The joy of the Lumie Bodyclock. An aid to sleeping and waking.

When so many people were struggling with the January Blues, a friend in a Facebook group recommended the Lumie Bodyclock. I'd heard a bit about them and decided to check out the company. I showed my daughter, who totally struggles to get up for school on dark mornings, and she was absolutely clear that that was what she needed.

The company said they made no claims to it helping people with dyspraxia, so I decided to road test it.

I know people who have bought, and really benefitted from, the SAD lamps ,but that wasn't so much the issue for us, it was more about being able to wake up on dark morning. Their alarm clock also  has a sunset facility though, which  helps your brain to release melatonin, thus enabling you to drift off to sleep more easily. As getting to sleep is a big issue for many dyspraxics, this was really intriguing to me.

How does it work? 

What happens is, you set the alarm for your normal waking time and the sun rise lamp starts to come on 30 minutes before the alarm goes off, which means that you are being gently woken and by the time the alarm goes off you are awake. And it honestly works.

As I said, it was also the sunset that we got it for. The idea is the same, just in reverse. So rather than going from light to dark, the light gently dims over a 30 minute period. My daughter sometimes has to set it 2 or 3 times, but it definitely does help her. I'm sure with longer use it will definitely help her body clock.

As for the morning alarm, that  helped immediately. I use a radio alarm clock as  a supposedly gentler way of waking me up, but by using the Lumie I have noticed that even that just shocks me awake and whilst it does wake me, I have now  realised that  I would get up, make breakfast drive my daughter to the bus and walk the dog, all still half asleep!  The lumie brings me round so that by the time the alarm goes off I am already awake. Being dyspraxic that is a massive benefit as wandering around half asleep inevitably leads to more accidents.

The real test was this week when school re-started after the half term holiday. It's still cold, dark and wet and a 6.45am wake up is really not  welcome. But the lumie just helps so much. I have noticed that I have woken naturally by the time my alarm goes off . Totally amazing!


The only thing for me, on the occasions I get to have it in my room, is that the clock face is a bit small, so I just keep my own alarm clock next to me because the sunrise is the most important aspect.

Setting it up. 

I'm not a great one for reading the manual but my daughter sorted it out just fine. However there is also a getting set up video HERE   which I like more, and that in itself tells me a lot about the company, that they understand that people take in information differently. 

How much does it cost? 

There are different versions of the Lumie; the starter kit from £59.00 to some seriously posh ones with bird song and aromatherapy at £160.00.  My friend also managed to get a re-furbished one which is perfectly good, just a bit cheaper.
If you think of it as an alarm clock then it  is expensive, but if you think of it as a way to change your whole morning experience, they are well worth the money.
We are using the starter kit and we are very happy with it

I give the Lumie a 9 out of 10 and am just kicking myself that we have gone through all these school years not knowing about it.

Of course being awake doesn't change the fact that its dark, cold and wet outside, but  it certainly wakes us in a better mood! 

You can see all the Lumie products HERE


If you have a product that could make life easier for those of us with Dyspraxia and you would like me to review it, please drop me an email at Binnion 454 @ btinternet.com .

This year I have decided to be friends with my dyspraxic body.

In December I got an email from James Fraser, a man in my village, who wanted a hand with his social media, and there started a story...

He owns a vibro-acoustic therapy bed and when I'd finished working with him he encouraged me to try it out. For 12 minutes I just lay there and let the vibrations work through my body. BLISS!

I've had a bad shoulder for 5 years after hurting myself  at work. It's the reason I went self employed, the reason I don't drive long distances, the reason  I have spent  a thousand plus pounds on treatments and the reason I still have a monthly physio massage.   I had just assumed I would have a bad shoulder for the rest of my life.

James and I started talking and over the Christmas holiday and I made a decision to take my health seriously and put some attention on this. We agreed that I would use the bed for 12 sessions over a week and we would record my experience on video.

After 4 sessions the muscles around my shoulder blade relaxed and my shoulder became free-er than it has in years.
My daughter started to say how well I looked and I felt different. She also noticed that I wasn't pestering her every night to rub my shoulder!
The next week I saw my physiotherapist, who I've been seeing for 2 years, for the first time since  I started the treatment - and she was gobsmacked by the difference in me.

What has this got to do with dyspraxia?

Well we did wonder if the therapy can help with dyspraxia and I got to wondering what that means. Would I stop being dyspraxic if I could?  Not at all.
Would I like to improve my co-ordination? Yes I would.
We don't know if the bed can do that, but what I do know is that when I am in pain my dyspraxia is worse. So when I am pain free I am less clumsy and more focussed -  I see that also in my 3 legged dog who manages just fine unless she is under the weather, then she falls a lot more than usual.

What I really like about the bed, other than the fact that it works, is 

*It gives me 12 minutes to just lie down and be with myself. Considering our crazy busy lives, that is   not  to be sniffed at .
*It treats my whole body, not just one bit, which is what we usually do.
*I get on the bed fully clothed - thus fewer anxieties before we even start.
*It is totally hands free. Many people do not like being touched and the bed is great for that.
*It is gentle therapy.

The other issue which James raised, and which I only understood later, is that we don't have to deal with another person's energy.
I don't know about you, but I have paid for treatments where the therapist has talked at me about their own stuff for the whole session - exhausting! I also had a guy telling me I should be more feminine :o  And I paid him!

Being dyspraxic we can often get frustrated with our bodies, they don't work as we want them to, we crash into things, fall and smash things. Physios tell us we have to work harder and get stronger and our bodies are seen as letting us down! It's not great I know, but this year I have decided to be friends with my body.        What about you? xx

Here is my  healing journey in 3 minutes...




My daughter is now trying out the bed to see if it can help her to sleep better. Watch this space :)

If you would like to know more about vibro-acoustics check out; http://www.vibesvibroacoustics.com/

January blues - and reds and pinks and silver and gold...

I'm seeing so many people struggling again with January, the dark, cold and wet. The party season's over and Spring is still a  way off. Money is tight and there's pressure to start the new year with great plans - that are doomed to fail....

This is a difficult time for lots of us, so I thought I would change the mood by sharing some of the great things about January....

The first thing I like to remind myself when I'm cold and tired and my get up and go got up and left, is that this is actually meant to be a time of hibernation and so it's a perfect time to give ourselves permission to rest, snuggle up and make big pots of yummy winter food.

Here's my list of January good stuff...

*Whilst the dark morning aren't great for getting up, I get the opportunity  to watch the sunrise while I eat my breakfast, or walk the dog, and there are some spectacular sun rises this time of year.

*A chance to read. I don't know about you but I never seem to find the time to sit and read a book, so  a grey soggy day is the perfect time to snuggle up under a blanket with a nice brew and that new book of short stories my sister sent me for Christmas.

*Finishing the  left overs from Christmas. The Stilton makes great soup, or stuffed jacket potatoes It would be rude not to finish up the chocolates, and a piece of Christmas cake with my afternoon cuppa' is a delight.

*Winter walks. Getting all wrapped up in lots of layers to walk the dog is  actually fun. Fresh air and exercise is still really important and does lift the spirits. 

*Getting the opportunity to wear  my long-johns and thermal vest. I so love them.

*Crisp winter days. We do get a few and they are just beautiful - and if you get a great photo, that's this year's  Christmas cards sorted! 

*Snow.  If we're lucky enough to get it, I think it's so pretty and I love the silence that it brings. And if you're really lucky you get the day off work! 

*Cold frosty clear nights are just perfect for star gazing, and Mercury is visible at the moment.

*Making big pots of winter soup so that there's a lovely warming lunch, or supper, all ready and waiting. One pot meals are good, colourful,  wholesome, comfort food, easy to make and inexpensive. And if you know of a neighbour that might  be struggling, drop a bowl round to them too. You will both feel good. 

*It's cold of course and heating the house is expensive, so we make a snuggly room.  We create one really cosy room where we light the fire, wrap blankets around us, shut the door and light candles. 

*If my office gets too cold (I work from home) I sit by the fire with a brew and  catch up with  the admin jobs that I've been putting off, such as book keeping and taking time to review my achievements from last year. I feel good that I've done these, it  boosts my confidence and inspires me.

*Having a long hot bath with the bath bombs I got for Christmas. No point saving them for best! 

*Putting on my new Christmas PJ's -  at 6pm! :) 

*Snuggling with my daughter on the sofa to watch a whole box set on Netflix.

*Having a cheeky glass of left over sherry / port/ brandy - whatever your tipple. After all waste not want not!

*Lighting scented candles (got those for Christmas too). Smell is so important for our mood, so I  have hyacinths round the house this month.

* Having lots of colour and prettiness. We've put the Christmas tree away but we keep our favourite decorations up until Spring. 

*Filling in my new diary with all the lovely things that are planned this year. It's so important to have things to look forward to .

*Using the long evenings to take time to write -  blog posts, or a gratitude diary. This quieter time of the year is a good time to write and taking the time to notice what I'm  grateful for can really help to shift my mind set. 

*In addition, to deal with the poor light this time of year,  I have day light bulbs in my work areas. They are very inexpensive and make a huge difference.

Well that's my January survival guide :) I try to remember to go easy on myself and take a leaf out of the dog's book and lie by the fire as much as possible!  

What do you do to survive winter? I'd love to know, so leave me a comment below. 

Jane x 

What's Your Big Challenge for 2015?

We all have things that we really want to do and put off, or tell ourselves we can't.

For me New Year is a time to reflect on what we have achieved and what we want to achieve, so on the last day of  2014 I decided to  share how I finally faced one of my Bucket List challenges and I encourage you to share yours.






I'd love to know what challenge you have set yourself for 2015 or what you achieved in 2014. So drop me a message below.

Happy New Year
Jane x 

tab toob review

tab toob review.

I was really pleased when I met Liz of Lancashire company Cnuffle Ltd and she said I could test the Tab toob, a protector for those expensive tablets and ipads.

Being a household of dyspraxic mum and daughter we are very nervous about our expensive gadgets. Numerous phones and 2 iPods have already been smashed, so a protector is a  fantastic idea for us.

 
I loved  the shape and the chunkiness immediately. It is very grab-able  and it is amazingly light weight.

tab toob

Being me it took me 3 goes to figure out which way it went in and it wasn't easy to get it out again - it took 2 of us and a wooden spoon! But Liz was great about it and explained that the material does become more pliable with use.
A non dyspraxic adult would find this easier though and then I discovered that there is actually a How To video on the website.

The problem  for me was that I'm the only person in the UK who still has the first generation iPad and it isn't quite the right fit. (I'm not sure if there is a cover for the ipad mini yet either).

Once I had it the right way in I found that it can be charged in the case and so the case actually doesn't need to come off at all anyway. 

Because I had the old ipad I struggled with some aspects. It was hard to access the on off button  and icons in the screen corners were hard to access. But it did mean that I could remove my screen protector, which made it more responsive. 

I also found that the thick sides were like a hand rest for typing, which was very comfortable. 

It comes with a travel screen protector,  a simple addition which you velcro on and which can also be used as a stand (see the above picture). I did try it out as a stand as I use it in the kitchen and when I work in bed. It's a little flimsy but it worked just fine. 

It comes with  spare Velcro tabs, which are useful as one of mine came off quite early on. 

There's a carry strap for an extra £4.99 which I tried. Being dyspraxic I just got into a bit of a tangle with it, and I couldn't type with it on (you probably aren't meant to), but it's easy enough to put on and take off and is certainly useful if you are all loaded up. I think there is a risk that it would get lost fairly soon though.
What's missing? Well because they're used in schools, I   think a place for your name on the travel cover would be really useful, as they are bound  to get left behind.

I think I would like there to be an option of a permanent flap type attachment too which would mean the screen protector is always put on when not in use, or used as a stand when in use, because again, they are likely to become separated and lost.

My conclusion after using it for a month...
It's a very pleasing, fun looking product. You can get it with a black, red, or blue screen protector, all of which are really attractive.   And YES you can drop it on the floor without your tablet smashing to smithereens! Which is the whole point. 



I think the price is very good at £19.99 for a black one, or £21.99 for a blue or red one. Plus £4.99 for the optional travel strap and £5.99 p&p. 
I paid £10+ for a cover and screen protector that are not any where near this good. 

Knowing the cost of broken screens, I'm clear that this would save schools and parents a lot of money. 

User feedback will help it to develop, but it's a fab, simple idea and I like it a lot. 

All in all, I give this product a 8.5 out of 10. 
Great product and  great price.  I can't wait for an iPod version to come out. 

You can find out all about the tab toob  here

If you have a tab toob please leave a comment below to let me know how you got on with it. 

Have you got a product that would make life easier for dyspraxics? Drop me a message and let me know about it. 

Jane x 

Why I'm using our best dinner set and drinking good wine!

 I'm using our best dinner set and drinking my good wine. It's not my birthday and I haven't won the lottery, so what's going on?

One of the consequences of spending 2 weeks in a small camper van with my daughter and dog is that we really got to notice how much we actually need on a day to day basis and  we were reminded that we have got far too much 'stuff' at home.  Being Dyspraxic 'stuff' equals clutter, which equals more opportunities to trip, lose things etc etc..

So this week I 've started using my favorite dinner set and tonight I opened a bottle of wine that I've had in my wine rack for years, just waiting for a good reason to open it... I decided that I'm a good reason! 

Being dyspraxic and having a dyspraxic child things don't last long in our house. I'm now  down to my final wine glass. 

We have a beautiful dinner service that I bought in Spain when I was pregnant. My daughter is 16 in a few weeks and it's hardly been used.
This week I decided now is a good time to celebrate just being us and how well we have done as single parent family.  

What actually was it that I was waiting for?  

There's a touching story that goes around Facebook about a woman who died and her children found her beautiful nightdresses, still in tissue paper, in her draw - unworn and now never to be worn.

I don't have any of that, but I was bought up with the notion that somethings were for best / special 
occasions. I'm pretty sure I remember growing out of most of them before I'd got any use out of them. 

Do we think these things are too good for us to use? 

Today is a day to celebrate. We are alive! I've decided that in itself is worth getting the best plates out for. 

Ok, the plates might get broken, they probably will, but they're so lovely that they brighten our day. And now my daughter knows that they are not too good for her.

Isn't that so much better than them just sitting and gathering dust?

And the upside is that if I do need to replace any, then that's a pretty good reason to pop back to Andalusia, don't you think?

PS. That wine was gooood. And do you know what, in the morning I'm going to drink my coffee from my uber expensive hand made coffee cups! :)

Does this resonate for you? What is it you're waiting for? Please do leave me a comment below, I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

Easybelts - making getting dressed easier.

If, like me, you're dyspraxic you will know that getting dressed and undressed is always a bit of a challenge, and anything that makes life easier is very welcome. So I was very impressed to discover Easybelts. 

Velcro fastened shoes have been a god-send  for dyspraxic school children of course, when the options are fiddly buckles and laces. Then a little while ago I saw Easybelts on twitter and I talked
 to the owner, as fiddly belts are of course a problem for dyspraxics. For me they are a right pain  when I need an urgent wee! My daughter wouldn't wear one either despite fally-down trousers.


The belts have a strong D ring rather than a buckle and stay closed  with high quality velcro.

They reminded me of the  the belts of my childhood, so I really liked them and they come in different colours and designs to suit all ages. 

I was sent  2 versions of the belt, the standard and the large D ring. For me even though none of them involve fiddly buckles and holes, the large D ring was just so much easier to handle. 

I also like that they are not leather, not only because I'm a veggie, but they are just more comfortable for casual, day to day wear. 

But best of all  is they haven't gone down the route of specialist  = very expensive and the belts range from £5 to just  £7!  As they also have a long life, I think that's a pretty darn great price. 
You can see the Easybelts website here 

So now I'm looking for a supplier of  easy to put on, pretty, bra's. Any offers?  

Are you dyspraxic? What do you struggle with most? Leave me a comment below :)