Can't get no....

I've been having real trouble recently sleeping -which is very frustrating - I'm tired, exhausted often from exercise and yet am having real trouble sleeping at night -I'll usually go to bed around 11:00/12:00 but wont be able to drop off until 2 or 3 and then wake up again at 4. I've had the usual advice from people, mainly that I might drink too much coffee - I usually have 2 or 3 but none after 15:00 - so that's annoying, but its possible I'm just very sensitive to it (how lame of me)

I did a bit of googling today and have found some interesting tips

• Take it easy on the caffeine. Either eliminate it or limit to morning only. The effects of caffeine last for 9 hours, so you do the math.
• Have a bedtime ritual that is calming. You could read before bed, plan your day for tomorrow, write in your journal, meditate, listen to soothing music, or anything else that helps your mind to slow down.
• Turn off the TV at least 30 minutes before bedtime. TV is a stimulant so establish a routine that helps you turn it off. You’ll fall asleep better.
• Listen to your body. If you feel tired, go to bed. Don’t torture your self by not getting enough sleep.
• Listen to your mind. If there is something on your mind before bed time, write about it in a notebook or talk to someone about it. Come up with solutions that you can work on tomorrow.
• Build a habit of daily meditation. This will help increase the overall level of calm in your mind allowing you to get to sleep easier and stay asleep.

In a fit of desperation I also bought some Valerian root tablets from Holland & Barrett - I can't say I've noticed a difference but I thought some natural remedies might be useful so I also looked up some foods that might help:

1. Fish

Most fish—and especially salmon, halibut and tuna—boast vitamin B6, which is needed to make melatonin (a sleep-inducing hormone triggered by darkness). This is interesting: I just had fish for dinner, and as I write this I do feel quite sleepy -maybe I should try to eat more fish....

2. Jasmine Rice

When healthy sleepers ate carbohydrate-rich suppers of veggies and tomato sauce over rice, they fell asleep significantly faster at bedtime if the meal included high-glycemic-index (GI) jasmine rice rather than lower-GI long-grain rice, in a study published in the American journal of clinical nutrition This one is not so good for my Paleo style so I'll keep it as a maybe.

3. Tart Cherry Juice

In a small study, melatonin-rich tart cherry juice was shown to aid sleep. When adults with chronic insomnia drank a cup of tart cherry juice twice a day they experienced some relief in the severity of their insomnia. Mmm ok, this one seems a bit weak, and I'm not so keen on cherry juice...

4. Yogurt

Dairy products like yogurt and milk boast healthy doses of calcium—and there’s research that suggests being calcium deficient may make it difficult to fall asleep

5. Whole Grains

Bulgur, barley and other whole grains are rick in magnesium—and consuming too little magnesium may make it harder to stay asleep, reported theJournal of Orthomolecular Medicine

6. Kale

Green leafy vegetables, such as including kale and collards, also boast healthy doses of calcium. 

7. Bananas

Bananas, well-known for being rich in potassium, are also a good source of vitamin B6.

8. Chickpeas

Another good source of vitamin B6 (I adore hummus so eating more chick peas should be easy!)

You can google this subject with all manner of results but vitamin B6 does seem to keep popping up, so I will also be sure not to forget to take my multivits which i admittedly often do.

So I shall update you on any progress and hope maybe a few of these ideas might be useful!

XXX

Winning the War for Donut Day

I couldn't resist showing you a few pics of our fabulous jaunt to the American Museum to celebrate National donut day and a little wartime nostalgia - we picnicked, explored the gorgeous grounds, ate many a free donut, learnt to Lindy hop and finally, found ourselves some G.I's and a jeep to pose with. Well done my wartime belles!

xxx

National Donut Day

Today, My friends, is national donut day! (as its a largely American tradition I'm spelling it the yank way, I'm culturally sensitive like that :P) and actually has a nicer origin than you might expect - not just a marketing creation of Krispy Kreme or Dunkin Donuts!

National Donut Day started in 1938 as a fundraiser for Chicago’s Salvation Army, and now falls on the first Friday of June every year. The goal was to help the needy during the Great Depression, and to honour The Salvation Army 'Lassies' who had served donuts to soldiers during World War I and would continue to do so when American troops were sent to Europe to fight in World War II.

To celebrate the occasion many American donut stores offer free donuts.

For my own celebration, I'll be going to Baths own American Museum they are hosting a fun day tomorrow and I intend to dress up in my finest war era glam, enjoy the sunshine and festivities, enjoy a donut or two and think of the women who brightened the days of many a soldier with a little care, a smile and a sugary treat. Well done Girls.

XXX

My day so far in bullet points

• I bought a 2nd hand Ipod Touch online so I can track my running -it arrived today and I am now playing with it instead of doing any work ;) I've just downloaded Nike + and the tag line is 'Get more from your run than you ever thought possible' well good, that's just what I want!
• I feel grateful to have a job I have this kind of freedom to dos about should I wish - yes I know that's not very up and coming or driven of me - but today I appreciate it :)
• Its gloriously sunny in Bath today and I felt very jovial walking to the bus stop in the warm sunshine
• Amongst our brainstormings for an adventure -me and Mary-annes' latest fancy is - The Amazon! OK it was her idea -but I fully support it. A cruise down the Amazon for 9 days on the Queen Violet Amazon riverboat.

• I am now on my 5th of 6 essays for my 'veterinary care' course and on track for a Merit: its been tough keeping up with everything but I'm both glad I did it and glad its nearly over!
• The Annual RSPCA meeting is tonight which will see me be voted in as an official trustee :)
• After extreme faffing about and not knowing how to organise everyone for my birthday in October I have settled for a private dining room in the lovely Hall+Woodhouse in Bath - with a Vegas costume theme :) I'm also hoping to get to Vegas next year with Emma - my first and original Vegas buddy!
• My ongoing search for a yoga retreat has found me enthralled with this Indian castle retreat in Rajasthan

XXX

'Great' Review

As you know, I was excited about seeing Great Gatsby not least for the visual feast of it all. I went to my favourite local cinema 'The Little Theatre' and as predicted it was visually lovely -so much thought had obviously been put into the interiors (gorgeous) and the costumes (divine) and the scenes were lovely, everything looked amazing: Gatsy standing on the dock looking for the green light at Daisy's house, the elaborate high tea Gatsby organises to meet Daisy again, every party thrown!

Yes they were amazing. But despite all of this, it just didn't click for me - funnily as Tobey maguires' Nick Carraway says himself "The tempo of the city had changed sharply. The buildings were higher. The parties are bigger. The morals were looser and the liquor was cheaper" which suggests a fast pace to this tale and indeed to the general way of life for our bright young things.

But the film seemed to drag - and in all the wrong places, the build up to Gatsby and Daisy meeting is drawn out obviously - but after their first scene meeting for tea, they seem to throw in one montage of them having fun and a party and then all of a sudden its time to tell Daisy's husband Tom that she's leaving him. I don't feel there is nearly enough time of Gatsby and Daisy actually being together - I suppose that's the fast pace they are trying to capture, but I think it could have been done better.

The same goes for Tom Buchanan and his mistress Myrtle Fisher - another important relationship - there is just one short scene with them together.

Finally Nick Caraway's last meeting Daisy and Tom again after the dramatic climax following the day in the city (I wont spoil it in case you don't know the story) absent from this version, which was such a shame.

I feel like such a large amount of time is spent on the gorgeous shots of the parties and the houses, that the most important part of the story -the interaction of the characters is cut short, as if to speed things along after spending too much time on party scenes.

I actually heard someone say as we left the theatre -"well it was better than the Robert Redford Version". I disagree: Redfords' Gatsby was infinitely cooler, and Mia Farrows' Daisy was much more 'unbalanced' which I personally felt was a better interpretation that DiCaprio's manic Gatsby and Mulligans detached Daisy.

But, I know I've put it down a bit here - It is still quite a sight to behold. So I would still suggest seeing it on the big screen while you have the chance!



1974 version

1974 version

2013 version

2013

2013

2013

 

XXX

Jumping for Joy

Just a quick crossfit update Darlings, mainly because I am very excited about tonight WOD (that's 'Workout Of the Day') and I guess that sums up really nicely whats fun about crossfit -we've got no idea what we'll be doing each day until its posted up -but we know it will be different and challenging in new ways each time.

And tonight's one is nice because a) I love box jumps (just like it sounds, its jumping up onto boxes) because, well, jumping around is fun! and I enjoy AMRAPs (as many reps as possible) because I can challenge myself in how many I can do, and I love power snatches and push ups!

So there it is, I'm bonkers about exercise now! :P

WOD 24-5-13

1) Establish a Max Height Box Jump

2) 7 min AMRAP:
3 Power Snatch (40kg)
3 Hand Release Press Ups
6 Power Snatch
6 Hand Release Press Ups
9 Power Snatch
9 Hand Release Press Ups
12
12
….. so on increasing each set by 3 reps each exercise

XXX

New Half Measures!

Hot on the success of my running training I signed up for the Bath Half today: as its pay day and I wanted to do it the moment I had the funds, as it sells out quickly.

The Bath Half is something of an iconic race for Bathonions and I feel that I can truly call myself a local once I've done this! and frankly my new found 'success' at running has given me a confidence to do things I thought impossible last year!

xxx