Taking time at the end of the day to unwind and relax is a great way to aid a better night's sleep and recharge for the following day. As someone who has struggled with mental health issues and continues to live with depression every day, a few simple things can make a huge difference to my well being. Here are five of my favourite ways to rejuvenate.

Have a Cup of Tea

As a Brit, I've always been a bit sad that I seem to be missing the gene where tea makes everything feel ok! Recently though I tried camomile tea and it was a complete game changer. I had heard many great things about it's calming properties but I had always been worried that it would be too floral in flavour and resisted giving it a go. More fool me. The taste pleasantly surprised me, it is far more delicate than I expected, and I have found that a having a cup when I'm trying to unwind is actually pretty blissful. If you're after a soothing drink then this really is a must.

Pukka Camomile, Vanilla and Manuka Honey

Read a Book

We live in a world where working all day in front of a computer, playing games on a phone on breaks and during the commute, then watching tv in the evening is a reality for a lot of people. Reading a book can be a refreshing break from staring at a screen. And, although I find that I can't get away from devices completely, I absolutely love reading on my Kindle. I have the Paperwhite and while the ability to have any book available wherever you go is great, the best part for me is the inbuilt light. Dimming the lights, getting cosy and settling into a good (or to be honest, fantastically trashy) book is a wonderful way to relax. The inbuilt light means that the room can be darkened just enough to allow you to unwind and just get lost in the pages, forgetting any of your daily worries.

Kindle Paperwhite

Take a Bath

Few things are as relaxing a nice warm bubble bath. Run the water, pop in a bath
bomb and light a scented candle, then just lie back and soak up the calming atmosphere. If you have a bluetooth speaker it's great to play some relaxing music and, for extra comfort, get yourself a bath pillow. You will thank me! I love reading in the bath, although this where a paperback shows it's benefits, using a Kindle isn't always the best idea. If you can't resist though, I recommend using a bath caddy to prop it up or seal it in a waterproof bag; dropping it in the water would probably ruin the relaxing atmosphere!

Bomb Cosmetics Little Box of Love
Amazon Music Classical Chillout
Relux Bath Pillow
Yankee Candle Lavender
Unuber Bath Caddy

Put on a Face Mask

When I need a little pick me up I find an easy method of self care comes in the form a face mask. A simple way to detoxify and brighten up your skin, face masks also force you to take the 15 minutes or so while they work and just relax. Pairing this with a nice bubble bath can lead to a fresh, clean and pampered feeling all over. I love the feeling of a mud mask slowly drying; forcing me to lie back, close my eyes and relax while it works its magic. After washing away the mask, you'll feel the benefits both on your skin and in your mind.

Yes To Tomato Charcoal Mud Mask

Colour In!

Colouring in is definitely no longer just for
the kids and I love it! There are so many books and even apps available now that anyone can brighten up a page at any time. Johanna Basford is the absolute queen of colouring books and I love everything that she has done, including the St Andrews Day 2017 Google Doodle. I received The Little Book of Mindfulness Colouring in a recent Buddy Box and it's a great size to pop in my handbag for colouring on the go!

Ivy and the Inky Butterfly Colouring Book
Mindfulness Colouring Book
Staedtler Coloured Pencils

The Small Stitcher