Project Calm Issue 6

There’s nothing else that refreshes us and prepares us for the day ahead quite as effectively as a good night’s sleep, so this issue we’ve truly succumbed to its call. Learn how to wind down with a self-administered hand massage and read our tried and tested tips to prepare your environment and your head for dreamtime. On that subject, take note: a bedside journal will help you capture those nightly narratives. Fiction writers share how to weave the ridiculous into the sublime, while we look at ways to further unblock latent creativity.…

1 NAILBERRY NAILS IT Want a healthier manicure? Nailberry was founded in 2012 by beautician Sonia Hully after she noticed that her customers were experiencing dry and damaged nails. Whether the result of lifestyle, pollution, or from one too many semi-permanent gel manicures, Sonia developed polishes to help combat these concerns, while being vegan, cruelty free and halal. Nailberry’s award-winning L’Oxygéné breathable range is free from phthalates including DBP, formaldehyde, alcohol, parabens, animal derivatives and gluten. Phew! But there’s no shortage of pretty colours. We’re dying to try out Glamazon and Cherry Chérie this winter. From £13.50, nailberry.co.uk 2 SIMON AMSTELL’S LIFE LESSONS Comedian, screenwriter and director Simon Amstell was transformed by his gift for performance as a child; painfully shy, he only started to come out of his shell…

“Dreams are toys,” declared Antigonus in The Winter’s Tale, and anyone who’s experienced the surreal, fantastic or downright bonkers places our dreams can take us would agree with this. There is a playful nature to our dreams, sure, but what actually happens behind closed lids? Why do we dream in the first place? Nobody knows for sure. We do know what happens in our brains when we sleep, though. Four stages of sleep produce four different levels of electrical activity in the brain, predominantly in the right half. Falling asleep takes us rapidly through from level 1 to 4 and we surface and descend through these stages throughout the night. Another stage of sleep exists in which our eyes move rapidly back and forth, giving this cycle its name: rapid…

We all know that getting a good night’s sleep makes the world of difference to our mood, but it isn’t something we always prioritise. It’s very easy to get lured onto social networks just before turning the lights out, or find another distraction to keep you from resting. And this can leave you feeling tired, lethargic and moody the following morning. It’s not just the quantity of sleep that matters (most adults need between seven and nine hours a night) – the quality of sleep is actually more important. We’ve all had those nights where we toss and turn and feel like we haven’t slept at all. The thing is, good sleep is vital for mental and physical health. While you’re getting some shut-eye your brain is processing all that…

STRETCH 1 Sit on your bed and dim the lights. To warm up your wrist joints, circle both hands outwards five times, and then inwards five times. STRETCH 2 Interlock your fingers and stretch your arms out in front of you, palms away from you. Take three or four really deep breaths. Unlock your fingers. STRETCH 3 With your right arm straight and palm facing up, stretch your fingers back with your left hand to stretch the inside of your wrist and forearm. MASSAGE 1 Place a few drops of massage oil in your left palm and work it into your hand using stroking movements. Apply a light pressure in a circular motion. MASSAGE 2 With your left palm facing down, hold your left wrist with your right hand. Use…

TAP HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR DREAM CARDS You can use your dream cards in different ways. Shuffle and pick a card at random to guide your focus for the next day, or draw a couple of cards before bed, meditate on how they interact and what they mean in your life right now. You may dream up some solutions to current situations. We have included two pull-out sheets featuring 12 beautifully illustrated, folk-inspired dream cards and a bedside table box to hold them in. These cards are our take on tarot or oracle decks, designed to help focus your mind on particular areas of your life. You can use them to meditate on the topic you pick at random, prompting thoughtful consideration and greater insights. You may even be able…