Night sweats and menopause related sleep problems are really common and although I am much better than I was in the early stages of peri menopause, I am still keen to understand 'how can I sleep better' both in terms of quality and quantity of sleep.  And do we really understand the huge benefits of sleep?  Other than sleep simply makes us feel better?!  So what to do when you can't sleep?

Dr. Marilyn Glenville PhD is the UK's leading nutritionist and a best-selling author specialising in women's health.  She is also the former President of the Food and Health Forum at the Royal Society of Medicine, psychologist and popular broadcaster who obtained her doctorate from Cambridge University.

On Tuesday 22nd June from 7 pm to 9 pm Marilyn is hosting a webinar entitled 'Sleep - why is it so important and how to improve sleep quality and quantity' to show us how to get a good nights sleep including recommendations on what to eat, what to avoid, lifestyle changes and specific nutrients and botanicals to support your best sleep!  And readers of Fifty & Fab can get a huge 50% off the ticket price - making this webinar really affordable at just £13.50.

This is a sponsored blog post.

Well yes I know I don't have a bigger bust but I do love flattering bikinis and swimwear and I love the cup sized swimwear options from Fantasie.  I also love encouraging other women over 50 to embrace confidence and wear beautiful lingerie, swimsuits or bikinis.  But as we are all mostly having a UK staycation this year, we may be feeling like we don't need new swimwear, but ...  we still want to feel fabulous and embrace our inner confidence, and you never know, we might be lucky and have a heatwave summer!

I am sharing two lovely swimwear styles from Fantasie, the Fiji bikini was a previous gift and the Burano deep plunge swimsuit was gifted to me recently.  Fantasie offer a vast range of comfortable and supportive cup sized swimwear with lots of different shapes, styles and coverage options, you can mix and match their bikini tops and bottoms to find the right combination for you.

What is a staycation!?  It is a holiday spent in one's own country rather than abroad or one spent at home involving day trips!  Mmm when my children were younger we often used to stay at home and have outings and we loved a traditional 'bucket and spade' holiday in the UK - especially to Devon or Dorset.  For a while we had a lovely big touring caravan which both children adored and although it was hard work for me, I agree it was a fantastic way to holiday with young children.  But I didn't expect in 2020 and 2021 to have no alternative but to 'staycation' .... I wouldn't say I am a big fan of travelling but I like to have the choice and as my children have got older I have enjoyed guaranteed sun and sun-loungers even more!  But here we are with the the UK government and governments around the world still restricting our travel (remind me what the vaccine is for if it isn't to save lives, reduce serious illness and open up the world economy and allow travel again)?

But it is what it is and nothing I can do!  I am very fortunate to have booked a week in Cornwall at a friends apartment overlooking the sea near Portwrinkle.  It was a spontaneous decision months ago, she said she had slots available still and I decided it was best not to hesitate!  

When I was asked if I would like to try out a new cooling pillow and a mulberry silk pillowcase from The Fine Bedding Company, I was really keen!  One of my most popular blog posts is about choosing the best duvet for menopause where I recommend swapping to a wool duvet!  So clearly menopausal night sweats and hot flushes are a big challenge for many of my readers.  But what are the benefits of a silk pillowcase?  And what is a cooling pillow!?

The Fine Bedding Company sent me their Smart Temperature Pillow with Activated Cooling Technology and their 100% Mulberry Silk Pillowcase.  There are other products in the temperature controlling range too, pillow protectors and mattress protectors as well as a duvet.