WEDDING GOSSIP Girl In A White Dress 24 10117 views

Our resident bride and wedding expert, Cheryl, is back from her big day and floating on a wedding-induced cloud of loveliness, and will be talking weddings with you every week...

It’s funny how you spend months – or even years in some cases – fretting about the little details of your wedding: will the homemade favours clash with the table decorations? Will my tiara sit comfortably on my head all day or ping off violently into my mother-in-law’s soup? Will I trip on my four-inch heels and torpedo down the aisle taking out the flowergirl? Of course none of these things happens – and even if they do, most people won’t notice and you’ll be able to laugh about it. Eventually. In a few years’ time.

But I don’t think I was alone in spending a few fretful sleepless nights in the run-up, worrying about everything from the seating plan to the starters. I remember frustrating insomniac nights lying in bed in the early hours, trying to clear my head of wedding-related thoughts, only to have another one creep in and mess it all up again.

So if you’re chewing on the duvet in silent frustration because you can’t remember if you rang the florist to tell her you wanted ivory not champagne ribbon on your bouquet, I’ve got a few tried and tested tips to help you calm down…

1. Try drinking warm milky beverages before you head off to bed – I’m not sure if there’s any real scientific evidence that warm milk = good night’s sleep but it seems to work for most people and it certainly can’t hurt…
2. Run a warm bath and add a few drops of lavender before you go to bed, and put a couple of drops on your pillow too – it’s supposed to slow down your nervous system, improve sleep quality, and help you relax. Sounds loverly…
3. If you have a TV or stereo in your bedroom, make sure they’re switched off – it’s tempting to fall asleep with the telly on but electricals in your room have a bad effect on your sleep.
4. If you’re tossing and turning and torturing yourself with ‘I should have…’ ‘I forgot to…’, have a notepad nearby so you can quickly jot it down and follow it up in the morning. The idea is by writing it down, you’re sort of ‘striking it off’ your mental list.

5. Some sleep-deprived brides-to-be have recommended herbal remedies, such as Kalms or Nytol, which are available over the counter at Boots and most chemists.
6. Finally, if you find you’re still awake 25 minutes later, get up. The frustration of insomnia is enough to keep anyone awake! You know when you're not going to drop off, so get up and do something boring, like the ironing. If nothing else you'll feel better knowing you're putting the time to good use…

If you’ve got some sleeping secrets share them with us and help others get a few zzzzz’s in before the big day…