Having trouble drifting off when it comes to bedtime but fed up of counting sheep? Try these alternative sleepy time tips to help you into the world of slumber:

1.     Don’t force it

Unfortunately none of us possess the power to ‘will’ ourselves to sleep, so thinking and wishing and praying for it to happen will only result in frustration. If you happen to be having a sleepless night then try not to become stressed. Thinking ahead to the next day about how tired you are going to be during your morning commute and at work will not help matters. Relax – there is plenty of time for sleep tomorrow night, and the one after that etc.

2.     Build a routine

It is all very well setting an alarm each day to wake us at the same time, but we forget that a bedtime routine in the evening is just as important. Try to pick an hour to be in bed by most nights to help your body build a routine.

3.     Shut out the light

Obviously you will turn your light off before bed but bear in mind that other light sources can be a disturbance. If your phone goes off in the middle of the night, even if it’s on silent the light may disturb you without you actually realising.

The light from your computer charger, the hallway light coming in under your door and the light of the street lights seeping through your thin curtains can all act as disturbances on an unconscious level. Turn your phone charger over, shut off the hall light and get some well-lined curtains or a blackout blind.

4.     Choose your pillow wisely

Trying to get a good night’s sleep without a good pillow is akin to trying to get a car to start without an engine, or like going to the gym in stilettos. You need the right equipment. Ensure that your pillow offers support and comfort that is suitable for your sleeping position.

5.     Banish furry friends

As much as the thought of our feline and canine friends snuggled up at the end of the bed is all very quaint – midnight meowing and barking at bumps in the night do not make for a relaxing bedtime. Pets are just as easily woken up as we are so do yourself a favour and pop their bed a little further away (i.e. in another room) from yours.

For the full list of tips please visit the original Women’s Health Magazine article.

According to scientists, those of us who have a positive, happy outlook to life have a lower risk of premature death.

The research, which was conducted by scientists from the University College of London studied almost 4,000 people between the ages of 52 – 79. The results of the study showed that those with higher contentment levels stood a 35% reduced risk of premature death than those with a less sunny disposition.

Professor Andrew Steptoe who was lead researcher on the study has said that these findings provide good reasoning as to why positive well-being should be promoted as a remedy for stress.

This is also not the first study to suggest that a ‘glass-half-full’ approach’ to life could be beneficial, with scientists also revealing in the past that positive moods can reduce the production of stress hormones as well as helping to strengthen the immune system.

During the past few years, positive psychology has seen a significant increase in popularity, with therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy being made available to NHS patients in a bid to reduce the cost of depression and anxiety to the UK economy.

Many individuals find that dissatisfaction with their personal life, relationship or job role result in a downtrodden everyday approach to life. A life coach is a person who can help you to address areas of your life in which you see room for improvement, and will help you to set attainable goals so you are able to move forward with a more positive outlook.

If you would like to find out about the areas in which a life coach may be able to help you, please visit our life coaching areas page to find out more.

View and comment on the original Daily Mail article.

Studies show that more people are giving up on their marriages, as they search for the ‘perfect’ relationship.

The days of couples staying together for 20 or more years and struggling through bad times seems to have dissolved, as more people walk out on marriages when they become restless. In fact, the average marriage now ends after just 11 years. A study conducted by the consultancy firm Grant Thornton, revealed that boredom is now the main reason for couples getting divorced.

The Economic and Social Research Council carried out a study on family life, over a period of five years’ which revealed that people will only stay with their partner if there is something in it for them. The art of romance seems to be dead and buried now too, as a study conducted by One Poll revealed that after around two and a half years couples tend to give up on romance in the relationship.

Marital Therapist Dr Janet Reibstein spoke to couples whose relationships had withstood the test of time for her book entitled ‘The Best Kept Secret.’ Through these interviews, she found that the ‘perfect match’ was an idealistic view, and that, in reality, there is no such thing. Relationships are about time and effort and taking the bad with the good. Studies have shown that if couples manage to keep together during all of the hard times, it can have many benefits to their health and well-being.

The director of One Plus One, a relationship research organisation, suggested that many people have expectations of grandeur in a relationship, believing that their partner should offer them complete satisfaction at all times. In reality, this is not always possible and problems in any relationship are inevitable. Working through these problems is what makes the relationship strong.

View the original Telegraph article.

You may find that at some point in your life, you find yourself without many true friends around you. This may be due to being in a relationship, and neglecting them to a point of no return, or you may find that all your friends have settled down, and are not as willing to do the things you once enjoyed together. If this is the case, there are many ways in which you can make new friends and widen your circle.

The workplace can be a good place to make friends. You spend so much time there, it is inevitable that you will start to make strong connections. If you don’t currently work, then it may be worthwhile looking into undertaking some part time volunteer work. Not only will this give you something to focus on, but you will be guaranteed to become more involved in the community, and meet new people.

Another way to widen your social circle, is to join social networking sites, where you can meet people you would never normally come across. Twitter, for example, offers a platform to talk to a variety of people from all over the world. You can even search by interests, so you know straight away that you will have areas of common interest. Other social networking sites such as Facebook, will allow you to re-connect with friends from the past, so you never know where it will take you. Social networking can also be used to create and attend events, so make sure you attend as many of these as possible.

It is natural for the lives of parents to be concentrated around the needs of their family, so when the last child flies the nest it is only natural for couples to feel a slight void and perhaps as though they need to reconnect.

Recent research has revealed that empty nest syndrome really isn’t as bad as its made out to be, and after an initially bumpy start, couples tend to find their feet and rediscover the pleasure of each others company within around a year.

However, if you really do feel as though you have lost touch with your other half then relationship charity Relate has come up with some simple ideas which may help you cope with this stage of your relationship:

1. Firstly, the experts over at Relate recommend that you tell your partner how you feel, as carrying on whilst you are feeling low without confiding in your partner means they are unable to offer you the support and comfort you need.

2. If you feel like you no longer know your partner very well then you could come up with a fun quiz to break the ice, a bit like a game of Mr and Mrs. Try asking some light hearted questions such as what film have you enjoyed the most in the last year? Or what is the best book you have read recently? Not only does this allow you to find out more about each other but you could also make the effort to read that book or watch that film together which will create more opportunities for conversation and interesting debate.

3. Think back to what you used to do together when you first met, or what you did on your first date. Perhaps you went dancing together or bowling or strolled along the beach eating fish and chips. Try and update and relive these moments and enjoy each others company like you used to.

4. Think about doing some things that you have always wanted to do as a couple but lacked both the time and money to do whilst you were younger. Perhaps you wanted to go on an African safari or do a trek for charity but never had the time or money. There might also be smaller things such as going to the pub during the week, owning a dog or even going out for dinner. Make an effort to try and do more of these things and if it happens to be something expensive then save for it so you both have something to look forward to.

5. Having your children around the house is undoubtedly a bit of a passion killer so take this opportunity to rediscover your sex life.

6. Lastly you should feel proud of yourselves for reaching this stage as many couples do not. Give yourselves some time to reconnect and your relationship will go from strength to strength.

View the original Relate article for the full list of tips.

Until now, the majority of studies focussing on the effects of new mothers returning to work have suggested that it has a detrimental impact on their children. Not only have previous studies suggested that children of working mothers could experience emotional instability later on in life but also that children of working mothers are more likely to take less exercise, become overweight and develop bad eating habits compared to the children whose mothers stay at home.

However, a recent study conducted by academics at the University College London has found that there are no detrimental effects caused by mothers returning to work and actually emotional stability in children is strongest when both parents are in paid jobs, partly because working reduces the risk of depression in adults.

Lead researcher on the project, Dr Anne McMunn has said that others who work full time are the least likely to have children with emotional or behavioural concerns such as aggression, tantrums or hyperactivity.

The experts analysed results from the Millennium Cohort Study, which tracked the development of nearly 19,000 children born between 2000 and 2100.

In light of the study’s findings, experts are now recommending that parents return to work where possible as this will not effect their children in a in terms socio-emotional behaviour.

View the original Telegraph article.

Health experts have used data from the World Health Organisation to compare suicide rates across 10 European countries, concluding that the financial crisis has played a role in the rising numbers.

Both UK and US researchers identified a rise in the number of suicides among those of a working age between 2007 and 2009, in nine out of the 10 nations studied.

The increases ranged from 5 per cent to 17 per cent for under 65s and correlated with falling rates of unemployment (which reduced by a third during the same period).

Researcher Dr David Stuckler said that suicide rates were falling before the recession, then began increasing in almost all of the European countries studied.

Of the countries studied, Greece experienced the largest increase in rates whilst the UK saw a rise of 10 per cent.

Deputy chief executive of the Centre for Mental Health, Andy Bell, has said that unemployment and a fear of unemployment are huge risk factors for poor mental health and more should be done to help not just those who are out of work, but also those who are insecure in their job roles.

If your financial situation has become too much and you are feeling extremely low or are having suicidal thoughts then it is essential you contact your GP as soon as possible as they will be able to provide appropriate support. The Samaritans also offer 24 hour, confidential and free of charge support for anyone in despair (please visit www.samaritans.org for further information or call their 24/7 hotline on 08457 909090).

If you are struggling either financially or in your career, consulting a life coach could help you to move forward. A life coach specialising in finances can help you to understand your current debt situation, how you reached that point, and what can be done to ensure it does not happen again.

Similarly, a life coach may also help you to move forward in your career. Whether you feel unconfident and wish to become more assertive, or unsure about what you require for job satisfaction and fulfilment, a life coach will help you to investigate your feelings towards you career and will help you to formulate a plan of action to help you to get where you want to be.

For further information about financial coaching or career coaching please visit our fact-sheets to find out more.

View the original BBC News article.

The NHS are piloting a new scheme which is encouraging patients to get green fingered to beat their blues.

Mayfield Garden Nursery in Southampton is running an eight-week growing course with support from the NHS.

The trial scheme will teach students how to grow fruit, vegetables and flowers as well as giving lessons on different plant types and pest control.

Gardener’s World presenter Monty Don has had a personal battle with depression, and he too believes that gardening can really provide therapeutic benefits.

‘The first thing I do is get outside. It doesn’t matter what the weather or time of year it is, it is essential to go out of doors.’ He said.

Gardening not only is a gentle form of exercise but it is also a way of creating, both of which will result in satisfaction and the feel good factor.

It would seem the effects of gardening are also making waves across the UK prison system, with the governor of women’s prison, Foston Hall, Greg Riley-Smith, commenting that allowing the prisoners to garden not only improved the grounds, but also have coincided with a significant reduction in incidents of self-harm.

View the original Daily Mail article.

According to a recent study conducted by the Everyman Campaign, the average Brit spends 36 minutes worrying everyday, amounting to 9 days each year.

The survey of 2,000 adults aged between 18 and 65 found that the cost of living, feeling like you’re stuck in a rut and gaining weight were the top three worries, coming in above concerns over debt, job security and health.

Researchers found that extreme anxiety has resulted in many individuals losing sleep, feeling unable to concentrate at work and having arguments with their partners.

One in ten also admitted to feeling stressed for more than two hours per day, whilst one in two said their extreme worries were affecting their health.

The study suggested that if individuals ignore their stress without dealing with the root cause, this can lead to the more serious issue of depression. According to the results, worrying became so bad for three in ten that it led to depression. Furthermore, one in ten admitted it had impacted their relationship with their children and one in 20 lost friends because of it.

A spokesman from the Everyman Campaign said that people are spending too much time worrying about things.

‘A whole raft of worries affect different areas of adults’ lives, but it’s interesting to see that health concerns are quite far down the list.’ He said.

If your worries and anxieties are becoming so extreme that they are having a negative impact on your life then it may be time to seek help. A qualified life coach will be able to help you explore the areas of your life which are making you unhappy and will assist you in identifying how you wish to move forward. To find out more about specific areas of life coaching such as career coaching, health coaching, stress coaching and financial coaching please view our fact-sheets for further information.

View the original Daily Mail article.

Sadly, the traditional family day out is fast becoming a thing of the past as a poll reveals many parents are too busy to take their children on trips.

According to a survey of 2,000 adults conducted by YouGov, 62 per cent of the parents surveyed felt that family days out are less common today than they were 20 years ago.

4Children, the charity who commissioned the survey, are of the belief that work and financial strains are among the biggest contributing factors to the decline of the day out.

The average cost of a day trip is around £50 for a family and many parents will find this expense hard to justify. In addition to this, hectic work schedules will mean many parents struggle to get away in the first place.

With families spending an average of only 49 minutes per day together it is important parents try to incorporate more day trips into their routines as this will allow both parents and children to escape the stresses of everyday life.

4Children chief executive, Anne Longfield said: “Days out can strengthen bonds and build shared family experiences and memories that we know are so important in keeping families strong and together.”

View the original Telegraph article.