As it is Sleep Awareness Week and what is currently going on in the world at the moment, now is good time to explain why 8 hours sleep supports a strong immune system and helps with your general wellbeing.

During sleep, your immune system releases proteins called cytokines, some of which help promote sleep. Certain cytokines need to increase when you have an infection or inflammation, or when you’re under stress. So sleep deprivation may decrease production of these protective cytokines and In addition, infection-fighting antibodies and cells are reduced during periods when you don’t get enough sleep.

We all know the value of a good night’s sleep, but few of us know that the financial cost of a bad night’s sleep could be as much as £46.80 every day.

The figures were put together by online bedding and bathware retailer, Soak&Sleep, following a survey of Brits which showed:

– 72% of people surveyed said they were more likely to fall into bad habits after a bad night’s sleep, including skipping the gym, snacking, buying tea and coffee and ordering takeaways.

The spend was even higher if you factored in other costs like taking the bus or train instead of walking, buying energy drinks, purchasing headache tablets, sleeping tablets or sleeping aids such as meditation apps and pillow sprays. 

Commenting on the findings, Soak&Sleep CEO Sarah Smith said:

“We know that people are far less likely to be able to function at their peak after a bad night’s sleep but we were surprised at how quickly the cost of that could add up. Fortunately, the UK is becoming much savvier about sleep and we are also seeing that in purchasing patterns amongst our customers, who are investing in products that can aid better sleep such as breathable fabrics for temperature regulation at night or the right mattress for their body type. These seem like worthwhile investments in sleep compared to the money people waste every day they sleep badly.”

Now as some of you may or may not know, something called Botanicals, which are naturally-occurring, aromatic compounds found in the seeds, bark, stems, roots and flowers of plants. They have been revered for thousands of years for their health benefits. These botanical components are the base of all essential oils, supplements, teas and other products.

Whether it’s the sedative high altitude Himalayan Lavender, the tenderness from Provencal Lavender and supporting Lavender from the Cornish Coast, genuinely support your sleep.

Lisa Artis, Head of The Sleep Council added:

“We believe sleep should be recognised as the third pillar of good health alongside diet and exercise, and this study by Soak&Sleep shows how closely the three are interlinked. People are more aware than ever of the benefits of sleep and today, on World Sleep Day, we will be specifically promoting how essential a good night’s rest is to a healthy lifestyle and boosting your quality of life.“

Words by Cameron McLauchlan

Kicking off this weeks edition of Something For The Weekend is a lovely knitwear piece from easily my favourite brand and one the hottest out right now— Aimé Leon Dore.

Aimé Leon Dore Ribbed Raglan Sweater 

Taking aesthetic cues from 80’s and 90’s, the brand feels much older than its 2014 birth day suggest’s. In a good way. It’s recent collaborations are a testament to how successful their brand is at sparking feelings of nostalgia in us.

The brands most notable link up with sports car king Porsche was truly beautiful. I’ll let the video do the talking… Link to Sweater and even more appetising video of a vintage 1990 Porsche going sideways through the snow.

Aimé Leon Dore x Porsche :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbvahgxNGX8

Carharrt WIP Single Knee Pant 

Big painter and decorator vibes! Theses pants from the kings of workwear, whilst white, are constructed in a way to be able to take a battering. These are easily coupled  with with either loafers, boots or sneakers.

To shop the pants hit the image below

Nike Blazer Mid ’77 

This very sneaker helped lay the foundations for the subsequent Nike sneakers which changed the course of sneaker culture forever. Before the Dunk High or Jordan 1, there was the Blazer.

Bringing it back almost to the beginning, with the first Blazer being released in 1973, this ’77 is as close as it gets to the original iteration. Simpler times in the 70’s in terms of design has allowed this sneaker to travel through time as a fashion staple. Used in smart/casual and street fits.

Link to the Blazer below:

A View to a kill print 

In the wake of the news that the new Bond film has been pushed back until November, its out with the new and in with the old.

This print from Roger Moore’s last bond film ‘A View To A Kill’ is one of the best on the 007 web-store and whilst the film wasn’t all that great, the Duran Duran theme tune and movie poster surely make up for it.

To shop the poster:

Iconic French brand Armor Lux is known for making high-quality, long-lasting, traditional garments. Whether it’s a rugged workwear jacket made for the young bohemian sailors of the French Riviera, or one of the brand’s popular smocks worn as much on the streets of Paris, as it is on terraces across the continent, their clothes are seen globally in all walks of life. But that’s not all if you visit their website or have the pleasure to visit one of their many stores you will be invited to partake in celebrating the Armor Lux lifestyle in Mens, womens, kids, homeware and Grocery sections!!!

For SS20 it’s no different. They’ve unveiled their next collection that will put some colour into this typically grey weather. Taking some of their most classic and iconic pieces, Armor Lux has given their entire collection a summer-ready makeover, playing and using a variety of pastel colourways throughout.

Classic garments like the Breton Tee, Fisherman Chore Jacket, Logo Crew Sweat, Heritage Crew Knit, Cable Knit Jumper and the humble Rugby Shirt have all undergone a seasonal makeover.

While we are still in the midst of Winter ‘19 and the sun does seem some way away, why not think ahead to the warmer climates and begin planning out your summer rig in plenty of time?

The Breton Pride Shirt is designed and produced in Brittany, France by Armor Lux. A vintage Breton Shirt was featured in MoMA’s exhibition Items: Is Fashion Monitor? Originally developed to increase sailor’s visibility, this 21st-century version shows up for gay rights.

in 1938 The Bonneterie d’Armor was founded in Quimper from the desire of one man: Walter Hubacher. At the age of 31, this Swiss man of Alemannic origin made the bet to create and produce high-quality underwear under the Armor Lux brand name. in 1982 Armor Lux continued to develop and launched a network of stores. in 1997 The Bonneterie d’Armor was taken over by two Breton industrialists who wanted to perpetuate the business of the company in Quimper: Jean-Guy Le Floch and Michel Gueguen.  in 2007 The French railway company SNCF entrusted Armor Lux with manufacturing its controllers’ new outfits and in 2014 SNCF and GEOPOST choose Armor-Lux to entrusted Armor Lux with manufacturing its employees’ new outfits.

OK so international travel might not be too of our agenda at the moment, or even, some might say, recommended right just now. But hey, what about a Staycation?!?! the Easter break is right around the corner and why not whisk them away to somewhere not too far from home ?

Now, if your luggage has seen better days and is looking a bit more shabby than chic. Here’s a story for you, Troubadour and Sunspel, two leading brands in contemporary British design, have worked together and are introducing a new limited-edition range of bags in a specially developed lightweight waterproof fabric.

The new technical canvas combines two inspirations: Sunspel’s long heritage of producing beautiful natural cotton fabrics and the technical performance of Troubadour bags. This means the fabric has a natural look and feel, while also being waterproof and extremely hard-wearing.

Three styles of bag have been made in the new fabric, in a limited edition of 30 pieces each: the Pathfinder Briefcase, Troubadour Tote, and Slipstream Rucksack. The deep navy fabric creates a stunning contrast with the bags’ brushed silver hardware.

“Troubadour’s clean designs, functionality and exceptional build quality speak volumes to me and I’ve personally been a customer for over 5 years, long before I first met Samuel and Abel. Sunspel and Troubadour share a great many values and we’re delighted with this collaboration with another respected and dynamic British company. The Sunspel customer loves to travel and the Troubadour customer loves timeless style – and this collection brings those elements together perfectly.”

Nicholas Brooke, Sunspel CEO

All three bags are not just stylish, but comfortable. Lightweight, yet durable. Versatile, and waterproof.

Every detail has been carefully thought through – from shoulder straps engineered to eliminate pressure points, to electro-moulded panels that follow the curves of the body. They all feature the signature clean lines and performance-based design. There are super-smooth zippers, pockets for anything you need to keep handy (including a padded pocket that holds a 16-inch laptop), super-comfy shoulder straps, and handles made from vegetable-tanned Italian leather.

MOON reimagines the traditional, decades old oral care routine, elevating it into a complete oral beauty experience, with a range of aesthetically pleasing and pioneering better-for-you products worthy of your bathroom shelf.

MOON launches in the UK with the Teeth Whitening Pen, Stain Removal Whitening Toothpaste, Activated Charcoal Whitening Toothpaste, Activated Charcoal Rinse, Clean Slide Waxed Floss, Clean Slide Waxed Flossers and Soft Bristle Toothbrush set.

The entire collection is PETA certified Cruelty Free & Vegan. Proprietary elixirs are infused into the products known to deliver function along with delicious flavours. Elixir XTM, which can be found throughout the toothpaste and mouth rinse collection, is filled with antioxidants like cleansing Black Tea and Cranberry Extract, plaque-reducing Coconut Oil, calming and healing Dead Sea Salt, and soothing Ginseng and Echinacea. The formula is also packed with Green Tea, Peppermint and Tea Tree Oils that provide an invigorating boost and fight bad breath.

Founded by branding expert Shaun Neff, Neff tapped close friend, model, someone you may have heard called errrr Kendall Jenner, to co-create one of the hero products within the collection; The Teeth Whitening Pen. As a stakeholder of MOON Jenner collaborated with Neff to incorporate some of her favourite ingredients in an innovative formula to deliver breakthrough whitening results.

And not only are MOON delivering a better experience in Oral beauty they are also delivering help to less fortunate children. MOON is proud to support the work of Operation Smile. Operation Smile has provided hundreds of thousands of safe surgeries for those born with cleft lip, cleft palate or other facial conditions. With more than three decades of expertise, Operation Smile creates solutions that deliver free surgery to people where it’s needed most. As one of the largest medical volunteer-based nonprofits, Operation Smile has mobilised thousands of medical volunteers from a wide range of medical specialties from more than 80 countries. Operation Smile engages public-private partnerships to advance health care delivery, train local medical professionals to provide surgical care for patients in their communities, donate crucial medical equipment and supplies, and increase access to surgical care so that everyone living with cleft is treated. 

Some of the hero products within the range include;

The aforementioned Kenner Jenner Teeth Whitening Pen. Co-created with Jenner, this on-the-go pen is formulated with light-reflecting pigments and carbamide peroxide to provide instant brightening and whitening over time. The bonus? A great-tasting Vanilla Mint flavour. It contains the Elixir III antioxidant blend which is crafted from Kendall’s favourite natural ingredients like soothing Lavender Oil, whitening Strawberry Extract and the healing properties of Honeysuckle Flower. Use for two weeks for optimal results.

Stain Removal Whitening (fluoride-free) toothpaste. This fluoride-free toothpaste provides instant brightening and whitening results over time with better ingredients including our proprietary Elixir XTM blend. The perfectly balanced Lunar Peppermint flavour delivers intense, long-lasting freshness while the pearlescent shimmering mica helps improve stain removal and polishing

Lastly, clean slide Floss. This no-shred floss slides easily through teeth for a clean, smooth feeling. The contoured, easy open and close grip makes this mint-flavoured floss a must have for your daily routine.