5 Tips and Tricks For The Best Sleep Ever

Last week, I went to the launch of Heal's new sleep studio, where I heard blogger and interior stylist Maxine of We Love Home share her tips for a good night's sleep. I loved it so much, it made me think of my own sleep routine and what I did when I struggled with a short period of insomnia last week.

I'm usually the type of person who can drop off to sleep quite easily; the type of person who'll boast, "I'm asleep before my head hits the pillow!" Of course, that is, when my husband's not away for travel (or there's at least a friend sleeping over in the guest room on the floor below) and I'm not feeling particularly anxious or worried about an upcoming event. In those situations, I have a terrible time falling asleep and often don't drop off until about 1 or 2 in the morning, waking up feeling groggy and in a totally bad mood (which is no surprise, since this 2012 survey conducted by Sleepio showed that you're twice as likely to suffer from low mood and struggle to be productive if you've had a bad night's sleep).

Last week, I had one of those weeks, and I kept waking up between 2:00 - 4:00 a.m. In the throes of insomnia, I ended up buying an expensive electric toothbrush (because it was on Amazon deals, y'all and because - let's be honest - it was the "rose gold edition") and watching episodes of Gilmore Girls until I dreamt that Rory was my friend and Lorelai was my adoptive mom. You get the picture.

On the fourth night, I finally had enough of this and found some ways to help me get some restful sleep. I thought I'd share this with you because, in talking to friends, I've discovered that insomnia and sleeplessness are more common than I thought.

So, here are five things that help me get to sleep when I need it:

The 'Sleep With Me' podcast

I stumbled upon this podcast reviewed in The New Yorker and became instantly hooked after it worked the first night I tried it. After that, if I was feeling particularly anxious, listening to it helped me drop off to a restful night's sleep and - more importantly - it helped me stay asleep through the night. Billed as, "The podcast that puts you to sleep: a lulling, droning, boring bedtime story to distract your racing mind", I initially thought that Drew Ackerman's rambling stories delivered in his upstate New York accent would irritate me and, worse, keep me awake. But I soon found out that they were perfect for falling asleep to because you can drop in and out without feeling like you're missing out on any crucial aspect of the "story", if you know what I mean. I'll focus on his words and follow them half-way, before spacing out, then dropping back in, and, before I know it, I'll wake to sunlight streaming through my windows. It's that good. I usually put it on my phone on medium-volume on my bedside table after I've turned the lights out.

A mini-yoga routine after brushing my teeth

I recently bought the Philips Sonicare Diamondclean toothbrush (ahem, the very item I bought when I couldn't sleep) and now brushing my teeth is one of the most calming things ever. Unlike other electric toothbrushes, it's very quiet, and feels like my gums are being massaged! But anyway. I digress. Sometimes after brushing my teeth, I like to dim the lights, unroll my yoga mat in my room and treat myself to a little 10-minute routine. Nothing energetic like chaturanga or bow pose, but just simple things like lying on my back in a restorative position (or with my legs up the wall) and stretching/doing a few twists. For me, twists release so much tension in my back and body; I literally feel like I'm "wringing" out the stresses of my day. John watched me do this from the bed once and was so curious, he tried it on the next night and said he felt much better too!

Avoiding social media (or my phone at all) at bedtime

I know you're not supposed to have electronics in your bedroom at all, but I always keep my phone next to me since I live far from my family and I'm always worried about getting a call in the middle of the night (knock on wood!). I'm really bad at resisting the urge to check Instagram, Twitter or Facebook right before bed and on the nights that I do, I go to sleep feeling agitated or with my mind racing. I've already turned off the notifications on my phone for these platforms (which has significantly decreased my feelings of anxiety throughout the day), but I find it's best to avoid them completely if I want a good night's sleep. It's kind of easier said than done, though, especially as a blogger (I'm sure at least a few of you can relate?).

Jumping into an already-made bed

Okay. I'll hold my hands up to this one: this is 100% me. John leaves the house a full two hours before I do (yep, he leaves for work at 6:00 a.m. or earlier every single morning) and I am terrible at making the bed everyday, even though we have gorgeous, huge decorative cushions from The White Company that you'd think would encourage me to do so. Nope, I just leave them plopped on the floor/armchair while the bed looks like Tracey Emin's masterpiece. But entering into a room with an unmade bed just draws my focus and attention to the disorder and chaos of the rumpled covers and pillows that are askew. Lately, I've been making more of an effort to smooth out the duvet, plump up the pillows and prop up our lovely cushions from The White Company before I leave for work. It feels much calmer and almost like a treat to crawl into that bed at night!

Wearing an eye shade

If I really have trouble sleeping, I'll wear an eye shade like this one . Our street is relatively quiet, so I don't have a problem with noise. We have blackout blinds in our room, but during the summer when our windows are open, some ambient light gets in and I'll start trying to make shapes out in the room when I'm attempting to drop off to sleep. My friend made a lovely eye shade for me using beautiful Liberty fabric and I love wearing it. It's very light and silky, so I can barely feel it when it's on (unlike the heavy-duty one I like to use on the plane) and it doesn't bother me if it slips off in the middle of the night (which always happens) and I find it at, you know, at the foot of my bed or something.

Breathing exercises

When I had a more regular yoga practice, I'd be instructed to engage my ujjayi breath in flow classes and we'd often do breathing exercises at the beginning or end of a class. There's so much emphasis on "finding your breath" in yoga, which is a great reminder for me as I'm quite an anxious person by nature, so I find myself shortening my breath throughout the day. My favorite trick is something I learned in class, which is to inhale for six counts - briefly pausing at the top of the breath - before exhaling for six counts. I felt myself getting close to having a panic attack the other day when I was squished in a tube carriage on the Central Line on one of the hottest days in London ... I felt like I couldn't breathe and there were bodies pressed into mine, but we were passing through a tunnel, so there was nothing I could do. I quickly changed my focus to my breathing, counting to six each time I inhaled and exhaled. I made it all the way to my destination this way - counting each time the tube went through a tunnel, and it worked, just as it works when I'm trying to fall asleep.

So, those are the five things that work for me. Do you have trouble sleeping? What works for you? I'm curious to know!

Interior Inspiration: Elizabeth Scarlett's Tropical-Inspired Textiles

If you follow me on Instagram, you'll know that my love for decorative pineapples knows no bounds. When I spotted Elizabeth Scarlett's gorgeous, tropical-inspired collection of washbags, cushions and bucket bags in an online magazine, I was smitten - especially since I've been searching for the perfect makeup bag to stash in my carry-on.

Each piece in Elizabeth's collections is embroidered with one of her hand-painted designs. With a background in fine art and textiles, it's easy to see why her products are all so pretty and fun to use! Initially, I fell in love with the soft, pale blue Palmier chambray washbag, but then I saw the indigo-hued Ananas washbag and, well, it was game over for me. Who wouldn't want to be seen pulling that out of their tote?!

Sadly for my bank account, the Ananas washbag comes in two colorways (indigo, which I own, and grey, which I also love), plus the pattern is also embroidered on a duvet cover - yes, that's right, a duvet cover. Not sure if John would entertain the idea of sleeping on bed linen embroidered with pineapples, but there's always the guest room to play with (cue evil laugh).

I'm a fan of the easy luxury of Elizabeth Scarlett's designs and the affordable price point (which also makes them perfect to give as gifts). My washbag (pictured here) is soft and roomy - just the right size for storing my favorite in-flight essentials like the Avene thermal water spray (which is a godsend for long-haul flights! Even John asks for it when I pull it out to spritz my face) and my makeup brushes. Although I tend to pack light, I still find myself cramming things into my makeup bag right before I board the plane and struggling to zip it up after I've taken something out of it mid-flight.

Aside from the Ananas washbag, I'm also a huge fan of this Coral Palmier Bucket Bag (perfect for beach escapes and city breaks alike) and the Palmier Taupe Cushion, which I think would look fantastic on our new West Elm garden sectional.

Have a browse at the collection and let me know your favorite design! Angloyankophile readers can nab 15% off across Elizabeth Scarlett until August 15th with the code ANGLO15.

My beautiful Ananas washbag was generously provided by Elizabeth Scarlett, whose products I love! All opinions are my own.

Style Crush: SixForGold

What's your jewellery style like? I love wearing the same simple things every day, but I'm a sucker for dainty costume jewellery. I'm basically a magpie. I see shiny things and I go, "Ooooh!"

Case in point: I recently had lunch with my friend and fellow American expat, YouTuber Robyn A, when my eyes locked onto her gorgeous Native Gem bracelet. I'd seen it before in one of her videos, but I didn't quite appreciate how pretty it was until I saw it in person. Of course, I had to ask about its origins and loved that it was from an online boutique called sixforgold, where many of the designer pieces stocked are from - you guessed it - the US.

Having lived in the UK for a decade, I feel like I know British jewellery designers like the back of my hand by now and I'm constantly looking out for indie designers and shops. But what I miss are the different styles and designers that are available in America, so when I'm not style-stalking my friends who live in the States for jewellery tips, I'm searching for independent online boutiques like sixforgold where I can satisfy my shopaholic tendencies (I also spend all day every day on Instagram and Pinterest, going ga-ga over things like midi rings and layered gold jewellery, which doesn't help my habit!).

Because of my Instagram/Pinterest/Etsy addiction, I suddenly became fixated on finding the perfect evil eye necklace (don't ask). And when I get fixated on something I don't stop until I find 'The One' (the other night, I had a bout of insomnia between 2 - 4 a.m. and ended up on a wild online goosechase for a new electric toothbrush ... see?).

Anyway, I found the perfect evil eye necklace by A.V. Max at sixforgold: not too big, not too small, subtly sparkly, with an adjustable chain so that the eye can sit just in that cleft between my collarbones, or, lower, if I so wished.

I'm feeling like it's deflecting all that negative energy when I wear it.

Good news! Angloyankophile readers can take 15% off orders across the sixforgold site with the code ANGLOYANK15. Happy shopping!

My A.V. Max necklace was generously provided by sixforgold. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Angloyankophile!

Travel Link-Up: That Time I Learned How To Be A Little More Spontaneous

You know those terribly embarrassing "ice-breaker" questions people like to ask on a) first dates b) a job interview at Gap (yes, this happened to me) and c) some other kind of equally awkward group event that may-or-may-not be related to blogging? The ones that are like, "Describe yourself in three words!"

Well, here are two: risk-averse.

Yep, I'm the biggest scaredy-cat baby ever. I like to have a plan. I like to know my surroundings. Before I travel, I still print stuff. Like, my flight and hotel info kind of stuff.

John disagrees: he thinks that I have an adventurous spirit and that I'm actually really spontaneous. Either I've got him fooled or he's been married to a different woman for the past soon-to-be-four (gulp!) years, because I'm the least spontaneous person I know!

But, I'm working on it, and travelling has been a terrific way to teach me how to be more spontaneous. My life has been enriched by my travels; not just because of the beautiful places I've visited, but because of the spontaneous decisions I've taken along the way: that moped I took on the busy streets of Hanoi (despite looking like a death trap and making me fear for the safety and well-being of my ankles); the two days we left to chance in Sicily where we ended up booking the most amazing agriturismo in the middle of nowhere; the sea turtle reserve we stopped off en route to another destination in Sri Lanka just because it'd always been a dream of mine to hold a baby sea turtle.

Over time, I realized that my dependence on itineraries and plans was nothing but a learned habit that could be unlearned; a crutch that I could slowly ease my grip on. Growing up, family vacations almost always involved plans and itineraries and routines (of course, I recognize that it's much more difficult to travel with children than as a pair!), so that's how I learned to travel. Going off piste in unfamiliar territory made me anxious; it made me panic.

Then, I met John. And although he never pushed me too hard (he could tell when I started to get anxious), he gave me a good nudge in the unplanned direction and I learned to love it. I especially loved it when I realized I could embrace spontaneity without anything going terribly wrong (for the most part!), and that, if I didn't like something, I could always change the situation. My fear was never really about the unknown; it was the fear of being trapped in a situation I couldn't escape.

Now that spontaneity has seeped into the little corners of my life: "Let's get an ice-cream at the corner shop!" "Let's go for a bike ride in the forest after dinner!" "Let's watch the sun set from our bedroom!" And I feel a little bit of pride every time.

What about you? What's your travel style, your M.O. when it comes to making spontaneous decisions? Are you a risk-taker or are you more risk-averse, like me? I'm curious to know!

This month's travel link-up is hosted by Emma, Angie, Jessi, and Nano. Head over to their blogs to read more stories about lessons learned while travelling!

Top 5 Songs On My Desert Island Travel Playlist

I don't talk about this very often on here, but music is a huge, huge part of my life - not only because I'm a classically trained pianist and violinist, but also because our home is never without music. John made sure of this when he installed wireless speakers on each floor of the house so we could synchronize our Spotify accounts on our smartphones to essentially create a "soundtrack" as we move from room to room.

We're such geeks.

We listen to a mixture of lo-fi, alt rock, (old school) hip hop, classical, and electronic music at home ... our tastes range from Blood Orange to Johnny Cash to the Smiths to Local Natives. Occasionally, we'll blast Everclear and dance around to stuff we both listened to in high school, despite growing up a whole ocean apart.

So, when HMV asked me to compile a "desert island playlist" of songs I listen to on my travels, I was all too happy to contribute. Maybe a little too enthusiastically.

Here's my list, which I've made location-specific:

When I'm flying to ... Seattle, Washington

Once, when I was interviewed for a radio station about being an expat in London, they asked me what song reminded me most of home. My response? Neko Case's 'Ghostwiring'. I realized how out of place this sounded when I found out what the other interviewees had replied with: songs by Beyoncé, Drake, and Brad Paisley, apparently. Take these lyrics, for example: "Low ceiling moves in / and circles the bay / Rain rakes the trees / The Sound that's counted so many days / So many days." Nothing captures the essence of the Puget Sound or Pacific Northwest quite as skillfully as this beautiful sequence of words, sung in Neko's distinctive timbre. Her music makes me homesick and nostalgic.

When I'm on a train to ... the English countryside

It always is and always will be Ralph Vaughan-Williams' 'The Lark Ascending'. John and I love this piece so much, it's not unusual to hear us blasting it at full volume throughout the house! Along with his protegé, Gerald Finzi, Vaughan-Williams had the uncanny ability of translating the English landscape into music, just as Aaron Copland did for the American heartland (listen to Appalachian Springs if you don't know what I'm talking about - you'll immediately picture prairies and farms in the American midwest!). The opening measures set the tone (and the scene): I can see a moor with peaks and valleys in my mind's eye. By the time the "lark" enters with its soaring trills and heartwrenching melody, I'm lost in a daydream. I especially love hurtling through the countryside at high speeds listening to this piece.

When I'm relaxing on ... a Sri Lankan beach 

Once, I had a panic attack on a sleeper train travelling from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang, Vietnam. The air conditioning had gone off in the middle of the night and cockroaches appeared over every bare surface: including my pillow and bed. I only managed to get a couple hours of sleep in between hyperventilating when John popped an eye shade on me and put Jonsi & Alex's 'Happiness' in my ears and I watched the sunrise to this song. It's the ultimate song for relaxation - something you'd listen to during savansana at the end of a yoga class. If heaven had a theme song, it'd be this one. 

When I'm on a city break in ... Singapore

'Rose Quartz' by Toro y Moi. John and I saw him at Brixton Academy a few years ago and it was such a good show. His songs always remind me of whizzing around a big city and it was the song that came to mind when I was at the top of 1-Altitude, the highest rooftop bar in Singapore.

When I'm driving through ... the vineyards of France

When I say "I'm driving", I totally mean John driving ... I haven't yet driven abroad (UK included, oops!). Every memory I've had of France has involved renting a car and driving around the countryside, whether it's in Normandy, the Dordogne, or more recently, Bordeaux. I'm usually in charge of the music (which John has the power to veto, though we practically share the same Spotify playlist) and I haven't been able to get the aptly named 'Souvenirs' by Etherwood out of my head since we accidentally got lost while it was playing from one of our phones in the rental car - somewhere around Arcachon Bay. It's upbeat and perfect for driving to.

So, that's my desert island travel playlist. What's on yours? I'd love to (literally) hear!

This post was written in collaboration with HMV. All opinions are my own.

Interior Inspiration: Colorful Outdoor Dining & Lounging

So, the weekend ended on Sunday and I went to bed feeling like I'd just returned from a nice, relaxing holiday ... except I'd spent the whole weekend at home. I don't think I actually left our house except to go over to our next door neighbor's for a drink and a round of gin rummy followed by a game of Apples to Apples (my favorite!) and a trip to the corner shop for a Cornetto. That's it.

The difference?

We spent all of it outside. John and I have been working with a garden designer and landscaper for the past two months to completely overhaul our back garden: a workman's shed was removed, a new deck was built, the retaining wall moved back, paving laid, and bespoke furniture constructed. We're so close to being "there" but we couldn't help hauling out our cheap little IKEA outdoor dining set in the meantime and eating all our meals outside ... and working there too.

For a while, I wondered if the project had been money well spent (my heart sunk when the initial quotes came in), but I realized this past weekend that having a garden or backyard to enjoy is like adding another room to your house. I napped under the apple tree and blogged across the table from John while he reviewed a report for work.

I'm really excited for the work on the back to finish and the front to begin so we can start enjoying it with friends. I'm also keeping my fingers crossed for a late summer and barbecues to come.

In the meantime, I've enjoyed bringing all our colorful homeware and accessories outside. Our garden is very ... grey at the moment (the fence and paving stones are grey) without the turf and planting, so I've been using our colorful Pols Potten plates, Anthropologie coasters and striped H&M picnic blanket (which has a waterproof, vinyl underside to prevent soggy-blanket-syndrome! Genius.).

I spent a lot of time staring up at this sky:

And I couldn't remember a time when I felt so honestly content and relaxed. Usually my brain is whirring with a million thoughts at once, but lying on the deck next to John (our sofa sectional from West Elm doesn't arrive for another few weeks), I really felt like I could let go of the anxiety that had accumulated throughout the week. Something about watching the cloud formations move and morph and unfurl gave me a huge sense of gratitude and calm (until I got bitten by a mosquito ... then I was neither grateful nor calm!).

How's your summer going where you are? Have you been spending it parks or gardens or outdoors? I'd love to know.

Luxury Shopping and Dim Sum Feasting @ Mango Tree, Harrods

My best friend, Udita, moved to London earlier this year after graduating from UCL with a PhD in Neuroscience (she's a smart one) and I love having her nearby. One of our first outings when she arrived was dinner and drinks at Thai restaurant Mango Tree in Belgravia, so we couldn't resist trying its sister restaurant in Harrods Food Hall last week for comparison - complete with a bit of late-night shopping, of course.

Unlike the Belgravia location, which has a predominantly Thai-focused menu, the Harrods outpost of Mango Tree has a distinctive Chinese approach, with dim sum as its main feature. According to its website, all dim sum is freshly prepared each morning by a "Hong Kong dim sum master".  The selection is also decidedly more upscale, with prices ranging from £9.30 for three pieces of prawn and chive dumplings to upwards of £32.00 for a grilled prawn curry. You can also tuck into luxurious dim sum options like steamed lobster and coriander dumplings or prawn dumplings with truffle oil.

The restaurant is located amidst the bustling Harrods Food Hall, with shoppers and tourists whizzing past and pausing occasionally to gawp at the ornate, stain-glass ceilings and otherworldly displays (like Bompas & Parr's jelly palaces, for example). The casual laid-back environment has its advantages, however - no reservations are necessary and you can watch your dim sum prepared for you before it's placed on the "bar" in front of you at eye-level. It's much easier to order a few small dishes to start before adding to your plate as and when you please.

Udita and I were eager to catch up about my upcoming trip to India (where she'll be as well), so we chatted animatedly at a million miles per hour (as we always do) while the staff politely waited for a pause to take our order.

On the restaurant's recommendation, we began with the crispy duck spring rolls, which I don't have very often but are a bit of a naughty treat when I'm eating out with friends. The spring rolls were served piping hot (so much so that I eagerly reached for it with my fingers, rather than my chopsticks which I regretted immediately when I had to drop it!) with a delightfully crispy outer shell. I skipped the sauce it came with and dipped it into the sweet chilli sauce instead, which was perfect.

As a bit of a dim sum addict (you should see my family's dim sum binges when we're in Vancouver), I went straight for the prawn and chive dumplings, plus the siu mai - both favorites of mine. I typically order those as a "test" for any dim sum restaurant I'm trying for the first time. My criteria? The wrapping must be thin and chewy in texture, but not too chewy and the prawns must taste fresh, not re-heated from frozen.

The dumplings at Mango Tree Harrods passed both tests with flying colors, though I really should have asked for some hot chilli oil to dip them in. Traditionally, we also dip dim sum like the prawn and chive dumplings and har gao into hot Chinese yellow mustard, and I think this would have worked really well with the dim sum we ordered that evening.

Between ordering something a little more "substantial" to fill our post-work bellies, I asked for a pot of flowering jasmine tea, as it goes hand-in-hand with dim sum feasting.

We watched the hand-tied bundle of dried petals and tea leaves unfurl in a beautiful glass pot before snapping up delectable pieces of grilled prawn in a spicy, red curry.

Still feeling a little "peckish", as they say on this side of the pond, we opted for the glazed black cod and a bowl of steamed rice, which arrived beautifully presented and wrapped in a banana leaf.

The sticky glaze was a little too sweet for Udita, but I dug into it with enthusiasm (probably since I have a sweet tooth). The meaty chunks fell apart as we cut into the fish and tasted lip-smackingly indulgent.

Finally sated, we enjoyed the remainder of our tea (which had been quietly refilled without us having to ask) and enjoyed the atmosphere as the number of shoppers dwindled down. We made the evening last by perusing some of the designer concessions upstairs before finally parting ways at Knightsbridge tube station.

I'd love to stop in to Mango Tree Harrods again for a treat - it'd make a terrific mid-shopping break.

Udita and I were guests of Mango Tree Harrods. All opinions are my own.