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Tips on Getting a Full Night’s Sleep

Is a lack of sleep messing with your mojo? You’re not alone. Thirty percent of adults claim to have trouble sleeping, says London Drugs Pharmacy Manager Gianni Del Negro. And up to 10 percent of those are experiencing problems during the day because of their sleep difficulties.

Understanding Your Sleep Problem and its Cause

Understanding how and where your sleep is going awry is the first step to finding a solution.

Sleep problems come mainly in three different categories:

Difficulty falling asleep
Waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to get back to sleep
Inability to get into a deep, restorative sleep

There are many reasons you could be experiencing sleep problems, says Del Negro, including medical conditions such as sleep apnea or asthma, pain resulting from certain conditions, stress or depression, or even medications you’re taking.

Poor sleep is often a result of poor sleep habits, particularly the use of electronics too close to bedtime, or too much caffeine, nicotine or alcohol late in the day.

While a few nights of bad sleep might not hurt too much, prolonged poor sleep can have severe consequences, including a weakened immune system, obesity and risk of accidents at work or on the road.

Help for Better Sleep

The first step is to ensure you maintain a regular sleep routine, which means waking up at the same time and going to bed at the same time every day. Yes, even on weekends and holidays.

Other lifestyle habits such as regular exercise and winding down a couple of hours before bed can also help in the sleep department.

While Del Negro says it’s always best to try non-medicinal ways of promoting sleep, if nothing is working, pharmaceuticals can help you get some much-needed rest.

One category of short-term sleep aids you can try is Diphenhydramine, which is an antihistamine that causes drowsiness. You’ll find it in products such as Benadryl, Sleep-eze and NyQuil.

Melatonin is another product you can try for better sleep. It’s most effective for resetting your body clock in the event of jet lag or shift work.

Finally, valerian root is an herbal supplement that can promote faster and better quality sleep. But be aware that it can have some side effects and may not be safe to take with other medications. Please consult your doctor before taking it.

If you’ve tried all of these remedies and you still can’t sleep, come speak to a pharmacist at your local London Drugs. We can help!

Fun Ways to Keep Cool

It’s finally here. Summer. The season we’ve waited for all year. Those long, lazy hot weather days we’ve been dreaming about are here, and well, now we’re feeling a little sweaty. And lazy. And we just don’t want to expend a whole lot of energy doing much of anything at all. Much less keeping cool.

But there are so many fun and easy ways to cool down while you chill out this summer. Here a few of our favourite ways to keep cool when the temperature soars.

Play in the Spray

You’ve seen inflatables decorating the neighbourhood during the holidays. Now they’ve found new purpose in the summertime: as sprinklers. That’s right, these inflatable sprinklers aren’t just cute, they’re also functional, and will bring out the play while you get your spray on.

Go Boating

A cool sea-breeze may be just the thing you need to cool down, and you can search for the best coastal breezes in your single-seat kayak. Get paddling!

Or Floating

If the pool is your preference, bring your A-game with a fun and funky floatie for you, or for the whole gang! Splish splash!

Make Some Shade

Sometimes you’ve just got to sit down and relax. But if you want it made in the shade, and your yard has other ideas, you’ll need to create your own little shady spot with a sun umbrella that’ll make lounging a lot less sweaty.

Pack a Cooler

There’s nothing like an ice cold drink on a hot day, but keeping it cool can be a challenge. And going inside for a refill isn’t always feasible, especially if you’re spending the day at the park or the beach. That’s why packing a cooler is essential – Just don’t forget the ice packs!

Explore our full outdoor living selection for more ways to have fun — and keep cool — in the sun.

Tips to Make Your Summer Road Trip Awesome

You can already hear the chorus and you haven’t even left home yet, “Are we there yet?”

If you’re contemplating a summer road trip with the family, you’re probably both excited and a bit apprehensive. After all, summer road trips are great for memory building, but they can also bring out a whole lot of whining if you’re not adequately prepared. That’s why we’ve gathered some tips to help you make your summer road trip the best kind of memorable.

Safety First

Before heading out on the road, make sure your car is road worthy. Get your fluids topped up, do an oil change and check your tires and air filters. You may want to get a safety inspection done to minimize the chances of a car breakdown mid-trip. Also, put together an emergency travel kit with any first aid supplies you might need.

Stock up on Snacks

Stock up on snacks for the long haul so you can minimize having to pull over for less-than-healthy food. Granola bars, rice cakes, nut mixes, crackers, dried fruit — these will all hold up well over long distances and hot temperatures. While you’re stocking up, set aside a bag for recycling so you can save your wrappers and bring them back to London Drugs. And don’t forget to fill a bunch of water bottles. You can freeze them the night before you leave so they’ll stay cold the next day.

Bring the Entertainment

All great road trips need great tunes and fun games. Before you leave, make a playlist with songs everyone in the family will enjoy. Then, load your smartphone with apps and your car with games that’ll keep all your passengers busy and well entertained. You could even try some good old fashioned games like i-spy or round robin to while away the time.

Make it Comfy

Long hours in a car are made infinitely easier with some of the comforts of home, like pillows, blankets and kids’ favourite stuffies and toys. Passenger window sunshades can be helpful to shield sensitive eyes from the bright sun and a windshield sunshade will keep the car cool when you’re out exploring.

Get Travel Insurance

Whether you’re staying close to home or travelling further afield, you never know when illness or accidents might happen. Ensure you’re covered in case of emergency with travel insurance for you and your family.

With all this taken care of, you’re almost ready to hit the road, Jack! Pack light, plan your route, and get ready to have the road trip of a lifetime!

Must-Have Barbecue Basics

‘Tis the season for outdoor cooking! And there’s something so special about food cooked on an open grill, isn’t there? It’s not only a sign that summer is here, but also an invitation to finally indulge in those long, hot days capped off with dinner on the grill and the lingering summer nights we’ve been craving all year long.

But before you bust out the burgers and buns, here’s a helpful checklist to make sure you’ve got everything you need to get your grill on.

Essential Grilling Tools Checklist

The Grill

There are two main types of grills to choose from: those fueled by charcoal and those fueled by gas. Purists will say that charcoal is the way to go for authentic-tasting grilled meals, but propane can definitely be more convenient, as long as you’re stationary. If grilling on the go is what you’re after, then go for a charcoal grill.

Learn more about our grill options.

Grilling Tools

You don’t need to go too crazy when it comes to grilling tools, but there are a few essentials every BBQ master should have in their arsenal:

Tongs — You’ll reduce the chances of losing delicious food through the grill slots if you invest in a solid pair of tongs.
Meat thermometer — Don’t take any risks — make sure your meat is always perfectly cooked
Grill brush — Finally, it’s always a good idea to clean your grill when you’re done with it, so get a good grill brush to make the job easier

Other items you might find useful include grill mitts and a grill light, especially if you like to enjoy your meals later in the evening.

A Few More Things to Make the Grilling Life Awesome

A patio set — Sure, you could bring the food inside to eat, but food cooked outdoors is best enjoyed outdoors — especially on a gorgeous patio set.
Outdoor lighting — A twinkling set of patio lights adds a little ambiance when daylight starts to fade. Unless, of course, you’d prefer to dine by the light of the moon.
A cooler — If you’re going camping or simply heading to a BBQ at the park, a decent cooler will keep everything organized and easily portable.
A fire extinguisher – Because, well, accidents can happen.

All you need now is the food. Happy grilling!

5 Ways to Improve the Indoor Air Quality in Your Home

How clean is the air in your home?

We don’t always think about the air we breathe indoors, but we should. In fact, NASA has proved the air inside can be 30 times more toxic than the air outside. There are lots of possible air pollutants on any given day — lingering particles from cooking, dust from heating vents and fireplaces, cigarette smoke, perfume or cosmetic residue, and even just good old fashioned regular dirt and exhaust from leaving windows open in summer. It’s enough to send anyone’s allergies and sensitivities into a sneezing fit.

We’ve collected five easy things you can do to keep on top of these allergens and pollutants to improve the air quality in your home.

Now that’s a breath of fresh air!

1. Air purifiers

Air purifiers are an easy way to clean the air in your home for even the busiest families. Once you choose a model that fits your aesthetic, lifestyle, and price range, place the unit in the room you spend most time in. Then simply turn it on and walk away!

Pro tip: Replace the filter more often than 6 months when the air quality is particularly bad. For example, during forest-fire season you should replace it more regularly. Monitor and replace as necessary.

2. House plants

If you’re looking to not only detox the air indoors but beautify your space too, bring the outside, in! In the same study NASA completed about indoor air quality, it also revealed many house plants that scrub and purify indoor air of common pollutants. Each one has different light and water requirements, so pick a few that will do well in your own home, and go green for cleaner air!

Some recommended house plants include:

Aloe Vera
Chrysanthemum
Devil’s Ivy
Dracaena
English Ivy
Ficus
Flamingo Lily
Many palm varieties including Areca, Bamboo, Dwarf Date, and Raphis
Peace Lily
Snake Plant
Spider Plant

3. (De) Humidifiers

Depending on the humidity level in your home, (de) humidifiers can be useful tools!

Keep in mind if too much moisture is released into the air it can stir up dust mites and create mould, making the air quality worse and thereby causing allergic reactions. If it’s too dry, viruses and airborne toxins thrive. So choosing a humidifier or dehumidifier depends on your unique air quality.

Whether you choose to add moisture to the air or remove it, Health Canada recommends keeping your home’s humidity level between 30 and 50 percent. This will also make the air feel warmer during winter months, helping you use less energy to heat your home.

And of course, be sure to clean your unit regularly to ensure it works effectively and safely.

4. Clean

When it comes to indoor air quality, preventing the build-up of toxins can easily be remedied with some good old fashioned elbow grease. That is, cleaning.

With our busy schedules it can be difficult to find time to clean every surface in our homes, but dividing up the house-cleaning schedule among family members can make the weekly chore list easier and faster.

In terms of avoiding air pollutants, there are some spaces in your home that can have a bigger impact on your air quality than others:

The air conditioning unit
Dryer lint traps
Clothes and bed sheets
Flat surfaces

By wiping these down with your trusty cleaning supplies, you’ll remove dust mites, dust build-up, and all kinds of pollens that blow in from outside. And be sure to use eco-friendly cleaning products! You’ll not only avoid harsh chemicals, which are common indoor air pollutants, but they’re easier on our systems, our homes, and our planet.

Pro tip: Keep areas cleaner and minimize build-up by removing your shoes at the door so you don’t track in what your soles have brought inside. And if you smoke, go outside and close the door behind you.

5. Aromatherapy and salt lamps

Finally, science has shown aromatherapy and salt lamps can help eradicate airborne bacteria, fungi, and according to some, the flu virus. This is especially true of eucalyptus, citrus, clove, lavender, and tea tree oils.

Simply add the recommended amount to your diffuser, turn it on, and ultrasonic diffusion will disperse essential oils. Within 30-60 minutes you’ll have cleaner indoor air!

Plus, by using aromatherapy and salt lamps, you get the added benefit of not just beautiful smelling air (bye-bye unwanted odours,) but essential oils can help relax your mind and body as well. It’s a win win win!

If you need help or advice on how to purify the air in your home, we can help! Stop by your local London Drugs and talk to our in-store experts – we’d love to see you!

How to Have a Relaxing at-home Spa Day

We live in a culture that glorifies “busy”. Despite the adrenaline-pumping thrill of knocking things off your to-do list, it’s important to carve out space to breathe, calm down, and process all that “doing”. Our nervous systems and minds need regular breaks to reset and reflect on our rich and full lives.

Yet self-care, which more than half of millennial women resolved to do more of last year, isn’t always easy to incorporate, particularly when it involves booking time to get away to a spa.

The good news is that we don’t need to travel to go to the spa. Once you commit to making the time and space, it’s easy to incorporate some basic rituals that help bring the spa home. After all, home is meant to be a place of restoration, so all the more reason to embrace it.

Here are some easy products and practices that will make an at-home spa day nearly as good as the real thing.

Set up Your Spa Space

Part of a spa’s appeal is simply the care they take in creating a relaxing environment. Find a soothing music playlist to set the backdrop and light a scented candle for some natural mood lighting. Crystal salt lamps also cast a beautiful soft light and are known for gently filtering the air. Awaken your senses with an aromatherapy diffuser to relax your mind and encourage some deep exhalations.

Relax with Massage

Massage is deeply therapeutic, stimulating our circulation and releasing muscle tension which creates deep relaxation. In the absence of a professional massage therapist, we can mimic the benefits of this type of treatment with innovative home massagers that focus on the lower back, the upper back, the hands, and the feet. A 10- to 15-minute treatment will help loosen up sore muscles and release tension that may be contributing to higher stress levels.

Take a Long Bath

The power of salt is not only for mood lighting. Epsom salts are widely used in athletic communities for treating muscle aches and pains. They work by drawing toxins out of the body through the skin, minimizing lactic acid build-up in muscle fibres. To use, add about a cup of epsom salts to a hot bath and soak for 15-20 minutes. Short on time? Try a foot soak instead. After bathing, towel off lightly and let the salt continue to work its magic until your next rinse.

Give Yourself a Facial

Facials are truly the ultimate spa experience. The gorgeous scents, myriad creams, and the care taken in applying each one is what makes a facial so unique. The secret ingredient to a great facial is all in the mask, and what gives us that coveted youthful glow. Luckily, masks are easy to make at home with ingredients found in your own kitchen. Coconut oil, avocados, fruit, yogurt, and oatmeal, are simple ingredients that hydrate, exfoliate, and rejuvenate. Once you’ve blended your mask, apply to clean skin and let sit for 15-20 minutes. After rinsing, don’t forget to moisturize and lock in that new-found glow.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Now that you’re massaged, soaked, and masked, the best way to prolong the “aaaahhh” is to get a good night’s sleep. You can support a restful, deep sleep with healthy red reishi mushroom supplements, which are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to strengthen Qi, boost mood, and encourage sleep.

Make it a Regular Date

Your body and mind will be thanking you for the well-deserved TLC. A regular home spa day (or evening) will go a long way to alleviating chronic stress, restoring your energy, and brightening your mood. With some simple products and strategies, bringing the spa home can be simple, fun, and revitalizing.

12 Father’s Day Gift Ideas That’ll Make Dad Smile

Dads are great at bringing a smile to our faces with jokes, silliness and camaraderie that can’t be matched. This Father’s Day, let’s do the same for them, with gifts to get them grinning.

For the Health-conscious Dad

If your dad hasn’t yet jumped on the FitBit craze, now’s a good time to get him started. The Fitbit Charge 3 offers more advanced features than ever before, tracking heart rate, calorie burn, sleep stages, and cardio fitness. It also provides personalized guidance and reminders, guided breathing sessions, and call alerts, text notifications, and quick replies for when he’s on the move.

Help dad keep his ticker in top shape with Omron’s Blood Pressure Monitor. This device is easy to use, offers advanced monitoring features and even allows two users to track and save their results (so mom can share, too).

Are aches and pains keeping dad away from his favourite activities? Give him Dr-Ho’s Pain Therapy System. This digital massage system provides 12 soothing massage techniques to help relieve pain and tension in just 20 minutes.

For the Techie Dad

Techie dads love their toys, and this one does not disappoint. The Ryze Tech Tello Drone is super easy to fly; just toss it up in the air and it goes. Your phone acts as controller, and lets you perform cool tricks, flips and spins. It comes with an HD camera for high-quality photos and video, too, so you can capture the whole fam from a bird’s eye view.

Is dad a bit of a homebody? Then make his home life all the more convenient with a Google Home Voice Activated Speaker Assistant. Google Home will answer his questions, relay weather updates and sports scores, and even tell him jokes.

If dad is drowning in cords for all his tech, give him the gift of a cordless charging pad. With the IQ Wireless Charging Pad he can set his phone down to charge without fiddling with any cords. Happiness really is about the little things sometimes.

For the Outdoorsy Dad

What dad doesn’t love to grill? With the Coleman Roadtrip Grill, he can take his love of grilling with him wherever he goes. This 36” grill with collapsible scissor legs makes it perfect for camping trips and cooking on the go.

Help your dad get where he needs to go (without ever having to stop and ask for directions). The Garmin GPSMAP is perfect for hikers with its multisatellite handheld navigation system and expanded wireless connectivity for access to weather forecasts and other essential information. Its large colour display makes maps and info easy to see, even in direct sunlight.

Is your dad into ornothology? Help him check out all-things-winged with these Steiner BluHorizons Binoculars. Ergonomic eyecups shield eyes from wind, glare and peripheral light while the binoculars automatically adjust brightness levels, so dad can keep his eyes on the prize.

For the Beautiful Dad

Dads like to look good too, and it’s never too late to start a good moisturizing routine. Bulldog Skincare for Men offers an age defense moisturizer that’s perfect for “mature” skin. It helps to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and will brighten your dad’s skin, along with his day, every time he uses it and thinks of you.

Every dad needs a good razor — even if it’s just for trimming his beard. If your dad is of the bearded variety, get him the Braun Beard Trimmer Shave and Trim Kit. With 39 different length settings, this shaver’s got your dad covered no matter how he prefers his facial hair.

And, finally, he’ll be grinning from ear to ear with his ultra-clean pearly whites thanks to the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart Electric Toothbrush.

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads, from all of us at London Drugs.