HOW TO IMPROVE SLEEP

One of the main pillars in life that we will never be able live without is sleep. Over years of evolution, sleep has always and will always be a necessity. Yet more often than not it’s overlooked and under prioritised. We live in a society today where it is completely acceptable and the norm to still carry on with what we have to do, despite having little or no sleep.

The power of sleep (and lack of) can have huge implications on our health and bodily function. Sleep is when our bodies enter into an important repairing and healing process which has a profound effect on our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Poor sleep patterns often contribute to poor health and increased risk of diseases, making the quality of sleep each night paramount.

I recently listened to an interesting podcast by Dr Rangan Chatterjee. In his discussion with sleep expert, Guy Meadows, he explained how lack of sleep can be the primary cause of a number of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression and stress. Yet when we receive sleep in quality quantities, it can also be a cure to these disorders too!

Up until quite recently, I was a terrible sleeper which really stressed me out. I’m one of those people who needs their full 8 hours of undisturbed sleep otherwise I feel like the world is going to end the next day! I soon spiralled into a vicious circle and endless battle of worrying about sleep so much, that it started to prevent me from sleeping properly each night. As a result I became irritable, anxious and unsurprisingly – exhausted!

Quite often, no matter how tired I was as soon as I got into bed and prepared myself for sleep my mind would become increasingly active and alert. My mind quickly associated my bed as a place where all those serious thoughts and decisions should be made, creating a hostile and less ideal environment for sleeping! 

In an attempt to overcome my sleep demons, I’ve tried every tip, trick and potion out there!

Thankfully, my sleeping routine has improved dramatically and I believe it’s all down to developing a healthy evening routine to help prepare for bed. Adopting a few simple tips to melt away the stresses of the day have also been a vital tool in improving my sleep.

Food / Drink:

Certain food and drink consumption can play a huge role in our sleeping pattern. If you’re experiencing difficulties getting to sleep, try following the tips below;

·    Avoid high carb and sugary food at night. You don’t need a burst of energy just before you’re about to go to sleep. Try incorporating a high protein meal with lots of veggies instead and eat dinner 2 – 3 hours before bedtime to allow for digestion.

·    Limit caffeine and alcohol intake throughout the day. Stick to one coffee in the morning and avoid drinking alcohol in the evenings. Too much caffeine will stimulate the central nervous system, making it harder to drift off and alcohol can disrupt your sleep massively - so save the vino for the weekend!

·    Drink a herbal tea before bed; peppermint, camomile or hot fresh ginger, turmeric and apple cider vinegar teas are great for relaxation (avoid green tea before bed as most green tea contains caffeine).

·    Take herbal supplements such as a quality magnesium supplement (I use magnesium citrate), which aids muscle relaxation.

Technology:

·     Avoid technology use right up until the moment you go to bed.

I’m sure we’ve all read about that little blue light in our phones that keeps our brain active and awake! The artificial light from screens disrupts the body's natural sleep rhythm by signalling the body to become active and alert, making it far more difficult to fall asleep.

Shutting off from technology can really help to relax and unwind. I’ve created a flexible rule in my flat where I try to ensure my electronics are turned off via 8.30pm. This includes T.V, phone, computers – the lot. Switching off from technology gives my brain a rest from everything going on in the outside world and allows me to talk and connect with my partner. It's surprising how much more time you have on your hands to enjoy an evening when you shut down from electronics! 

If you simply can’t part with your  gadgets completely at night, avoid playing with them in your bedroom. You need gage your brain into thinking that the bedroom is for sleeping.

Relaxation:

·    Avoid high intensity workouts in the evening. This can often get the endorphins pumping, making it harder to wind down. Rather, unwind by enjoying restorative yoga or meditation followed by a relaxing bath filled with espom salts before bed.

·    Create a calming environment. For me, this comes from creating a cosy space by lighting lots of candles, spraying lavender on my pillow and around my room, burning essential oils (I’m loving this ‘Night Time’ oil from Neals Yard Remedies), listening to mediation music and reading a book in bed. Find what works for you and what helps you to relax.

Do you guys have any tips of sleeping? I’ love to hear them – leave a comment or tag your tips on Instagram @headoverhealing.

Wishing you all a very g’night! xx

VEGETABLE AUBERGINE BAKE

Sometimes after a long day at work all you need is a hearty, warming meal! I simply love this veggie based dish. It oozes flavour and authenticity, whilst ensuring you get your daily hit of nutrients! It always leaves me feeling light but fully satisfied!

Aubergines are my favourite vegetables to cook with, they’re so diverse you can throw them into any dish and sass them up with plenty of spices to create a variety of cuisines.

If you want to bulk the dish up, try serving with some brown rice or for an extra protein hit, crack a couple of eggs on top 5 minutes before serving!

To make this dish completely vegan, use coconut yogurt instead of natural Greek yogurt!

Ingredients: serves 3 / 4

3 aubergines

2 onions

1 courgette

1 large red bell pepper

1 x can of organic tinned tomatoes

¼ tin of coconut milk

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. turmeric

1 tbsp. garam masala

1 tbsp. cayenne pepper

1 tbsp. chilli seeds   

1 tbsp. cinnamon

1 tbsp. dijon mustard

1 avocado

1 lemon

4 tbsp. Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt 

3 tbsp. flaked almonds

Handful of coriander

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees.

Slice the aubergines into thin slices (approx. 5 slices per aubergine) and place on a baking tray. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper and oven for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, slice the onions, pepper and courgette and pan fry for 5 minutes (until browned) with a little olive oil.

Then add in the spices; turmeric, garam masala, cayenne pepper, chilli seeds and cinnamon. Stir for a couple of minutes before adding ½ can of tinned tomatoes, ¼ can of coconut milk, dijon mustard and 2 tbsp. natural Greek yogurt. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes.

Once the aubergines are browned, removed from the oven. Pour 1/3 of the tomato and coconut sauce into the bottom of an oven proof dish, then layer with aubergine slices. Repeat until the sauce and aubergines are stacked in the dish.

Pour the remaining ½ can of tinned tomatoes on top of the aubergines with a little salt and pepper.

Place in the oven on medium heat for approx. 45 minutes.

Once cooked, remove from the oven and sprinkle with chopped coriander and flaked almonds. Serve with guacamole and natural Greek yogurt.

Guacamole:

Peel and destone the avocado and mash into a bowl. Add the juice of 1 lemon, ½ tsp chilli seeds, salt, pepper and 2 tbsp. natural Greek yogurt and stir well until smooth and creamy.

BEST OF BALI

At the end of last year I had the pleasure of exploring beautiful Bali for 2 weeks. Having previously been before, I knew I wanted to return and discover more of the health conscious, relaxing Indonesian culture. The vibe in Bali can be pretty varied from wild all-night-long partying to relaxing Zen retreats, depending on which island you go to. We opted for a super chilled holiday to restore, rejuvenate and revitalise from our busy day-to-day lives in London. With a variety of yoga retreats, meditation camps and organically sourced produce to choose from, I came back feeling like a new woman indeed! 

Unlike most of my trips abroad, we arrived in Bali having done very little planning! We figured out a rough plan by identifying the top hot spots we wanted to explore, thanks to a few friend recommendations and good old Google, but decided to only pre-booked the first couple of days which enabled us to be pretty flexible with where we wanted to go. It was super easy browsing through www.booking.com on our phones each day when we wanted to move on and explore elsewhere.

Kuta: 
We started off in Kuta which wasn’t somewhere we intended to go however our flight arrived in at a gruelling 1am on Saturday morning, so instead of travelling straight to Canggu from Denpasar (the Airport), we stopped off close by for the night. Kuta is a 5 minute drive from the airport and although we didn’t see a great deal, I really didn’t think that much of it! That being said it was ideal for a quick stopover.

Canggu: 

In the early AM we took a 45 minute cab ride from Kuta to Canggu and made our way straight to The Chill House Yoga and Surf Retreat. Having stayed here before, I knew exactly what to expect as we rocked up – pure bliss!! 

They offer super chilled vibes with adorable boutique rooms, access to two pools, chill out zones, healing rooms and crazy good full body massages! You can enjoy yoga classes or book surf lessons each morning followed by an all-inclusive breakfast. Using organic produce only (something that is super important to me) and catering for vegans / allergies, it’s a great spot to load up on health.

Mornings for me consisted of 7am yoga classes in their beautiful outside studio, followed by pink dragon fruit smoothie bowls and ice cold deep green juices for breakfast. Afternoons revolved around topping up the tan and sippin’ on coconuts by the pool. ;)

Pink Dragon fruit smoothie bowls @ The Chill House

Dinner is also included in the price so at 7pm each evening a large dong is rang which echoes through the whole complex signalling dinner time. At this point everyone joins together like one big family for an absolute feast! The dinner menu is full of variety and flavour, whether it’s a three course meal or a large BBQ buffet, you won’t be left feeling hungry! I love the fact that they encourage everyone to eat together at the same time, it’s such a great way to meet new people especially if you’re travelling alone.

The Chill House

The Chill House

The Chill House

Yoga studio @ The Chill House

The Chill House is also located less than a 5 minute ped or 10 minute bike ride (they provide both at a small fee) to Canggu beach, where you can witness those beautiful Bali sunsets that you see on Google images! On the beach there’s a funky bar called ‘One Man’ for those seeking a few beers and a late night boogie! 

Ubud: 

Our next stop was Udbud which oozes culture and beauty. It's renowned for its enchanted walks, Rice Paddies and the famous Monkey Forest. It took us approximately 1hr 30 to get here from Canggu via car. 

We discovered an amazing hotel on Booking.com called The Honeymoon Guest House. Despite not actually being on my honeymoon (I was in fact travelling with my sister), it was so beautiful with huge elegant rooms, all-inclusive breakfast, access to two luxury pools and stunning gardens you can wonder aimlessly around, whilst getting lost amongst its beauty – all for a very reasonable price! 

Pool No 1 @ The Honeymoon Guest House

Pool No. 2 @ The Honeymoon Guest House

If you’re into cooking, the hotel offers Balinese cooking classes in their stunning outside kitchen where you can learn all the secrets to Balinese food from one of the best cooking schools in the world, Casa Luna. 

For all those passionate yogi's who want to find the best spot to move the body, still the mind and connect the soul, I would highly recommend a trip to The Yoga Barn which has a range of different styles and classes for everyone to enjoy!

Cooking classes are taught here @ The Honeymoon Guest House

Outside our suite @ The Honeymoon Guest House

Cosy vegan cafe in Ubud town centre 

Ubud Art Market

The hotel is a 5 minute walk into Ubud town centre where you can witness the true Indonesian culture by taking a trip down to the Art Market, exploring beautiful temples and heading to a very unusual, but entertaining evening show. You can also book trips to the famous rice paddies and venture into the Monkey Forest to feed the wild monkeys.


The Gili Islands: 

Gili Air 

If relaxation, stunning beaches and incredible sunsets are top on the priority list, I highly recommend checking out at least one of the Gili islands. Having been to both Gili Air and Gili Trawangan my preferred island is Gili Air, which I found to be slightly smaller and quieter. That being said, if you want buzzy party vibes then Gili T will probably come up trumps. Both islands are equally beautiful and require a 2 hour ferry from the mainland, where you can book at any travel and tourist hut located in most tourist spots.

Gili Air

On Gili Air we stayed in the deluxe room at Sejuk Cottages, located West of the island and away from the hustle and bustle of the harbour. We loved it here so much that we kept extending our stay (which is the exact reason why we didn’t pre-book accommodation). It was so peaceful and beautiful, with white sand beaches and beautiful turquoise sea. There are no cars on the island and the only form of transport is via horse and cart (I wasn’t so keen on this option), bike or foot! 

Sejuk Cottages

Sejuk Cottages is located right next a sunset yoga spot, which became my morning and evening ritual. I also tried out their ariel yoga class for the first time!! It was so much fun and unsurprisingly a great workout for the core!

At the same spot, you can hire Stand Up Paddle boards or join a sunset SUP tour to watch the sunset and snorkel with turtles.

Sunsets in Gili Air <3

Just around the corner, directly backed onto Sejuk cottages was a delicious healthy restaurant called Pachamana. With quirky vibes and deliciously healthy food, we ate here pretty much every morning and evening! I absolutely loved their in-house granola bowls for breakfast and oh my gosh their pink ‘Nutty Dragon’ smoothie was probably the best thing I put in my mouth. I loved it so much, I created my own version when I got home (you can find the recipe here).

Pachamama granola bowls (the best breakfast)

Another strong breakfast contender was The Good Earth Café, offering plenty of nourishing food including a number of raw, vegan options. Situated within a yoga retreat they hold a number of meditation, yoga and aqua yoga classes!

Good Earth Cafe @ H20

Uluwatu 

Uluwatu was our final stop! Despite spending nearly a whole day travelling from Gili Air to Uluwatu, it was definitely worth it when we arrived. 

Yoga Searcher / The Muz Kitchen

If you love yoga, peaceful tranquillity and earth friendly, organic food then The Muz Kitchen is a must! Situated in a stunning resort named ‘Yoga Searcher’ the setting is beyond calming. We enjoyed a hearty vegan lunch followed by leisurely swims in the pool and a trip down to the famous Padang Padang beach for breath-taking sunsets. If you don’t choose to stay at the resort itself, I highly recommend taking a trip to experience the delicious restaurant (ask if you can sit and eat by the pool).

Sunsets in the pool @ Padang Padang Inn

We also spent a night at the Padang Padang Inn, it didn’t have quite the same ambience as Yoga Searcher, however it was a lot less pricey and the facilities were more than adequate.

The Mango Tree Cafe

If you’re on the hunt for somewhere with a little buzz, The Mango Café is a great hang and situated directly opposite Padang Padang Inn. It’s an all-rounder café with great brekkie, lunch and dinner choices. We tried out their delicious smoothie bowl for breakfast and enjoyed the buzzy atmos in the evenings with live music, good food and plenty of friendly vibes.

Breakfast @ Buddha Soul

Buddha Soul was another favourite brunching and dinner spot, although the walk from Padang Padang Inn to get there is pretty horrendous. With no pavement or street lights it was a little eerie walking back at night! 

Overall my visit to Bali was absolutely incredible! I loved everything about the food, culture and lifestyle. Having a few dietary restrictions can often leave me feeling a little nervous and anxious when travelling as I never know when I'll be able to grab the next healthy meal but in Bali it's so easy to find nutritious and delicious food. Around every corner there's always a yummy smoothie bowl waiting! ;)

I can't wait to head back there! Do you guys have any great tips or recommendations?

Useful tips: 

Currency: The currency Bali uses is Indonesian Rupiah. It may feel as though £1 is equivalent to hundreds of notes but you do get used to dealing with such large quantities. Just ensure you carry notes between 10,000 (50p) – 100,000 (approx. £5) and try to use cash where possible.

Climate: Rainy season ranges from January to April and October to November. I’ve been during the months of April and September. In September I witnessed fewer clouds and showers than April however it was incredibly humid during both trips and is generally warm all year round. 

Language: The language varies from Indonesian and Balinese, depending on location. English is in wide use thanks to tourists and Australian expats so we didn’t experience any difficult language barriers.