AKHIIZ

Nothing beats a good night’s sleep. Deep, refreshing rest leaves you feeling like a million bucks and even promotes long-term health and well-being. Studies indicate it can also lessen chronic pain, prevent heart diseases and help you maintain a healthy weight. Not bad for something that feels so good!

Rest doesn’t always come easy though, and these days glowing computer screens and cell phones can make getting some shut-eye hard. Thankfully, a peaceful, darkened room furnished with the right items can help you drift off to dreamland in no time. 

Heaven scent

A soothing scent, like lavender, can induce a state of deep relaxation perfect for melting away stress and tension. Place a few drops of the essential oil in an electric or reed diffuser from Qoo10 and fill your bedroom with the aroma. In moments, it will reach the brain through the olfactory nerve, helping you unwind.

Between the sheets

It’s no secret that a comfy, supportive mattress is a must-have for sleeping well. Sheets and blankets are just as important, so take the time to choose a quality set. Pima and Egyptian cotton keep you cool all night long, which encourages deeper, more restful sleep. Wash new sheets a couple of times before using them to remove any chemical residue from the manufacturing process and plastic packaging. If you have sensitive skin, be sure to use a laundry detergent that doesn’t cause any skin irritation.

Light my fire

After sunset, the body releases melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep and wake cycles. Bright lights can inhibit this process, but a gently lit room helps it happen naturally. Turn off the bedside lamp and light a Yankee Candle. Filling your room with a soft glow and an enticing scent encourages the body to prepare for rest. Just don’t forget to blow it out before you go to sleep!

Surround sound

The sounds of Singapore don’t stop when night falls. Car horns, sirens and chatty neighbours can keep you awake until the wee hours, but a white noise machine can help. Though silence is best for sleeping, white noise can mask the noises you can’t escape, drowning it in a steady sound that doesn’t wake you up.

Salt of the earth

Made from pure minerals mined in the rugged mountains of Asia, Himalaya salt lamps may help you catch some shuteye. Much like a candle, salt lamps emit gentle light that’s faint enough to trigger the body’s natural sleep processes, and their pink-orange colour can have a calming effect. Some studies indicate salt lamps can also absorb mould, bacteria and other nasties found in the air, letting you breathe easy.

If you often spend the night tossing and turning or counting sheep, and a great night’s sleep sounds like your idea of heaven, put those wee hours to good use, and order some of these slumber solutions on Qoo10.

Bedroom Essentials

Aroma Diffusers + Essential Oils

Helps unwind at the end of a tiring day

Browse

Aromatic Yankee Candles

Adds fragrance to your room

Browse

Bedsheets & Mattresses

Add more comfort to your bed

Browse

White Noise Machine

Blocks out unneccessary noise

Browse

Himalayan Salt Lamps

Cleanses and deodorise air in your room

In May 2017, WannaCry, a form of ransomware, corrupted computers in over 150 countries. Typically spread through email attachments, the malicious software exploits a weakness in the Windows operating system, encrypts computer files and demands a US$300 payment, made in bitcoin, for decryption. Swift action by a web security researcher slowed the rate of new infections, but the effects are still reverberating and the perpetrators, who remain unknown, have reportedly made thousands.

The incident also has potentially serious ramifications for investors. Whether you’re considering putting money in the cybersecurity field (which is expected to be worth over $170 billion by 2020) or another industry altogether, there’s a lot to ponder before making a move.

Rising fears, rising stock prices Cybersecurity firms have faced criticism for failing to protect clients against malware and viruses, but demand for their services increased following the WannaCry attack. News coverage of the incident served as free publicity, attracting new customers eager to protect themselves. As a result, stock prices enjoyed a healthy boost; FireEye rebounded from deep losses in 2016 and shares in Sophos rose 10 per cent, reaching an all-time high.

The aftermath of getting hacked Even if you’re not investing in tech and cybersecurity, it’s important to understand how digital threats can affect an otherwise stable company. Shares in American chain store Target plunged 10 per cent after an attack, and Sony also saw losses after a crippling blitz in 2011. Though all three companies have seen their stock recover, they’ve endured lawsuits, investigations and other problems, which may make investors nervous.

Before you invest Business is booming for cybersecurity firms, but this means more companies are entering the marketplace, intensifying competition and threatening profits. A cybersecurity company index formed two years ago has been outperformed by the S&P 500. According to analysts, the cybersecurity industry is also filled with new startups, making it hard to determine who will succeed over the long term while adding greater risk to any investment.

With much of the world connected digitally to one another, the need for effective, reliable cybersecurity is only going to grow in the years ahead. Hackers have proven they can inflict major damage by sneaking behind firewalls, spreading viruses and stealing personal information. So, even though hazards abound for investors, this threat is a potential boon for the industry. On your part, you can avoid taking a hit by doing your research and thinking long and hard about whether you should enter a field where the returns may be high, but the risks potentially even higher.

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In May 2017, WannaCry, a form of ransomware, corrupted computers in over 150 countries. Typically spread through email attachments, the malicious software exploits a weakness in the Windows operating system, encrypts computer files and demands a US$300 payment, made in bitcoin, for decryption. Swift action by a web security researcher slowed the rate of new infections, but the effects are still reverberating and the perpetrators, who remain unknown, have reportedly made thousands.

The incident also has potentially serious ramifications for investors. Whether you’re considering putting money in the cybersecurity field (which is expected to be worth over $170 billion by 2020) or another industry altogether, there’s a lot to ponder before making a move.

Rising fears, rising stock prices Cybersecurity firms have faced criticism for failing to protect clients against malware and viruses, but demand for their services increased following the WannaCry attack. News coverage of the incident served as free publicity, attracting new customers eager to protect themselves. As a result, stock prices enjoyed a healthy boost; FireEye rebounded from deep losses in 2016 and shares in Sophos rose 10 per cent, reaching an all-time high.

The aftermath of getting hacked Even if you’re not investing in tech and cybersecurity, it’s important to understand how digital threats can affect an otherwise stable company. Shares in American chain store Target plunged 10 per cent after an attack, and Sony also saw losses after a crippling blitz in 2011. Though all three companies have seen their stock recover, they’ve endured lawsuits, investigations and other problems, which may make investors nervous.

Before you invest Business is booming for cybersecurity firms, but this means more companies are entering the marketplace, intensifying competition and threatening profits. A cybersecurity company index formed two years ago has been outperformed by the S&P 500. According to analysts, the cybersecurity industry is also filled with new startups, making it hard to determine who will succeed over the long term while adding greater risk to any investment.

With much of the world connected digitally to one another, the need for effective, reliable cybersecurity is only going to grow in the years ahead. Hackers have proven they can inflict major damage by sneaking behind firewalls, spreading viruses and stealing personal information. So, even though hazards abound for investors, this threat is a potential boon for the industry. On your part, you can avoid taking a hit by doing your research and thinking long and hard about whether you should enter a field where the returns may be high, but the risks potentially even higher.

Investment Profiles

Discover star-studded opportunities in the US

More

Spotting investment value in Asian bonds

More