Tag Archives: recommendations

Aug11

Face Mask Festivities: The Body Shop’s Himalayan Charcoal Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: The Body Shop’s Himalayan Charcoal Edition

Hi everyone and TGIF! Today we’re going to ring in more Face Mask Festivities by discussing The Body Shop’s Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask. This is one of the first face masks that I ever used and it holds a special place in my heart for that reason and the fact that it eliminates my pesky nose blackheads like no other. Take a look at some pics and let’s chat about this miracle mask further:

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^^^ So this mask admittedly looks pretty gross in the container and on my MUG, for that matter, but gosh darn it is it effective!

With five nose piercings, my honker is a freaking battleground of blackheads that pop up like landmines around my studs. This isn’t the biggest skin care problem one can have, and I realize that, but I know that they’re there and it really bothers me. Not only does my skin care perfectionism cause me to lightweight freak out over blemishes, but I’d prefer for my pierced up nose to stay clean and clear to prevent irritation and infection.

We all know that charcoal is the “it” thing in the skin care world, especially when it comes to drawing blemishes out and giving your pores a deep clean. That’s what made this mask an obvious choice for purchasing. After ONE USE of my TBS mask, there wasn’t a single blackhead left on my nose. Saying that I was ecstatic about this is an extreme understatement. After countless cleansers and scrubs, I found something that literally eliminated the problem within ten minutes. Amazing much?

My favorite thing about this mask is its smell. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that it smells minty, but when you unscrew the container lid you get an instant waft of brisk freshness. Kind of like opening a new pack of gum but without that overpowering peppermint aroma. This mask feels cool on your skin so that combined with such a crisp scent definitely makes for an invigorating experience.

Despite all of the above rave reviews, there are some things that I dislike about this mask. For one, you really have to be careful about washing this mask off quickly. If you go over the ten minute limit even just slightly, the hydration in your skin seems to slip away in double time, leaving your skin feeling brittle and looking flushed. Not fun.

And, for pettiness’ sake, this mask is a big fat pain in the BOOTASH to clean up. I prefer to wash my masks off in the shower and the chunks of charcoal in the mask simply REFUSE to go down the drain. As soon as I shut the water off, there is face mask residue coating my tub, so you have to use a towel to wipe it all off. God forbid you just leave it there (Which I’ve totes done before – #lazygirlproblems), because the mask will dry and it will be a vicious cycle of the mask getting wet and then drying every time you shower. SMH.

Although there are some annoyances with this mask, I do recommend it for those looking for an effective charcoal product. My skin always seems to thank me for using it (If I’m quick enough to wash it off!) and saying bye-bye to blackheads is a blessing in itself!

So there you have it, the newest issue of Face Mask Festivities: The Body Shop’s Himalayan Charcoal Edition! Be sure to tune in on Sunday as I wrap this mini series up. What is your favorite product from The Body Shop? What is your favorite face mask to use? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun21

New Music, Anyone?

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New Music, Anyone?

Heyyy everyone and happy Hump Day! My taste in music is something that I take great pride in because, I hate to brag, but it’s the best. From alt to rap, girly power pop, and everything in between – my iPod has a little bit of everything. But, I do remain a pretty indie gal at heart with a love for all things emo, of course.

Despite a deep love for music, I will admit that I have been slacking in my new music game as of late. My 64 gig iPod is just about filled to the brim and I don’t have the heart to go through and start deleting beloved songs and pictures. Yet I have an app for the stock market and news that I can’t get rid of? It’s cruel and unusual, to say the least!

Although my iPod is getting the job done, it is getting old, so I have been toying with the idea of upgrading to a new toy with more memory. With that in mind, I have began to commit myself to updating my music library, one album at a time. At one point, my family had a free trial of Serius radio and they had the most amazing indie station on there. Whenever I heard a song that I liked, I would simply write the band name down as a draft text on my phone. Unfortunately, I accidentally deleted that text so I’m basically starting from scratch. Don’t get me wrong, I’m down to update the bands that I already have on my iTunes but I would love to get some new ones on there, too!

I am open to any and all suggestions, as long as they fall under this category: ANYTHING BUT COUNTRY MUSIC!!!

Who is your favorite band at the moment? What is your summer anthem? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May27

May 2017 Finishes

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May 2017 Finishes

Hi everyone and happy weekend! If you can believe it, we’re already at the end of May, which means that it’s time for my monthly beauty finishes post! This month has been somewhat of a drag and a waiting game. My boyfriend is coming up to Ohio from North Carolina at the end of this month for my birthday so the entire month of May has literally been spent wishing for the days to go by faster! This month didn’t even bring me a lot of beauty empties to look forward to getting through so, needless to say, it’s been a pretty blah May (despite thoroughly enjoying all of my used products!). Take a look at this month’s finishes and let’s discuss:

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Would I Use Again?

  • Bath & Body Works Country Apple body spray: YES
  • The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow mask: YES
  • Angie’s Bath & Body Goat’s Milk moisturizer: YES

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Spray: As I’m sure that all of you know by now, the Country Apple body spray from Bath & Body Works is one of my favorites. I love anything apple scented – lotions, shower gels, you name it. To me, apple is the perfect fruit fragrance. It’s crisp and refreshing and has the perfect balance of a sweet and tart bite, which results in a clean, freshly picked from the orchard scent. This B&BW spray is no exception. I always purchase a half a dozen or so of these sprays when they’re marked down to THREE DOLLARS during B&BW’s summer sale. It takes me about five or so months to finish one bottle, which is a cost of a whole sixty cents per month. Such a steal!!

TBS Mask: I absolutely LOVED the Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow mask from The Body Shop!! I purchased this for fourteen dollars when The Body Shop that I live by closed down and it was worth every penny. Seriously, I wish I bought ten of these bad boys so that I could have a year’s supply! I am obsessed with all things charcoal so I just had to give this mask a try and I am so glad that I did!

The first time that I used this cool, invigoratingly scented mask, I noticed a difference on my skin. As you all know, I am constantly battling blackheads on my nose next to my five piercings, and this mask annihilated them in ONE USE. Not only that, but it left my skin feeling tingling, soft, and totally radiant. I cannot recommend this product enough and I would definitely use it again! It took me about one month to finish this mask.

Angie’s B&B Moisturizer: My dear friend, Angela, the owner of the Etsy shop, Angie’s Bath & Body, gave me a sample of this moisturizer in my last order and I thought that it was fabulous. First of all, it smelled AMAZING. It had such a rich and creamy scent and it was such a delight to put on every morning. Second of all, it was effective. This moisturizer left my skin feeling smooth and hydrated and it looked peaches n’ cream perfection. And finally, a little bit of this moisturizer goes a long way. It took about two weeks to finish the sample pod and I used it every morning on my neck and face, so I can only imagine how long a full sized jar of this would last!

Although I didn’t finish too much this month, I really liked all of the products that I used up. I was happy to use old and new favorites, alike, and all three empties left me feeling nice and pampered. I am confident in recommending all three of my finishes this month and am looking forward to using more from my beauty hoard in June!

So there you have it, this month’s May 2017 Finishes! What beauty products did you use up this month? Has anyone ever used any of my empties before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr27

April 2017 Finishes Pt. 2

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April 2017 Finishes Pt. 2

Hi everyone and happy Thursday! You might be scratching your head and wondering why there’s a Part 2 to my April 2017 Finishes post from yesterday. Well, here’s why! Back in October of 2016, I began using the Destiny Boutique Charcoal Face Bar and am literally just now finishing it. This beauty bar has lasted me well over HALF A YEAR and I paid a whopping SIX DOLLARS for it. And, the best thing is, is that my skin is simply obsessed with it. Take a looksee and let’s discuss:

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^^^ As you can see from the picture above, this charcoal bar is freaking HUGE, so it’s no wonder why it has lasted me as long as it did. And we’re talking daily (sometimes twice a day) use of this product here!

I am lucky to say that I have been blessed with skin that has never really suffered from any skin care woes. But, one thing that I do struggle with are some really tough blackheads. I have five nose piercings (two on each nostril and my septum is pierced), and blackheads are drawn to this area like moths to a flame. It doesn’t surprise me, considering that I am constantly touching and adjusting my piercings with my super long talons.

“So you have some blackheads. Big deal.” And, you’re right. It really isn’t a big deal because they’re barely noticeable. But am I thrilled about having them? Absolutely not. The blackheads around my piercings are something that I want to keep on lock because when people look at them, I want them to see the artistry and jewelry – not tiny little black needle points every which way.

Around the time that I purchased this Destiny Boutique bar from TJMaxx, I had been itching to try some type of charcoal based product. I had read about how well it deep cleans the pores and I really wanted to give it a go. So when I found this six dollar bar at TJs, I simply had to buy it. And, I have to say, this is one product that I can’t picture myself ever not using because I am now a dedicated Destiny Boutique super fan.

The Charcoal Face Bar draws my pesky pierced nose blackheads out like a magnet. Even after a couple of days of use, I noticed a significant difference in the amount of blackheads on my nose. And, let me tell you, that’s a really good feeling. This beauty bar has not only decreased my blackheads, but it seems to keep as many from popping up on my poor problemed nose.

I paid SIX DOLLARS for a product that has lasted me OVER HALF A YEAR and it has infinitely helped my blackhead battle. Not only that, but it provides my skin with an overall healthy glow and I can’t get enough. So much so that I have another bar on back stock, am currently using Destiny Boutique’s Charcoal Cleanser, and have another one of those on back stock, as well. Like I said, I’m a super fan.

I legitimately cannot recommend Destiny Boutique’s Charcoal Face Bar enough and urge all of you to give their products a try. I am so glad that I did, and I have a hunch that you will be, too.

So there you have it, my April 2017 Finishes Pt. 2! Have any of you ever used Destiny Boutique products before? What did you think of it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr27

Underrated Careers You Should Consider

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We could probably name a bunch of careers that are overrated. ‘Advertising executive’ sounds flashy, but it’s actually a dying career field, with pay not being all that great. Lawyers get great pay, but when you consider the amount of work they have to put in (it’s basically non-stop, and the vast majority of it is paperwork), it may not be that great a trade-off. But, there are a bunch of important careers in our society that a lot of people don’t appreciate as much as they should. Not only are they essential to our country, but they’re also more complex, interesting, and stable than many seem to think. Here are just a few:

Accountant: A lot of people know that accountants are important, but they don’t see it as a particularly desirable career. After all, aren’t the accountants in films and books always really boring characters? The fact is, is that accounting is a very stable career choice that can land you a very healthy paycheck. It’s not just a career that people fall into because they couldn’t decide what else to do with their lives!

Nurse: When some unfortunate people think about nurses, they usually just think about hospital assistants who weren’t quite good or qualified enough to become “real doctors”. (Some people still seem to think that “doctors” are the males in healthcare and “nurses” are the females. To which I say… well, I don’t know what to say.). But this couldn’t be further from the truth. Nurses fill very particular roles that doctors couldn’t necessarily do, and becoming a nurse often requires very heavy-duty training and education. Courses in nursing science from the likes of Maryville University make clear just how complex and socially-needed this pursuit really is. Not to mention how rewarding!

Nurses are essential to healthcare

Vets: Vets, like nurses, are often just dismissed as ‘people in medicine who aren’t quite doctors’. (Although vets can actually refer to themselves as doctors in some parts of the world!) Some also seem to question why someone would choose to work with animals when human healthcare is so understaffed and overworked right now! But veteran veterinarians aren’t just high-earners; they’re also very important for society because they help deal with diseases and other issues in livestock. Without them, we’d have a much harder and more dangerous time getting… well, food. But us vegetarians have nothing to worry about! 😉

Also, you get to hang out with kitties!

Engineer: Like many similar careers in trade and manufacturing, civil engineering seems to have lost its cool factor, with an alarming amount of people assuming that such pursuits are basically pointless. But we don’t live in a post-industrial age; we’re still heavily reliant on careers such as this in order to keep our societies advancing. (Not just standing; advancing.) Someone with a great engineering grade can land a high-paying job pretty quickly, and the benefits for society when more people enter these fields are staggering.

Kitty Joyner, electrical engineer!

Waste collector: Seriously, they’re keeping the streets clean. People don’t just go into this work because they can’t do anything else; many do it because they care about their communities. That, and the pay isn’t half bad!

Mar21

Work Perks: Retirement Gifts That Count

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Work Perks: Retirement Gifts That Count

Job hunting can be a real drag, so when you find the job that you want and that will make you happy, it’s exciting news! The first thing that people look for in a new role is usually the perks. When you work for someone else for forty hours a week, you need to make sure that you have a reason to be there – other than the money for food and staying alive! If you are lucky enough to stay with your company for the duration of your working life, you will find yourself gearing up for the big finish: retirement!

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 Flickr Image

Retiring from your career is a big deal! You will have spent time in a job that was more than just somewhere to go every day, it was a place that you built most of your life around. Whether you know the person retiring or you ARE the person retiring, you should be preparing to give or receive a gift from your colleagues. Long service deserves a reward and if you are buying a gift for someone retiring from a long career, the thought you put into it will mean far more than the value of the gift. So, what are the perfect retirement gifts on the market today? Largely, this will depend on the person retiring, but here are a few ideas for your company to chip in on:

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Nice form!

Classic Gifts: Retirement gifts often allude to the time the person has spent in the role, so a watch is often the go-to gift. These are usually etched with the years of service and a thank you message – thanking the person for their time spent on the job.

Hobby Gifts: If you tailor your choice of gift to the hobby of the retiree, you’ll be well remembered. A session of golf, inscribed golf clubs, or a luxury bottle of wine for a wine connoisseur plays to their likes and implies what they’ll be up to once they begin their period of retirement. If you want to make them laugh, getting a customized bobblehead doll dressed in golfing gear or holding a glass of wine from mbobble to go along with it can inject a little humor into a wistful situation!

If you’re going the golf route, which is a very popular retirement activity, there are so many accessories for the sport that would make great gifts. Gloves, towels, or a new bag will all go over well. However, if you want to go for ultra memorable, you could read up on https://shopindoorgolf.com/pages/best-golf-launch-monitors-2021 for the best launch monitors to improve their skills.

Of course, the retiree who plans on spending their down time golfing will need somewhere to golf at. You can only practice putting in the back yard so much! If everyone at work chipped in for Williamsburg golf packages (or your local area), it will certainly be a cherished gift. These packages often include dining options too which would be the perfect setting to reconnect with old coworkers.

Travel Gifts: Most retirees use their newly gained down time to see places that they never had a chance to visit due to their time being consumed by work. Personalized luggage tags, passport holders, or even a new set of luggage can really help them on their way and give them a daily reminder of the generosity of their colleagues. If you really want to go all out for your beloved colleague, you might want to consider adding luxury into their travels with services like BlackJet. Then, they can travel in style and comfort from their own private jet!

Experience Gifts: Memories are a powerful gift for most, but for retirees, they’re the best to have. Organize a whip-round for an experience day such as a concert or sporting event for their favorite team. Hopefully you’ll know them well enough to make the right choices!

Industry Gifts: If the person retiring was a success in something they made or sold, a gift relating to that to remind them of their achievements could be a wonderful surprise. If your company specializes in shoes, then a one of a kind pair of shoes or sneakers could be a lovely reminder of all their years with the company.

Retirement can be a sad time for the person leaving, but it’s also a time of exploration and happiness so sending someone off with a memorable gift will really make their day. You’ll feel the same when it’s your turn eventually!

Featured Image By: FreeStock Photos

Mar16

Netflix Suggestions?!

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Netflix Suggestions?!

Hihihi everyone and happy Thursday! So the last time I Netflixed, I watched American Crime Story: The People VS OJ Simpson and it was so. damn. good. The acting was sublime, the real life plot was insane, and the length of the show was just right. But, as always upon finishing a show, I have no idea what to watch next.

I reached out to the world of Facebook to see what other people recommend and was left with over eighty comments of TV shows to sift through. Yikes! BUT, I realized that I never reached out to the blogging world, whose opinions are surely to be a bit more diverse considering the vast, world wide locations of such an amazing community. So before the suggestions come rolling in, let me bring you up to speed on the shows that I have watched. (I am also always up for movie suggestions, too! Particularly foreign films, but even more specifically: French ones, please!)

Shows I Have Watched:

  • Orange Is The New Black (multiple times.)
  • Wentworth (hella multiple times.)
  • American Horror Story (all seasons.)
  • Dexter
  • Slasher
  • Fargo
  • Breaking Bad
  • Parks & Recreation
  • American Crime Story: The People VS OJ Simpson (most recently.)
  • Making A Murderer
  • Locked Up: Women Behind Bars (clearly I like prison shows!)

^^^ Annnd I think that that’s about it!

ANYWHO, I am open to any and all recommendations and suggestions. But my personal preference leans more towards drama and horror based shows than comedies or dramadies, which should be obvious from my list!

What is your favorite series on Netflix? Which series should I watch next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb27

How To Incorporate Your Love Of Beauty Into Your Career

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How To Incorporate Your Love Of Beauty Into Your Career

These days, makeup is becoming a hotter and hotter trend every day. From contouring to strobing and knowing which shade of Kylie’s liquid lipsticks is which and whether or not they’re better than Colourpop, we really have our work cut out to know what exactly is going down in the world of beauty. But if it comes naturally to you, if you spend hours on YouTube looking at the latest beauty gurus before learning to perfect your own cut creases, then a career in makeup and beauty might just be for you. Here are some ideas to help get you started:

Retail: If you love talking to people and you really know your stuff about makeup, then you could consider working in retail. From high end specialist beauty stores to department store beauty counters, you can find a perfect match for you whether you love drugstore brands or you refuse to touch your face with a beauty blender that isn’t the ‘official’ one. A lot of people who work in beauty retail spend their time recommending products to others, so it’s important that you really know your stuff about what primers work for which skin types and how to boost people’s confidence.

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 Lil Red loved working beauty retail!

Treatments: Working in a salon is perfect for people who love talking to their customers and befriending them – not only will this improve both of your days but it’ll also help you to get plenty of repeat business! Make sure that you’re well trained in whatever beauty area you want to focus on, whether that’s styling hair or giving a waxing course a go. It’s important to be fully qualified in all areas if you work at a beauty salon, particularly if you want to charge good prices and have people continue to return for some pampering.

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Ahhhhh 🙂

Makeup Artists: If you’ve been married, been to prom, or any other sort of special day, then you’ll know just how valuable the skills of makeup artists are. Makeup artists are able to pick out people’s best features and emphasize them to make them look like an even more gorgeous, airbrushed version of themselves. Make sure that you’ve trained and that you’ve practiced on plenty of people other than yourself to get a full range of looks in your portfolio and set up a site that looks fully professional, along with making business cards to hand out at networking events to get the word out about your craft.

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Pexels Image

Special Effects: If you’ve always had a flair for the dramatic, then special effects makeup might be for you. Some people spend time perfecting their highlight, but people who are into special effects have probably spent way more time making themselves up to look like various celebrities and attaching zips to their faces for grotesque Halloween looks. Practice by yourself at home to start with – buy books and watch tutorials on how to create the perfect wound or bruise effect. Then, start investing in special products that will help you build up your skills. Finally, enlist some very forgiving friends who don’t mind walking around looking as though they’re horribly scarred for you to practice on!

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Love!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Nov30

Forgotten November Empty

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Forgotten November Empty

Hi everyone and happy Hump Day! So after going through my finished products to recycle after yesterday’s November Finishes post, I realized that I had forgotten one of my empties! I am actually really surprised that I did because I was so excited to finally be done with the product after working on it for about a year and a half. What beauty product lasts that long, you may ask? YOU’RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT! Take a look and let’s discuss:

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Would I Use Again?

  • Dickinson’s witch hazel: YES!!

Why/Why Not?

Witch hazel: As I mentioned above, I have been working on this bottle of witch hazel for a long time. This stuff has been my go to for keeping my five nose piercings clean for years. With two piercings on each nostril and my septum done, it is easy to see why infections might be common so every morning I give my little nosie a good cleaning with the product. Thanks to my witch hazel regimen, I rarely get unsightly bumps or redness around my piercings and it has also helped eliminate some of the blackheads that gather on my nostrils, too!

I did not use the Dickinson’s brand prior to finishing this bottle but I have been using witch hazel on my piercings for the better part of three years and would never use anything different. If you are looking for a cheap and effective way to keep your favorite piercings looking and feeling clean than I cannot recommend starting a witch hazel regimen enough!

Special sorry shout out to Dickinson’s for forgetting about you in yesterday’s post but no hard feelings because I already cracked open a new bottle last week! 🙂

So there you have it, my Forgotten November Empty! What do you use to keep your piercings clean? Is anyone planning on getting a new body mod soon? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov8

Not-So-Obvious Things Which Could Happen To You When You Have Sleepless Nights

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Not-So-Obvious Things Which Could Happen To You When You Have Sleepless Nights

It’s easy to end up experiencing sleepless nights, especially when you are a mom. You are up half the night with the kids so it’s hard to get some decent shut-eye. It means the next day you are walking around like a zombie! But if you encounter sleepless nights on a regular basis, it could be causing more damage than you think. Here are some not-so-obvious things that could happen to you when you have sleepless nights.

It Can Affect Your Thinking and Learning Skills: Unfortunately, a lack of sleep can affect your brain in many ways. We all know it’s easy to be forgetful if you have had a sleepless night. But you might not realize it affects your attention and your alertness. Therefore, you are more likely to make silly errors when driving on the road. In fact, a lot of people get into accidents as they were tired when behind the wheel. Also, having regular sleepless nights can affect your concentration skills. You might struggle to listen to others and think of solutions. It can jeopardize your work if you are not thinking effectively. Try and get enough sleep so you can ensure that you can think and learn every day!

It Can Lead to Skin Aging: We all try to ensure that our skin stays in good condition. After all, we want to prevent wrinkles for as long as possible. But when we have regular sleepless nights, it can lead to skin aging. When we have a sleepless night, our body releases more of the stress hormone, cortisol. It breaks down skin collagen which keeps our skin smooth. Therefore, you may notice a wrinkle on your face. As well as this, sleepless nights can give us dark circles under our eyes. You can get eye creams which you can use to hide your lack of sleep. Or some people even go for dermal fillers under the eyes which can help to improve the tired and drawn out look! To ensure you avoid eye bags and aging skin, head to bed earlier at night!

It Can Lead to Depression: It’s easy to start your morning feeling down in the dumps after a sleepless, restless night. But you might not realize that a lack of sleep can contribute to depression. In fact, research has found that the sleep disorder insomnia is linked with depression. Therefore, your moodiness from lack of sleep may turn into something more serious if you don’t do something about it quickly. Try and figure out why you can’t sleep and solve the problem to protect your mental health!

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Yawnnn

It Can Cause Hallucinations: People can start experiencing hallucinations if they are sleep deprived. It might be something as simple as seeing something flicker in their vision. Or they might see something which doesn’t exist!  As this article says, this indicates the brain isn’t working properly as you are exhausted. Therefore, you need to head to bed before you become clueless over what is real!

You are also more prone to catching the flu if you are not getting enough sleep. So get snuggled up, catch some Zzz’s,  and avoid human contact till you have had some decent shut eye!

Featured Image By: flickr