Getting through Lockdown the Homebody way

 

These weeks of home stay are not easy for anyone of any age and by having some coping mechanisms in place, it  that can make all the difference to maintaining that feeling of wellbeing and the best advise I can give would be to create a do-able routine for everyday that you are happy to stick to.

Lockdown means we are without the daily commute or day to day plans that usually keep our diaries busy and our lives maintaining some sort of order, so it is even more important now to maintain our mental and physical health by acceptance of the situation and trying to enjoy as opposed to endure!

Getting good sleep is crucial to feeling good and so many of us are having trouble sleeping, waking up in the night with anxiety after listening to the news – these are very worrying times and it is important to be able to deal with this stress rather than bring it to bed with us

 So what can we do? Well, one of my favourite tips for sleeping well is reading a book before sleep and naturally, being a designer of nightwear, I have over the years read many books that focus on the importance of sleeping well and why we need a great night’s sleep, particularly  now, in these challenging times.

One book that I picked up last night called “How to sleep well” by Dr Neil Stanley, writes that ‘ slow wave sleep’ is crucial to our general wellbeing  as we are constantly exposed to an ever increasing overload of information every minute of the waking day.

He writes that we need our sleep pattern to stay constant  - a difficult task despite these extraordinary lockdown weeks when hours and days seem to blend all together.

Dr Stanley writes pre Corona Virus that  “much of the stress and anxiety that we experience in the modern world is, I believe as a result of our inability to process all this information adequately because we are not sleeping as well as we should”

 In these unprecedented times this need to relax every evening, and process our thoughts, is even more crucial than ever to maintain our health or recuperate from illness.

For me , having a good routine in place is key and fundamental to wellbeing. 

So here are some suggestions that work for me:

On waking up, remembering to be thankful when opening the curtains

Having a good breakfast that is filling and healthy (porridge and a herbal tea will do)

Exercise whether a walk or a class for a minimum of twenty five minutes to an hour brings colour to the cheeks but also flexibility to the body, particularly if you are  sitting in a chair all day WFH

Remembering to eat lunch is a ‘must ‘and again a salad with a protein fix does the trick

Last coffee would be five pm but for many of us sticking to herbal teas is better for sleep (personally I do need a few caffeine hits during the day!)

After a nutritious supper there is time for switch down mood (I call it on dimmer mode !)

So as a bath lover, nothing helps me relax more than climbing into the bubbles after a hard day and right now it has definitely become my ‘alone time’ sanctuary where I light a candle put a face mask on, a spot of calming music…and I can be found here for quite some time!

My last activity is putting on my sleepwear and of course it is Homebody – currently I love our fold down shorts and vest and just feeling the soft texture of our fabric on my skin, brings that familiar sense of home that keeps my spirits raised and my eyelids shut!

 

Wishing you well

 

Beverley