Sleep can be broken up into two basic types: REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, and non-REM sleep, which is further broken up into three separate stages. Both are associated with specific brain wave activity, and serve different functions for the brain and the body.
Sleep During Lockdown - a Reflection
Pre Corona, I used to be a morning person. I used to wake up before my alarm, roll out of bed within a few minutes and hit the gym for an early a.m. training or pull my laptop close and start working straight away. I work from home so there was no pesky commute anyway.
The Link Between Loneliness and Sleep
Mental health is a hot topic right now – especially as we battle a global pandemic where many of us are feeling anxious and lonely in lockdown. Two mental health issues are thus getting the most PR (and for good reason): chronic lack of sleep and increasing feelings of loneliness (which keeps mounting despite a whole bunch of social media apps claiming to connect us).
Sleep & CBD
Getting a good night’s sleep can be tough – you put on your Nightire PJ’s, turn off all your screens, but your racing mind after a busy day and the anxiety of daily life still makes it tough for even the best sleepers to get to sleep and stay asleep. Does this sound like you? If it does, you would normally go see your doctor and get a prescription for sleeping pills. But many looking for a natural alternative have turned to CBD, an ingredient in cannabis, to help fight their insomnia.
Nightire gets a facelift
A few exciting developments are on the cards for Nightire (and I can't wait to share a bit more with you all real soon re these exciting developments). For now, let's just say the Urban Sleepwear Co is morphing into the Urban Sleep Co - and we'll be expanding our product offering in the next few months from just pyjamas and sleep accessories to adding bedding, sleep supplements, candles and more.
What's the Deal With Sweat Wicking Sleepwear?
If you, like many, suffer from night sweats or menopausal hot flashes, choosing pajamas made of natural fibers like cotton and bamboo can be a game changer. Here's why.
Guinness World Record to be made in Nightire Pyjamas
Sleepwear worn as daywear has been touted by many as this year’s trendy look du jour - with many an A-lister and influencer donning their nightwear for a foray out during the day. Well, we are now taking this trend one step further. Proving that bamboo threads are best for all kinds of weather, situations and occasions, Nightire has teamed up with marathon runner Jennifer Graham to kit her out in pyjamas for this year's London Marathon.
Sleeping and Menopause - an interview
Menopause. Familiar with the term?
To be honest, I wasn't even exactly sure what the details were...
How to get your Beauty Sleep with Freya & Bailey
We've got a super exciting collaboration with new London-based skincare brand Freya & Bailey in the pipeline (if you have been wondering what to get your beloved mum for Mother's Day, wait for it). So in the lead-up, we chatted to founder Abbie about how she came to create this natural, anti-pollution range.
Galentines Day Movies to Watch with your Best Friends
With the big V-day around the corner and heart-shaped balloons and overpriced roses hounding us from every shop window, we thought we'd rather celebrate the act of staying in with your best friends for a movie marathon of the most romantic flicks, complete with home-made popcorn, G&T's, a mound of blankets and of course clad in your favourite set of pyjamas.
Burnout and how it affects our sleep
Its official - too much work and play is making us sick and tired – literally. So how can you tackle this problem of burn-out?
Is too much sleep even possible? We investigate
The ‘right’ amount of sleep is a contentious topic. Because everyone has their own right amount. You can gauge whether you’ve had a enough by seeing how well you can get through your day.
Three Easy Halloween Breakfast Recipes
Three quick and easy wholesome recipes to fill you up the morning after a night of sugar-filled trick or treat'ing. Happy Halloween (and pumpkin-spiced autumn days)!!
How Many Hours Of Sleep Is Enough?
We've all heard the standard answer - eight hours. But almost none of us manage to actually ever clock this. Let alone seven. So where does that seemingly artbitrary figure come from – and do we need to be worried if we don’t hit it?
Your new favourite skin-friendly bamboo pillowcase
Bamboo is the softest fabric you will ever lay your head on. It’s anti-microbial and hypoallergenic, as well as thermo-regulating, which means it’ll keep your head cool in summer and warm in winter. It’s also sweat-wicking, smoother than cotton, and wrinkle-resistant. The trifecta for sleek, plump skin and hair come morning.
Why we yawn - an exposé
Yawning is a contagious and uncontrollable urge that we all get multiple times a day (and sometimes at the most inconvenient of times, like in important meetings or a yoga class). So we investigated where this strange yet common bodily function comes from.
In conversation with Sleep Well Milk
I recently had the good fortune of e-meeting the founder of Sleep Well Milk (a drink that you can sip before bed to help you snooze more easily). Here's what Sam Watts, one half of the founding couple, had to say about her small business life, the delicious milk and their family bedtime routines.
The Four Different Stages of Sleep
You've probably heard of the sleep buzzwords “REM” and “slow wave”, but what exactly do they mean for our sleep quality? To feel refreshed in the morning, you need to cycle through all stages of sleep several times throughout the night without interruption. So it might be quite beneficial to know exactly what those stages are.
An Ode to Sleeping in Sunshine
After many months of agonizing over design details, patterns and prints - the second Nightire range is here and it's all about celebrating the days of languid barbeques, ice creams on the beach and long afternoon naps. Summer holidays are usually a highlight in the year for most folks and an ace time to relax, reboot and spend quality time with the people you love. So we're betting that when you slip into your new Nightire sleepwear, it will evoke the same feeling of happiness as a day by the sea. No matter the weather (however dreary) outside.
Why we get night sweats and hot flashes - and what to do about them.
Oh, the joys of waking up in the middle of the night in a puddle of sweat, heart racing and body roasting. Then a few minutes later, you’re freezing again. Welcome to the world of night sweats. Sounds less than appealing, I know, but for a large contingency of people, that is a daily reality. Night sweats (which occur during sleep), and hot flashes (which occur during the day), affect 75 to 80 percent of women in menopause and perimenopause, and they can go on for years. Not good news when its a large factor that influences sleep.
Bose Sleep Buds - A Review
We’ve allll been there, right? We've all experienced those nights when you just can’t sleep because annoying sounds - like your SO's snoring, traffic and rowdy neighbours - are keeping you awake. So Bose, the brand that brought us headphones much beloved by all who work in coffee shops with MacBooks drinking flat whites, decided to do something about it. They created sleep earbuds with built-in noise masking technology🙌 These buds are tiny, shaped perfectly to fit pretty much any ear shape and size, and designed in such a way to mask pretty much any unwanted noise, and then lull you to sleep.
Who Sleeps Here - Sam Schwikkard's bedroom
We recently had a little chit-chat with mom and business owner Sam Schwikkard, a #friendofnightire and all-round darling, to find out how she manages to get enough me-time, down-time and sleep-time in as mom of a little bub. We also discussed what inspires her design vibes when it comes to her bedroom, as she really does have the most stylish abode.
How to wake up well after a bad night's sleep
Hello good morning! Not a good morning? Didn’t feel like singing a few songs while birds flap around your head? No skipping out the door with your lunchbox in tow? Neither did I. After a bad night’s sleep, I find it so tricky to wake up happy, energised and ready to take on the day. Which is why I’ve done a quick bit of research into little things that you can do to have a better day. Hope it helps you today!
How we do DIY PR here at Nightire HQ
We were so pleased when the go-to DIY PR site PROntheGO got in touch with us recently to garner some insight into the Nightire PR strategy. PR, for those of you not too in the know when it comes to marketing-speak, is short for public relations, which at the end of the day, is all about reputation - the result of what you do, what you say and what others say about you.
Bamboo pyjamas - the secret to a great night's sleep?
Wearing the right kind of pyjamas to bed – longs, shorts, dresses – is important, sure. However, it’s not so much what you wear, but what it’s made of that really counts. Donning sleepwear made of a fabric that aids temperature-regulation while you sleep, may help you to nod off faster, and stay in dreamland for longer.
7 Ways to get over jet lag - fast!
Jet lag- such a bummer after a nice holiday, or before the get-away has even started. Our bodies have a built-in clock – a small group of cells that tell other parts of the body what time it is and what to do accordingly – so jet lag is a series of symptoms that occur when that internal clock is off.
What keeps British folks awake at night... apart from Brexit fears
Our friends over at Chemist 4 U shared their findings with us of a study that they conducted recently, involving 2000 Brits and their sleep woes. This study revealed the six main elementsthat tend to keep us awake at night.
Why a 'sleep divorce' could be really good for your relationship
Picture your average night sharing a bed with your partner. Are they happily dozing off while you’re tossing & turning? While you’re hot and bothered and on the verge of shoving the duvet to the floor, are they swaddled like a baby?
How sleep can affect your diet choices
Sleep isn’t only important for keeping you energized all day, staving off disease and keeping your body and brain going. It also has an effect on the food choices that you make. I get it. A constant to-do list, allll the Netflix series and a packed social calendar can easily lead to not getting enough shut-eye in, but if you’re keen to keep making good food choices, prioritizing time between the sheets might be the most important change you can make. Two tricks to sleep better, are to try set regular times for going to bed and waking, if possible, and to ensure your bedroom is a sleep sanctuary – diffuse some essential oils, turn down the lights, and keep it clean.
Power naps for the win - when to take them and for how long
Do you find yourself guzzling down the caffeine every afternoon at 4PM, like clockwork? If so, a mid-afternoon nap could be the answer to weaning yourself off caffeine (and tiredness) forever. Napping is often associated with tiny tots or the elderly, but really, its a good idea for everyone.
How to easily fall (and stay) asleep
You’ve heard it all before – getting your eight hours of sleep is the key to health, happiness and everything in between. Which is probably the most frustrating thing to hear when you’re not one to sleep very well, or nod off easily. I have struggled with insomnia during different periods of my life.
Who Sleeps Here - Lise van Schoor's bedroom
Today I'm sharing a few snaps from the bedroom of my sister and Nightire's number one fan, Lise van Schoor. Over the holidays, I managed to pin her down for a chat about balancing work & life, her best sleep tips and what inspired her gorgeous abode's design aesthetic. Have a look at what this finance girl with a creative edge, had to say…
Who Sleeps Here - Nadia Meli's bedroom
I recently met up for a little chit-chat with a #friendofnightire, photographer and all round girlboss of note, Nadia Meli, to gush over her gorgeous bedroom interiors and discuss her sleep habits as a busy entrepreneur. Have a look at what we covered…
5 reasons why you are struggling to nod off
Have you ever started a new novel right before bedtime that was so unbelievably engaging that the twists and cliff-hangers kept you wired and awake long after the lights went out? Everyone knows it's a good habit to read before bed, right? Or was I wrong? Well, kind of.
7 pre-bedtime snacks that will help you nod off in no time
Sound the alarm, because we are in a sleep crisis! Whether it’s because we’re staying up too late, drinking too much coffee or feeling too darn stressed all the time, studies show that we're getting way less shuteye than we should.
A Bedtime Story for Grown ups
Once Upon a Time, in a city not so unlike yours, there lived an increasingly tired, young woman by the name of Claire. Claire lived in a rather pokey flat in a less-than-ideal part of London.
How to Design Your Workday based on your Sleep Habits
Do you insist on having a cup (or two) of coffee every morning before you brave any kind of activity? Or are you one of those lucky individuals who can jump out of bed and get to work pronto?How to Design Your Workday based on your Sleep Habits