!
We have all, at some time in our lives experienced that awful, seemingly never-ending cycle of poor sleep, sometime caused by worry, sometimes by being in love, sometimes by our children, sometimes by a loss, sometimes by other family members, sometimes by the dog. Mostly however we don’t have the accompanying adrenalin that being in love brings and the next day or should I say later that day we feel awful. Just horrid.
What we do within the first 15 minutes of waking up really sets the tone for the remainder of the day. Not that a day can’t be improved it can, but if you begin with a “positive” it is so much easier to rectify any disappointments or problems as they occur.
Humans are primarily visual beings, seeing things that makes us smile, that remind us of good times, that calm us, that invigorate us, those images set off those wonderful endorphins and make us feel less stressed, less unhappy, less fretful, less angry and so on. That’s why pictures of baby animals are so very popular on Pinterest and videos of cute babies and animals doing silly things go viral on YouTube.
As humans we do generally have a choice in how we begin our day, although sometimes children, animals and the odd catastrophe wreck our best laid plans. Getting up with time to spare, even when you are dog-tired, is essential because this sets the rhythm of our day, rushed or within time. Set the alarm for 15 minutes earlier so you have that wriggle room if things go awry, it means you’re not already rushing to catch up and if things go smoothly you have an additional 15 minutes to warm the car, to look at the flowers, to spend extra time helping your daughter pick out her wardrobe or whatever your pleasure.
Often I hear the phrase “we are what we wear”. Well perhaps, our clothes certainly shape the views of others, but again it is important to remember we are visual creatures, after all look at all the wonderful wildlife that has beautiful feathers or fur with stunningly amazing colours and combinations. Putting on a ratty, grey pair of sweats when you get up is likely to makes us feel somewhat ratty and grey too! Whether you’re a PJ person or a relish a robe, make sure the first item you put on is clean, fits well, is of colours you enjoy and above all feels good. This simple step helps us lay the foundation for our brain to say “so I feel exhausted, but these PJs make me feel good, I can and will begin my day positively.”
Of course sometimes events overtake us, the boss summons you to her office first thing and not in a good way, your son throws up over your tie just as you’ve knotted it and perhaps your bathroom toilet overflows, but beginning with the simple step outlined helps us as humans to cope and overcome.
- give yourself 15 minutes of wriggle room
- put on something that makes you look good and feel good as soon as you rise
- force yourself to face the day with positivity
Look gorgeous, feel fabulous!