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Everything You Need To Know About Camping In Anglesey

September 6, 2018

There is nothing better than spending quality time with the kids, getting down in the mud and sand and having some well-deserved family time. It takes you a million miles away from the humdrum of school runs, social media and work and it allows you to connect again with your little ones on a completely natural level. Camping with kids can be a fabulous way to connect with nature and have some great outdoor adventures. So, whether you’re looking for caravan holidays in Anglesey or dog-friendly campsites in Anglesey this is the post for you!

In this post, We will give you some fantastic ideas of fun-filled things to do in Anglesey with the kids. And as we can’t fully rely on the great British weather we will give you some ideas of things to do in Anglesey in the rain!

We will discuss

Places to go in Anglesey
Anglesey weather
Places to stay in Anglesey
Dog-friendly caravan sites in Anglesey
Beaumaris
Rhosneigr
Rhosneigr beaches
Benllech
Penmon lighthouse
South Stack lighthouse
Zipworld
The best beaches in Anglesey
The best place to see puffins in Anglesey
The best time to visit Puffin Island
Things to do in Anglesey with kids
Things to do in Anglesey in the rain
Puffin Island

Anglesey

Anglesey is an island situated off the north coast of Wales. It is famous for it’s vast stretches of golden sandy beaches, clear sea, historical buildings and lighthouses. It is 276 square miles and has a population of 69800 people. It is connected to the mainland by the Menai suspension bridge and the Britannia bridge. There are many fantastic places to visit in Anglesey and many wonderful historical points of interest. It has many beautiful coastal walks if you like to get out in the fresh air.

Anglesey Weather

If you’re thinking of camping in Anglesey, be prepared to take a raincoat as well as sun cream, as the Anglesey weather can be very changeable and the wind can be quite strong. Don’t forget to pack wellies for the kids to jump in the rock pools! In this post, we’ve included a few things to do in Anglesey in the rain just in case you need a day indoors!

Places To Stay In Anglesey

If you’re looking for caravan holidays or places to stay in Anglesey we have you covered, most of the places listed are campsites we have stayed at and have first-hand experience of all the facilities they offer. We can also point you in the direction of dog-friendly campsites in Anglesey so you can take your little bundles of fluff with you!

Beaumaris

Beaumaris is a small town steeped in history situated at the eastern entrance to the Menai Strait, it is home to Beaumaris Castle and Beaumaris Gaol. There is plenty to do in Beaumaris especially if you have kids. Many places in Beaumaris are also dog-friendly.

Our Favourite Dog friendly campsite in Beaumaris

One of the best campsites in Anglesey is Kingsbridge Caravan park situated just outside Beaumaris. Static caravans, motorhomes, tents and touring caravans are welcome. They are a dog-friendly campsite too. The campsite is situated quite away from the main road so the campsite is very tranquil at night. The owners of the campsite make sure that the campsite guests are respectful of each other, which makes this the perfect place in Beaumaris for camping with the family.

The Toilet block is modern clean and spacious. There are plenty of toilet cubicles, three immaculate and spacious shower cubicles, two large private cubicles with sinks, hairdryers, and a large baby changing area.

Wi fi is available in certain areas of the campsite but it does not cover the whole campsite.

Water and electric hook up is available.

There is a small shop situated on the site and a small Playground for the kids to play in .

My favourite holiday cottage in Beaumaris

If you’re looking for a house to rent in Beaumaris look no further than Chimney Corner on the high street of Beaumaris. It is a grade two listed building situated right on the beach with stunning views of Snowdonia. It boasts of eight bedrooms, four bathrooms, a sauna, a pool table, games room, a fully equipt kitchen. Some of the rooms overlook the stunning views of the beach. The house is situated right in the centre of Beaumauris so it is very handy for local restaurants, pubs, shops and parks and only a few yards away from the pier if you fancy a stroll. The house sleeps 16 and has a conservatory and BBQ area. It truly is the perfect place to stay!

Overlooking Beaumaris beach.
Beaumaris holiday cottage
Wake up to the Beaumaris Beach
BBQ area with stunning views

Things to do in Beaumaris

If you’re looking for things to do in Anglesey with kids, Beaumaris has a lot to offer! From historical points of interest, parks, and lighthouses there is always something to do!

Beaumaris Castle

Beaumaris Castle has an entry fee of £20 for a family ticket. I assumed this was going to be a pretty run of the mill historical attraction but I was very pleasantly surprised with everything this castle had to offer! The castle its self is pretty amazing, but the backstory is even more curious! The castle was commissioned by King Edward the 1st in 1295 during his campaign to conquer North Wales. It was deemed to be the most opulent castle in Wales, however, halfway through, work stopped on the castle due to lack of funding and has remained incomplete ever since.

When we visited the castle they were performing re-enactments of the era, the actors were very knowledgeable about the history of the era and were very happy pass on their historical knowledge. You can also walk right around the top of castle walls if you’re feeling brave! There is a little gift shop inside the castle too. My kids loved this day out and wanted to visit again during our stay!

Walk the walls of Beaumaris Castle
Re-enactment at Beaumaris Castle
Beaumaris Castle and moat

Beaumaris Gaol

Beaumaris gaol is situated just off the high street. It really is a hidden gem and is definitely, worth a visit, my kids loved seeing what it would be like to be a prisoner all those years ago and enjoyed pretending to be locked up!

Beaumaris Gaol
Things to do in Beaumaris

Beaumaris parks

There are a couple of lovely parks for children of all ages at the castle. With a putting green, bouncy castle, and a café. There are also some picnic benches for outdoor eating. There is a third smaller park situated at the pier.

Beaumaris Pier

Beaumaris pier is the perfect place to sit and take in the stunning Snowdonia views, it has ample seating and is great for crabbing with the kids ( please remember to put the crabs back in the sea !) Make sure to take a cardigan as it gets very windy on the pier! Situated next to the pier is a shallow boating pool perfect for the kids to paddle in!

Beaumaris pier Anglesey
Paddling on Beaumaris Pier

Beaumaris Shops

There are some stunning little shops in Beaumaris including a Fat Face, a Spar and some fantastic independent shops too. One of my favourite shops is the artist Janet Bell’s gallery, it is packed to the rafters with the most stunning artwork from Janet bell, all depicting local scenery. I find it impossible to leave her shop without adding to my collection of her beautiful paintings.

Places To Eat In Beaumaris

One of my favourite places to get a take away in Beaumaris is Neptune’s chippy. Situated on the high street, they serve delicious chips every time to take away or eat in the café, the staff are super friendly and they are great with the kids.

The Midland restaurant is situated on the high street and has friendly staff. It’s a great place to go for an evening meal out, they serve delicious Tapas food, including good vegetarian options. The desserts are exquisite so be sure to give them a try! It does get quite busy so booking is recommended.

The red boat ice cream parlour is situated on the high street and is by far the best place to buy an ice cream. The staff are very friendly, the ice-cream is delicious and they have a variety of unusual flavours, including a hazelnut soy option. There is a place to sit inside and eat your ice-cream, but it does get quite busy, a better option is to eat it whilst having a stroll along the pier but watch out for the seagulls as they are very brave!

The Liverpool Arms Hotel is situated on the high street. It is a child-friendly pub, which serves a delicious Sunday carvery. We were looked by Sarah, who squeezed us in after we had been let down by another restaurant. Sarah went out of her way to accommodate us even though it was a busy August bank holiday Sunday and we had the kids with us. All the staff were very friendly, pleasant and happy. The carvery was absolutely delicious and the menu was packed full of delicious home cooked food, with fabulous vegetarian options. It’s definitely a place I will return to time and time again. Booking is recommended.

Benllech

The beach in Benllech is a vast sprawling area of fine golden sand and rock pools. When the tide goes out the water is very shallow, which makes it a very safe beach for the kids to paddle and swim. There are free toilets at the beach but they absolutely stink, please also be prepared and take some loo roll in with you!

There are benches to eat your picnic, a small shop and an ice cream place. There is a Tesco, Spar, Pharmacy and chip shop. The beach does get a lot busier than other beaches in Anglesey at peak season.

Rhosneigr

Rhosneigr is a quaint little village situated on the Anglesey coastal path in the south west of Anglesey near Holyhead. Rhosneigr beach is a vast expanse of golden sands sprinkled with a few rockpools. The Rhosneigr weather makes it the perfect place for windsurfing and kitesurfing and canoeing.

Rhosneigr beaches

Silver Bay, this is a popular beach for surfing. It is a dog-friendly beach.
Broad beach, a popular place for surfing and canoeing with a long expanse of beach and dunes. Perfect for a picnic and relaxing.
Porth Nobla, this is a quiet rural beach offering clean sand and peace and quiet if you’re looking to get away from it all.
Traeth Crigyll is situated about a mile away from the north beach and it is a quiet place for contemplation, it can get quite windy so remember to pack a windbreak!
Porth Ty’n Tywyn, with beautiful Dunes and plenty of sandy beach, this is one of my favourite places to go with the kids.
Cable Bay is a small cove great for body boarding, kayaking and surfing, this is one of our favourite little coves to visit and has parking right next to the beach.

The Oyster Catcher Rhosneigr

If you’re looking for an amazing place to eat or somewhere to relax with a drink, it’s worth visiting The Oyster Catcher situated in the sandy dunes of Rhosneigr. The vegetarian options are fantastic. The views from the Oyster Catcher, make it the perfect place to sit outside with their delicious rhubarb gin and tonic. It is only a few minutes walk from the beach if you feel like walking off your lunch!

Scarlett’s fish and chip shop on the high street serves up the best fish and chips for miles, and is situated next to Rhosneigr beach, the perfect place to eat out!

Campsites In Rhosneigr

In Rhosneigr, a few camping sites are situated quite close to the beach. Plas caravan park is one of the best dog-friendly static caravan sites in Anglesey. It is immaculately kept and idyllically quiet, making it the perfect place to start your holiday.

If you’re looking to pitch a tent, camper or tourer then head over to Ty Hen holiday park, which is a family run site situated approximately 10 minutes walk from Rhosneigr Beach, it is one of the best dog-friendly campsites in Anglesey.

Shoreside caravan and camping park is situated a few minutes walk from the beach and next to the golf course. They also welcome dogs free of charge.

Bod Fan Campsite, this is small friendly family run, dog-friendly campsite situated near all the local amenities.

The Oyster Catcher Rhosneigr

Best Beaches In Anglesey

Anglesey prides its self on having some of the most beautiful beaches in the UK, with vast open spaces of clean golden sand and beautifully clear water. You will find most Anglesey campsites near the beach or just a few minutes walk away. Anglesey beaches are perfect for watersports, rock pooling or paddling and the sand is perfect for the kids to play on.

Rhosneigr Beach
Ty Croes
Benllech Beach

Places to visit near Anglesey

Zip world

Visit Zip World for some amazing woodland, mountain and underground adventures.

The tree tops adventure course is 7 metres high with 22 different elements and 12 zip wires, consisting of 2 courses. It takes approx an hour to get around the courses and my kids absolutely loved it. It was challenging but great fun as the kids felt a sense of achievement when overcoming the different challenges. And it was especially great for my very hyper 6-year-old. The minimum age is five years old and the under 7’s need to be accompanied by an adult around the course.

Along with the tree toppers, you can have a go on Europe’s highest five seater swing, Skyride, which swings up to 80 foot in the air, this will cost you £10 for a 30-minute duration.

Your little ones could also have a go on the tree top nets which are huge nets suspended 60 foot up in the trees for your little ones to bounce and run in a treetop adventure. The price for the tree top nets is £13 for a 2-hour duration. There is also the Forrest coaster which is like a cross between a roller coaster and a bobsleigh.

If you’re feeling brave you should have a go on the fastest zip wire in the world, situated at Penrhyn Quarry in Bethesda near Bangor. Where you’ll fly over the bright blue water of the quarry lake! It really will take your breath away!

Tree Hoppers
Tree top adventure Zip World.
Zip World Penrhyn Quarry
Zippers at Penrhyn quarry
Zipping on the fastest zip wire in the world

Green Wood Forest Park.

Greenwood Forest Park in Wales is an award winning adventure park full of woodland adventures, family fun and attractions, including

Green dragon roller coaster
The barefoot trail
Solar splash
The great green run
The giant jumper

Greenwood Forest Park Prices. (Peak)

Adult £15.95
Child £15.40

The park opens at 10am and closes at 5pm .

It was great a great day out for the kids , with plenty to do!

Snowdon Mountain Railway

What better way to see the views of Snowdonia than from the summit of Snowdonia! Ride to the summit of Snowdon on the Snowdon Mountain Railway. You’ll find refreshments and a gift shop at the summit.

Bounce Below

Let your kids go wild in this underground slate cavern with an adventure course of walkways , trampolines tunnels and slides suspended underground! why not have a go yourself!

Go Below

Explore the disused underground mines of Snowdonia in this exciting underground experience situated just outside Betws- y- Coed

Where To See Puffins In Anglesey

During the month of June Anglesey becomes the home to breeding puffins. you can see puffins at Puffin Island situated approximately 4 miles from Beaumaris. There are Puffin Island boat trips from Beaumaris which allow you to do some puffin watching from the boat, or you can sit at Penmon Point beach and puffin watch through your binoculars. The best time to visit Puffin Island is mid-June when the puffins are breeding. Penmon priory is just down the road too.

South Stack is also a great place to see puffins in Anglesey and you can climb the 140 steps to the top of the lighthouse for a better view! There is an RSPB visitor centre at South Stack where you can use their equipment for puffin spotting.

South Stack Lighthouse
Puffin Island Penmon Point Anglesey
Puffin Watching In Anglesey
Penmon Lighthouse

Other things to do in Anglesey with kids.

Rock pooling, get your wellies on and get rock pooling with the kids

Body boarding, great fun for all the family

Windsurfing enjoy the beautiful backdrop of Rhosneigr beach while you windsurf away!

Rhosneigr, get up in the air with the windy Anglesey weather on the beaches of Rhosneigr.

Crabbing, be kind and return the crabs back to their home please!

Kite flying the windy Anglesey weather makes it the perfect place for kite flying with the little ones and there is plenty of room to run about on the vast expanses of golden Rhosneigr beaches.

Horse riding, with a local horse riding centre in Anglesey you are surrounded by beautiful scenery, perfect for having a hack with the kids!
Bird watching. South Stacks RSPB reserve has a fabulous coastal walk which makes it perfect for spotting puffins, razorbills and guillemots. If you climb the lighthouse you may be able to see Porpoise, Seals and Dolphins if you’re lucky!
Stone skimming. Penmon beach is the perfect place to find stones to skim!
Puffin watching and seal spotting.
Dingle Nature Reserve, the perfect place to have a picnic and do some twitching!
Anglesey sea zoo, your kids will learn about the best of British marine life and marine conservation at this marine education centre.
Slate caverns, get on the quarry explorer for an off-road adventure!

For more information on everything Anglesey has to offer, head over to the Anglesey tourist information at https://www.visitanglesey.co.uk/en

Have you ever seen a puffin or climbed a lighthouse? Drop us a comment in the box below!

camping in anglesey , amazing places to visit. — Pin it for later!

Lifestyle

How To Recharge In Minutes: Free Self Care Checklist.

February 27, 2018

It can be a struggle to know how to take care of yourself when you’re trying to juggle a million things at once our self care checklist printable is a great way to give you some ideas on how to care for yourself when you’re short of time.

Kids come in all shapes and sizes with amazing little personalities.

I happen to have two boisterous, active, funny little kids, with larger than life personalities.

While this makes our day crazy, hectic and somewhat frantic, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

However, I often find myself needing time to recharge my batteries over a cup of coffee which hasn’t gone cold! In this post, we talk about the things you can do to look after yourself without spending hours away from home or spending tons of cash.

In our free self care checklist, you can choose one of our 5-minute self care activities for a quick recharge, or 30 minutes if you’ve got more time!

Like most kids, mine are always demanding food, or stuff, or support with something, and of course my time and attention.

The struggle is real to stay on top of everything, sometimes it can take a good 45 minutes just to unload the dishwasher some days.

It is also quite clear that planning a full family day out, does not satisfy my kid’s longing for my attention when we get home either!

It seems the more attention I give my kids, the more they need from me, and as all tired parents know, this can leave you in a permanent state of physical and mental burnout.

You’re an overtired mom when …

You go to the bathroom but as soon as you leave the room, your kids urgently need to go to the toilet and are so desperate they can’t wait until you’ve finished!
You have a shower with one child on the toilet and one trying to clamber into the shower with you.
You’re cooking a meal, they follow you in and shout requests for drinks and “how long is tea going to be? ” every 2 minutes!
They never sleep

Parental burnout symptoms

Feeling parental fatigue
Being too tired to parent properly
Feeling overtired
Being an overwhelmed mum or overwhelmed parent
Feeling as if you’re not enjoying motherhood
Feeling tired, grumpy and not quite right, most of the time
Experiencing lots of stress
Sleep disruption and insomnia
Feelings of anxiety
Feelings of sadness
Feeling guilty for no reason.
Not looking after yourself properly
Poor mental health
Self-care deficit
Not eating properly.

Self-care and emotional self-care are hugely important for tired parents to enable us to recharge and regroup and get ready to face the challenges of another day.

Self-care tips for overtired moms.

Decide how much time you can devote to self-care, per day, week and per month.

If you have a majorly busy family or work life, you may only be able to spend five minutes per day on yourself, that’s ok, pencil it in and book out the time.

It doesn’t matter how much or how little time you intend to schedule for yourself, the first step is to write it down.<

For example: at 9 pm every weeknight schedule five minutes to yourself after the kids have gone to bed.

Next, write a list of the things you enjoy, download my beautiful free daily self-care checklist by subscribing to our updates here, for ideas and activities you can squeeze into 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes and an hour!

Self Care Checklist.

Balancing motherhood and self

Some mornings when I’m up before everyone else in the house, I sit outside with a hot coffee, I find five minutes breathing in the cold, fresh air, invigorating, its precious quiet time before the demands of a busy day.

Five-minute breathing exercise.

Lie on your bed and do a quick five-minute deep breathing session while you’re waiting for the kids to go to sleep. this is a great way to recharge after the craziness of the school pick up and before you start on all those evening chores!

Find a comfortable place to sit, close your eyes and breathe. Count your breaths in and out until you have counted ten breaths in and ten breaths out, then, start counting your breaths again from one, repeat this counting pattern for as long as you have time.

Some weeks are more hectic than others, and it’s crucial that on those busy weeks take care of yourself and take time to recharge even if it’s only possible for five minutes a day! It’s surprising just how little time it takes to reset your focus.

Five minutes a day adds up to 35 minutes a week
10 minutes a day gives you 70 minutes of self-care per week.
For a busy mum or a workaholic, this can have a hugely positive impact on your stress levels and productivity.

You may like to schedule a few minutes per day, then, a more significant amount of time weekly or monthly if childcare allows, how much or how little you feel you can devote, is up to you, as long as you are doing some self-care practices.

Self-care nutrition

To enable you to feel great and fill up your self-care deficit you need to make sure you are looking after yourself from the inside.

Stay hydrated drink plenty of water, I feel better after drinking at least 1 litre of water per day.
Eat well, eat plenty of fruit and veg, at least five portions of each per day. Reduce your salt, fat and sugar intake.
Avoid sugary drinks replace sugary drinks with sugar-free varieties or plain water.
Eat a balanced diet avoid processed and junk food and opt for homemade healthy meals instead.

Self-care tips for tired moms

These suggestions range from 5 minutes to 60 minutes and above. Try to fit at least one into your busy day to help care for yourself and recharge your batteries.

- 5 minutes deep breathing
- 5 minutes lying down
- Paint your nails
- Read a magazine
- Sit outside
- Sit and do nothing
- Go for a walk
- Have a shower
- Read a book
- Walk the dog
- Meditate
- Do some stretches
- Call a friend
- Do some yoga
- Have a long soak in the bath
- Go to the gym
- Go for a run
- Go for a swim
- Go for a coffee
- Meet a friend for lunch
- Have a brisk walk
- Take a nap
- Get a manicure and pedicure
- Get a haircut
- Have a facial or massage.

Lifestyle

Mindfulness For Mums: How To Practice Calm Parenting

January 15, 2018

As a tired mum of two small children, I’m all too aware of the pressures we face as mothers to keep all our plates spinning at once. and all to often talk to many tired parents who are balancing motherhood and self all day every day.

In this post, we will show you how mindfulness for mums can help you practice calm parenting when things get too chaotic.

We rob time from Peter to pay Paul
We sacrifice one child’s spellings practice so we can help the other child with their homework.
One child can’t attend sports when the other child is ill
The kids fight with each other
We are grumpy with our spouse
Our spouse is cranky with us
We are normally tired
Our kids are tired
Demanding work schedules
After School activities and sports
Bills to pay
Illness

And so it goes on!

For tips on how to simplify your kid’s lives, click here

What is mind chatter?

The monkey mind is when the brain just can’t stop jumping from one thing to another, it is often referred to as mind chatter.

Thoughts are unable to slow down and control themselves and we find it impossible to calm down the mind.

The constant barrage of worry and over thinking invades thoughts and sleep, rendering a person unable to focus on what is happening now and be a mindful mum.

What are the symptoms of mind chatter?

Trouble getting to sleep due to the constant thoughts whizzing through the mind

Difficulty staying asleep and broken sleep

Mind chatter anxiety and being unable to switch off.

Exhaustion due to insomnia and broken sleep.

Unable to relax and switch off.

Making Less well-informed decisions

Having distorted views of certain situations due to stress and exhaustion.

The benefits of meditation and mindfulness for mums

As little as ten minutes a day of mindfulness meditation exercises can help us start to feel less agitated, and calmer during the day which in turn allows us to think more clearly and make better, more informed decisions.

It helps us to get to sleep more easily as our thoughts are quiet and not so busy.

Meditation or mindfulness skills give us a greater sense of wellbeing.

It allows us the space to think before we act making us calmer and more patient with our children and spouse.

It reminds us to be grateful for the things we have in our lives.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the practice of allowing yourself to focus on the present moment. It is being conscious and being aware of what you are doing whilst acknowledging thoughts, sensations and feelings.

There are various different mindfulness techniques you can practice, for example:

Mindful breathing, where you concentrate on the in breath and out breath

Mindful walking, this is done by concentrating on the feel of the earth beneath your feet, putting one foot in front of the other, the sounds and smells you encounter and the feel of the wind or sun on your skin.

Mindfulness eating, this can be done by placing a tiny amount of food such as sultana or piece of bread in your hand and feeling the texture, placing it to your mouth feeling the texture, size and flavour of it before slowly chewing.

What are the best books for learning mindfulness for moms?

I’ve read tons of books to help me become a more mindful mum here are my top four mindfulness for mothers books!

mindfulness for mums, calm parenting — Mindfulness for mums, calm parenting

How I started my journey to become a more mindful mum.

One day, during a yoga class I realised that I enjoyed the relaxation technique at the end of the session more than the yoga class itself. During the relaxation at the end, our yoga teacher guided us into a five-minute meditation session which started with a full body scan. The effects it had on me were immediate, and I suddenly felt more relaxed than I had in years, I felt calm and safe. It was a strange but beautiful feeling of wellbeing. I looked forward to this part of the class each week and wished it was longer. I was unaware that this was a guided meditation technique at the time.

Years later during a search for meditation techniques, I stumbled upon some guided meditation sessions online and I realised that it was what I had experienced all those years ago in my yoga lessons. I was thrilled that I was able to practice the same techniques and create my own mindfulness skills at home and conquer my own mind chatter anxiety.

What is guided meditation?

Guided meditation is a great place to start for beginners as there isn’t much that you need to do except allow yourself to be transported by the teacher’s voice, your imagination and sub-conscience does the rest for you! There’s no trying to empty your mind or trying to sit still and not itch your nose, its a genuinely lovely way to wind down and relax your body.

A trained practitioner or teacher instructs us, using verbal instructions such as focusing on the breath, body scan, (which is learning to relax every muscle in our body from top to toe) and guides us, using visualization and mental imagery through a relaxing scene such as sitting on a beach or walking through a beautiful garden. They call upon the use of the four senses to imagine the scenery, for instance, they might ask us to imagine the warm sun on our face or to smell the fresh flowers in the garden or feel the breeze touching our skin. They will encourage us to use all our sensory skills such as touch, sounds, smells, sight, heat and texture.

Popular guided meditations.

Guided Meditation for sleep. This may involve counting along to some guided meditation and is very effective, I usually fall asleep after a couple of seconds during most guided meditations for sleep!

Total body scan this is a relaxation technique which brings mindfulness and awareness to the body encourages us to concentrate on every single part of their body in order, usually starting at the top of the head and finishing at the toes. This is a super effective way to practice mindfulness for mums as it is a total body recharge!

Mindfulness of breathing this is a technique where the practitioner gets you to focus your attention on your own breathing. it is simple and easy to learn and I find this is a marvellous way to completely stop the mind chatter.

The good news is, that after a short time practising guided meditation, you will probably find you are ready to move on to quiet contemplation in which you practice concentrating on the breath and allow your thoughts to come and go without engaging with them.

How long should I meditate for?

You can choose to meditate for as long or short a time your lifestyle dictates, however, the more you practice meditation, the easier it is to sit for more extended periods of time.
The beauty of mindfulness for mums is, that no matter how busy your life is you can feel the benefits of even just five minutes of practice a day.

Even with a stressful job and a busy family life, mindfulness and motherhood is a do-able practice.

How To Practice Meditation And Mindfulness For Mums

There are a few apps I’ve found helpful when pressed for time or really overwhelmed, one I use daily is a free app called Insight Timer, it offers thousands of free guided meditations to get you started. the free app is packed full of:

Meditations for deep sleep
Nature sounds
Meditation to music
Mantras and chants
Meditations for anxiety
Meditations for loving kindness
Guided meditations for mothers.
Mindfulness with a newborn
Daily meditations for mothers

And many more. Start by choosing a five minute guided meditation until you get used to the technique then gently increase the duration over the next few weeks.

To practice some five-minute self-care techniques at home click here

Today’s meditation

If meditation sounds too time-consuming, just try breathing quietly for about five minutes a day, you’ll be amazed at how much five minutes of focused breathing can make you feel. For a more in-depth look at mindfulness for mums head on over to Jennifer at Help Mama Meditate she has some amazing meditation and mindfulness advice and videos to help you be a more mindful mama!

Fancy trying a digital detox for mums? click here

FAQ and answers

What is the best app for mindfulness meditation for moms? I have a few go-to apps for meditation and my favourites are:

Headspace
Breathe
Insight Timer

What is the best time to meditate or do mindfulness? Mindfulness can be practised at any time of the day and whilst doing everyday tasks such as household chores etc. Meditation is best practised when you have some quiet uninterrupted time, the morning is a great time to practice meditation, however, you can choose whichever time of the day is best for you to meditate.

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Lifestyle

How To Sleep With Someone Who Snores

January 9, 2018

Sleeping with a snorer can be exhausting, in this post we will give you some tips on how to sleep with a snorer, talk you through some tips and tricks to show you how to block out snoring and give you some great ideas on how to sleep with someone who snores!

The topics we will be covering will be:

How to block out snoring
How to ignore snoring
How to drown out snoring
How to fall asleep when someone is snoring
How to stop someone from snoring naturally

According to the National Sleep Foundation, 90 million American adults snore , this must lead to a lot of sleepless nights!

Why do people snore?

There can be many causes of snoring, the main reasons are:

Being in the wrong sleeping position
Weight gain
Alcohol
Allergies
Sleep disorders such as Sleep Apnea
Smoking

What are the reasons for snoring?

Snoring is the noise caused by parts of the respiratory structures rattling due to obstructed air flow. Snoring can start from the nose, throat or the back of the tongue. Snoring can take many forms:

Heavier breathing than usual
Loud continuous rattling
Grunting
Sharp high pitched which stops and starts.
Low rumbling
Loud gaspy snoring followed by silence and lack of breath, then a loud gasp, usually caused by sleep apnea.

Symptoms of living with loud snoring

Sleeping with someone who is continually snoring can be exhausting and incredibly frustrating, you spend your nights wondering how to get to sleep when someone is snoring, it can be difficult to know how to ignore snoring sounds and it can affect you in many ways due to lack of sleep, including,

Excessive fatigue
Anger and rage
Despair
Exhaustion
Depression
Anxiety
Impaired decision-making and impaired judgement.
Stress

The symptoms of sleeping with a snoring partner are often made more difficult by

Denial from the snoring partner that they snore, even when presented with the evidence.
Anger from the snoring partner when their spouse tries to move them to stop them snoring.
Unwillingness from the snoring partner to try anything to reduce their snoring noises.
Unwillingness from the snorer to accept they are suffering from a sleep disorder.
An eventual breakdown in relationships.

how to sleep with someone who snores , the symptoms — Sleeping with a snorer

How To sleep when someone is snoring

There are many different anti-snoring aids on the market which promise to prevent snoring and to help you to figure out how to sleep when someone is snoring!

Anti-snore nasal dilators
Snore stopper wristband
Anti snoring throat spray
Oral devices
Ear plugs
Anti-snore chin strap
White noise machine
Nose clips
Nasal Strips
Surgery
Anti-snore pillows
Pillow sprays
Tennis ball sewed into the pyjama top!

If your girlfriend snores or your boyfriend snores you have my sympathy, my husband snores and I cant sleep, so I know how hard it can be to know how to get someone to stop snoring!

I have lived with my husband for 18 years, and when I first realised my husband snores heavily, I knew I had to figure out quickly how to sleep with someone who snores. His snoring was unbearably loud, I’ve tried many snoring solutions but he is so loud that nothing can block out his snoring completely.

If he’s upstairs, we can’t hear the TV downstairs, and on the rare occasions, he has a drink his snoring is absolute torture.

My spouse is in complete denial that he is a snorer and refuses to try any snoring aids like nose clips or wristbands which may reduce the noise of heavy snoring, so, I decided to take the matter into my own hands and do some research into how to sleep with someone who snores!

How to block out snoring.

The best earplugs for sleeping with a snorer

When you sleep with someone who snores you soon come to realize that you need something to block out snoring so you can sleep through the noise.

I am somewhat of an expert on the best earplugs for sleeping with a snorer because over the past 20 years I’ve spent a fortune trying to find earplugs to wear to completely block out snoring, I’ve tried them all!

- - Foam earplugs: I found these earplugs to be totally ineffective at stopping any noise penetration at all and they fell out of my ears all night long which completely defeated the object!
  - Silicone earplugs: These were helpful at blocking out snoring noises but they constantly fell out and got sticky, mashed and tangled in my hair! So I kept waking up all night uncomfortable, these are definitely not the best earplugs to block out snoring.
  - Wax cotton earplugs: these are by far my favourite and when inserted correctly they stay in the ear and effectively reduce approximately 99% of noise, you can get them here Boots Pharmaceuticals Muffle Wax Earplugs (5 Pairs) to wear earplugs , just warm the earplug in your hand and mould it to the shape of your ear to cause a seal. I also prefer to cut each earplug in half, as I find they stay in better than the full size. These are by far the best earplugs to block out snoring in my opinion!

How to reduce heavy snoring with an anti-snore pillow!

I noticed that when I got rid of my partner’s feather pillow his snoring reduced dramatically! Try swapping your partner’s pillow for an anti snore pillow!

How to drown out snoring

Here are a few simple ways to drown out snoring and great ideas about how to sleep through snoring :

Noise-reducing ear muffs

Noise-reducing ear muffs do not block out snoring completely but simply muffle the sound to a level which will enable you to get to and stay asleep. They will allow you to sleep through snoring and make it easier to sleep when someone snores.

White noise machine.

A white noise machine will help you to ignore snoring by listening to other noises instead such as Rainforest, Thunder, Windchime, Fan, Wind, Campfire, Ocean, Seagull, Brook, Birds, Bubble, Typhoon, Rain, Brown noise and more you also have the option of having a sleep timer on for when you nod off !

Noise reducing music pillow.

These snoring aids will allow you to concentrate on something other than the loud snoring noise.

How to fall asleep when someone is snoring

Sleep headphones, I use there to help me get to sleep by listening to:

Audiobooks
Meditation
Music
White noise such as rainfall, birdsong etc

How to reduce snoring naturally

Because my husband snores so loud that I can’t sleep, I thought I would find out how to deal with snoring naturally. I thought I’d try to find out how to make someone stop snoring rather than try to drown them out. I did some research on most of the best selling snoring aids and I realised that most of the stop snoring solutions had lavender as their active ingredient.

So I went ahead and dropped some lavender essential oil on my husband’s pillow. The result was quite amazing, his snoring was reduced to a heavy breathing sound and all the jerky rattling loud animal noises went away!

The next night I added two drops of eucalyptus oil, as well as the lavender and oil and that, seemed to mellow the sound even more! Essential Oils to try if you want to know how to make someone stop snoring without killing them are:

Frequently asked Q&A

How do you sleep with someone who snores? Sleeping with someone who snores is one of the hardest things to do, you will first need to try to see if the person who snores can be moved into a position that stops them from snoring. If this doesn’t work you could try some of the suggestions above to see if you could reduce the snoring noise or block out snoring completely ( wear earplugs ).

How do I convince someone that their snoring affects my sleep and health? It is difficult to convince someone that their snoring is affecting you. it is very hard for a snorer to accept that they snore let alone have any idea of the extent to which their snoring keeps other people awake. even after I recorded my spouse snoring and played it back to him he was completely non-plussed and thought it was just a one-off he still says he doesn’t snore! I’ve come to the conclusion that most snorers don’t care about what it’s like to live with someone who snores, so it’s up to us to figure out for ourselves how to sleep when someone snores. I’ve included the best snoring solutions in this post to help you if you want to know how to muffle the sound of snoring or how to block out snoring.

How do I avoid someones snoring to have a good sleep? Its ok to move to another room if you feel you need to get a good nights sleep. I move rooms when my husband snores so loudly that I can’t sleep, it is a solution but I can normally still hear him through the walls so I always wear earplugs too!

How do I stop someone from snoring without waking them? My spouse gets very grumpy if I wake him up, so I have to be quite clever if I want him to stop snoring. My favourite method to wake him up is to slightly tug at his pillow, this way he wakes up naturally (or so he thinks ) and turns over onto his side. I also love using essential oils to reduce the sound of loud snoring.

Can I use hypnosis to ignore snoring? There are hypnosis aids that claim that they can help you ignore snoring. They claim to be able to help you “switch off” even if there is loud snoring and to help your brain process the snoring sound so you can ignore snoring and drift off into a deep sleep.

Do you find it impossible to sleep with someone who snores? Let us know in the comments!

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Lifestyle

How To Unplug From Social Media.

November 2, 2017

The average teenager spends a staggering nine hours a day on social media! Whilst this seems crazy to many hard working adults it’s a reality that most teenagers know no different!

It might not be wise to be so quick to judge these inbetweeners, you may be surprised to hear that the average adult spends approximately two hours on social media per day, and more surprisingly over five hours watching tv per day! That’s a staggering seven hours of screen time per day for the average adult!

In this post, we discuss some need to know tips on how to unplug from social media, how to live unplugged and find time in your life for things you have always wanted to do like:

Write a best-selling book.
Take up golf.
Become a black belt in Martial Arts.
Run up a mountain.
Keep in touch with friends and family more often.
Volunteer for a charity.
Travel the world.
Experience real life adventures.
Spend quality time with the kids.
Start a business.
Read more books.
Help others.
Start a blog.
Meditate.
Visit friends.

If you are making the excuse that you haven’t got time to get started on your goals, then think again!

You really have more spare time than you think!

Society has found itself sucked into a technology black hole.

It is the age of the selfie generation where people contort their faces into an unrecognisable form with other self-obsessed selfie-takers in a never-ending social media battle of the selfies.

We have a Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, the Instagram generation where some people can’t go out for a meal without posting photos of their food, their first drink of the evening, or the full-length selfie of the outfit they are wearing.

People can’t climb a mountain, go for a family day out or visit the park, without making sure everyone knows they were there.

Then we have the gaming generation who play games which are so addictive, that people are unable to tear themselves away long enough to eat a meal with the family.

We have a never-ending stream of television which bombards us with hundreds of thousands of adverts, which we can live pause, rewind, repeat.

Consider the effect unplugging from technology could have on your quality of life and schedule. Without hours spent on social media think of all the hours you will snatch back for yourself!

Signs you may need to unplug from social media.

The first thing you reach for in the morning is your phone
You get upset when someone hasn’t liked your status update
You record every minute of your family day out on social media
You contrive photos with filters or clever editing to make yourself look better on social media.
You compare yourself to others on social media
You keep checking your phone whilst you’re at work
You check your phone in bed
You check your phone at the dinner table
You update your status on holiday or at the airport to tell everyone your away ( including burglers! )
You know everybody else’s business
You’re a bit judgy of other people due to what they post on social media.

Social media is not a bad thing, I use it to stay in touch will family members all over the world and also to chat with other bloggers in my niche. So I’m fully aware of the huge benefits of social media.

However it seems we are in a world where everyone is in a rush, has no time and is disconnected from other people. The purpose of this post is to show you ways to find more time to reconnect by unplugging from social media for a few hours a day or a few days a week.

many times we find ourselves procrastinating over something important and social media makes this easy for us. we beat ourselves up that we’ve missed a deadline or forgotten to make a phone call yet we have wasted hours that day checking our top five social media accounts, there is no better way to waste time and procrastinate than social media, its a quick feel-good fix, a way to gossip, and an escape from real life .

It is also a major time drain, bleeding minutes and hours from your day stopping you from doing the things which matter most to you at work and at home. It’s time to claim back your time!

Reasons to unplug from social media

There are many positive reasons to unplug from social media

You can spend much more quality time with the family and be appreciative of the things they’ve done that day, you’ll start to take an interest in how they feel about things and you’ll become more connected.

You can exercise more, you’ll have several hours in the day to fill, now your spending your life unplugged you can get the kids out on their bikes, out for a run or a swim.

You can spend more time outdoors, getting out for a walk, a run or a day out at the beach is much more energising than sitting in front of technology or a TV screen.

You are more organised at home and work, you will have time to file your paperwork daily, keep the house cleaner, organise and plan your meals, cook a healthy meal for the family every day. You’ll find more time to do the laundry and iron your clothes.

You have more free time to relax in the bath or read a book. Many parents complain that they have no time to read a book but they spend several hours on social media each day. Let’s get back to the basics and kick-start your love of reading!

You’ll be more relaxed. Even though you use technology as a way to relax it doesn’t allow your brain to switch off, it actually acts as a stimulant! Meditation, reading or simply chatting with your spouse will help you rewind, relax and recharge.

How to unplug from social media

Unplugging from social media can be hard if you are addicted to technology, follow these tips to unplug from social media and start unplugging from society!

Give up one thing at a time, don’t try to get rid of all your social media accounts at one time, try just stopping twitter, for instance, one week, then facebook the week after and so forth. going cold turkey all at once will probably be too hard to stick to long-term. You should be trying to change your social media habits a bit at a time.

Try Deleting your Facebook or Instagram app on your phone, this will stop you randomly picking up your phone to check your social media accounts. if you have to log onto your desktop to check your accounts you will spend less time on social media.

If you’re struggling to unplug from social media, put your phone in a drawer and leave it there for a few hours untouched. Do something constructive from your to-do list and make a note of how much more you get done in that time.

Watch one programme then switch off the TV. Free up five hours a day by switching off the TV after you’ve watched your chosen programme and free up some of your time to get on with something else!

Have a ‘no phone in bed’ rule and stick to it. Read a book, have a pamper and spend that time chilling out and relaxing. Keep the phone out of the bedroom and keep the hour before bed social media free!

Take the TV out of the bedroom. Turn your bedroom into a spa, light some candles, play some relaxing music and pamper yourself or read a book before bed.

Stop taking selfies and start taking photos of your family instead, that’s where the real memories are. Social media is full of people trying to take the perfect selfie with the perfect filter to make themselves look ten years younger. Everyone who knows you knows you don’t look like that at the school gates in the morning. Enjoy the park or the meal without recording your every move for people who don’t care anyway.

Turn off notifications for everything. News, Facebook, Email, WhatsApp, Twitter, Instagram, turn them all off and you’ll not be tempted to check your phone twenty times an hour!

Try leaving your phone in the car or at home when you go out. This is one of my favourite ways to unplug from social media as it encourages me to reconnect with people I’m meeting, especially if I’m going out for a meal. It also stops the urge to post selfies of your beer or meal!

Find some time to switch off your phone and enjoy doing something else instead. Switch it off, unplug and find something else to do, try it for just an hour a day then increase the time daily. youll be surprised how good it feels to be free of that little black box of time sucking tricks!

Be yourself, smile in photos, in ten years time you won’t want to see pictures of yourself with a snapchat filter or a pout. Chill out, be you.

Eat with the family, enjoy your food and drink uninterrupted by selfies, texts and calls. Have a no phone at the table rule, chat ask questions and enjoy your time together.

Visit nice places without having to worry about updating your status or posting an amazing Instagram post.

Spend time with the kids without letting everyone know what an amazing parent you are. Leave your kids off social media, it’s not a competition to prove that you’re a better parent than everyone else.

Stop wasting time on social media, watching TV or taking selfies and see how much time you gain in your day to do the things you’ve always dreamed of!

What are the benefits of unplugging from social media?

There are huge benefits of disconnecting from social media and cutting down your screen time :

You’ll create so much more time to do the things on your todo list.
You’ll enjoy the little moments and create real life memories with your family.
You’ll stop worrying about what other people think, and you’ll find yourself living in the moment.
You’ll stop competing with other people and imagining that their life is better than yours.
You’ll stop judging other people by their photos or status updates.
When you stop comparing yourself to the false social media images you see, you’ll stop complaining about not having material things, going on flash holidays and you’ll begin to realise that you’ve got everything you need if you have your family and good health.

Frequently asked Q&A

How do you help your kids unplug from technology? Try to create screen time after all their homework, shower, room tidying and reading is done, this gives them an incentive to get their jobs done before screen time rather than the other way round for a screen time responsibility chart check out this post. Encourage your kids to get outside by planning fun activities for the mornings during the weekends and holidays. Getting your kids involved in sports gets them off the couch too!

How do I stop using social media during studying? All of the tips above should help you to unplug from social media during study periods. It may also be a good idea use a time management method, set 25 minute study periods followed by short breaks, this is called the Pomodoro Technique.

For amazing advice about meditation and mindfulness techniques head over to Jennifer at Help Mama Meditate!

Do you have any tips you use to unplug from social media? We’d love to hear your tips, leave us a comment below!

Lifestyle

Everything You Need To Know About Camping In Anglesey

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Places To Stay In Anglesey

Beaumaris

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My favourite holiday cottage in Beaumaris

Things to do in Beaumaris

Beaumaris Castle

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Benllech

Rhosneigr

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Greenwood Forest Park Prices. (Peak)

Snowdon Mountain Railway

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How To Sleep With Someone Who Snores

Why do people snore?

What are the reasons for snoring?

Symptoms of living with loud snoring

How To sleep when someone is snoring

How to block out snoring.

The best earplugs for sleeping with a snorer

How to reduce heavy snoring with an anti-snore pillow!

How to drown out snoring

Noise-reducing ear muffs

White noise machine.

How to reduce snoring naturally

Frequently asked Q&A

How To Unplug From Social Media.

Signs you may need to unplug from social media.

Reasons to unplug from social media

How to unplug from social media

What are the benefits of unplugging from social media?

Frequently asked Q&A

Why not pin it for later?