Rachel McGuinness, Author at Wake Up With Zest

How to sleep well and keep cool at night during the summer

Night time temperatures are rising! Most of us love the sunshine and crave the heady warm days of summer. But when the temperature starts to soar and it begins to get humid, getting a good night’s sleep for most of us becomes a problem; especially if we have to work the next day. Our bedrooms…

Exercise – love it or loathe it?

Did you know humans are designed to move around 3-5 miles per day (that’s 10,000 steps or more!). Our lives have become more sedentary, and sitting is allegedly the new cancer, apparently worse than smoking. How much exercise do we actually need? The World Health Organisation and Public Health England recommend between three and five…

How the clocks going forward can disrupt your sleep!

The last weekend in March is the time of year to put our clocks forward for summertime and this year it falls on Sunday 29th March 2020. We’re already beginning to naturally adjust to the lighter mornings and evenings, and then suddenly we’re going to be plunged back into dark mornings again. If you feel…

On the road and keeping healthy

On the road and keeping healthy

Being away from home, whether for work or play and keeping healthy can be challenging. Our routines get messed up when it comes to sleep, food and exercise. Then, of course, add travel into the mix too! Travelling saps your energy, especially flying both short and long haul. Before you even get on the plane…

Time for a blood pressure check?

blood pressure check

It’s world hypertension day today. When was the last time you had a blood pressure check? The test can warn if you are at risk of developing serious problems such heart failure, heart attack, strokes and even kidney failure and dementia. Blood pressure is the term used to describe the strength with which your blood…

Do you know your numbers?

Knowing your numbers or your vital stats is a great way to keep track of how you’re doing health wise You can buy body scan scales relatively cheaply which as well as doing your weight will may measure your: Fat % Muscle mass % Hydration % Daily calorie intake Metabolic age (your fitness age) Bone…

Drink more and pimp

Pimped up water with citrus and mint

We’re talking water – sorry, not alcohol, even though a gin and tonic with ice and a slice can be quite refreshing! When we’re told to drink more water, it can seem such a chore and a mammoth challenge to actually drink the amount we’re told to by the experts. About 80% of our water…

How to minimise jet lag

Jet lag can affect everyone. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a frequent flyer with tens of thousands of air miles in the bank or somebody who takes a once a year holiday flight. What is jet lag? Jet lag is a sleep disorder a great many people suffer with. It used to be considered a…

Sharing a bed with someone new?

You meet the person of your dreams. The chemistry is there. You finally get it together. But what’s it like to sleep with them? I’m not talking about how good they are in between the sheets, I’m talking about the other ‘S’ in the bedroom – sleep! There may be things you don’t even consider…

Are you taking a break?

We all need to take time out to recharge our batteries and have a rest, and the week before last, I took a ten day holiday to do exactly that. The type of holiday you take is of course a personal preference whether it’s lounging on a beach or by a pool; having a city…

Zesty Brekkie – Avocado Toast

Avocado toast is a great quick healthy brekkie, brunch or even a light bite for lunch. You need this: 1 slice of lightly toasted sourdough bread Olive oil 1/2 ripe avocado roughly chopped A wedge of lemon or lime Pinch of dried chilli flakes (optional) 3 tsp mixed seeds (we used a mixture of pumpkin and…

Starting your day with ‘va va voom’!

How do you start your day? Is it slowly? You can’t cope until you’ve had your caffeine fix or do you get up and wish you had a bit more get up and go? Let me share with you something that has revolutionised my wake up routine in the past year. It’s funny how things appear…

Can exercise improve your sleep?

Can exercise improve our sleep

For some, exercise can be a chore; they feel it is something they ‘should’ do because they know it’s good for them. Others can’t survive without it, and start to get a bit twitchy if they don’t do anything for a couple of days. I’ve been in both camps, and thankfully, I’m in the latter. …

Nocturnal screen time is playing havoc with our sleep

In our recent survey, we discovered that just over half (50.6%) of participants said they had problems with their sleep. 90% of those were watching TV or using their phone, tablet or laptop in bed for either work or pleasure. Technology is brilliant, but being welded to our electronic devices at night time is…

5 Signs you’re sleep deprived and what to do about it

How do you know when you’re not getting enough sleep? When we sleep, our body goes into maintenance mode, and if you’re not getting enough shut eye, then you may find that you’re suffering from the following: 1. You have the concentration span of a gnat There is nothing worse than having to struggle…

How to survive the clocks going forward for summer

It will soon be time to put our clocks forward for British Summer Time – at last! This is a regular occurrence on the last Saturday night/Sunday morning in March, and this year it’s on 28 March 2020. Changing the clocks forward by an hour can mess around with our body clock. We’re already beginning…

How to get the best night’s sleep in a hotel room

Sleeping away from home can sometimes be a challenge, different environment and layout; different bed, pillows and bed linen; it’s stuffy and hot, or the air conditioning is noisy! Here are my top tips to get some decent shut eye when you’re away from home whether you’re on the road or on your hols: Get…