#Holistic Yoga Retreats Portugal

[benditlikebuddhayogaalgarve]

Unwind, Uplift, and Unfold: Your Guide to Yoga Teacher Training in Portugal

Unwind, Uplift, and Unfold: Your Guide to Yoga Teacher Training in Portugal by L. Farrah Furtado Portugal, Europe’s sun-kissed retreat, offers not just pastel-colored villages and spicy piri-piri but also an enclave for yogic wisdom. If the idea of training as a yoga teacher in this Iberian paradise stirs your soul, you’re in luck. We’ve woven together a tapestry of Portugal’s most acclaimed…

[ertharetreats6]

Why Europe is the Ideal Destination for Wellness Travel

Are you dreaming of a getaway that soothes your mind, body, and soul? Look no further than Europe. With its rich history, diverse landscapes, and deep-rooted culture of well-being, Europe is the ultimate destination for those seeking wellness travel packages. But why exactly is Europe the go-to place for wellness and relaxation? Let’s dive in.

The Rich Heritage of Wellness

Europe’s wellness tradition dates back centuries. From the Roman baths to the thermal springs of Hungary, wellness has always been an integral part of European culture. Imagine soaking in a thermal bath, surrounded by stunning architecture, knowing that people have been enjoying these same waters for over a thousand years. Doesn’t it sound like a timeless experience?

When you choose Europe for your wellness journey, you're not just booking a holiday—you're immersing yourself in history. Whether you're enjoying the mineral-rich waters of Baden-Baden in Germany or the holistic therapies of a Swiss spa, you're participating in a tradition that has been perfected over centuries.

This tradition has evolved beautifully into modern-day wellness travel packages that blend ancient practices with contemporary luxury.

Diverse Landscapes for Every Mood

Are you someone who finds peace in the mountains, or does the ocean's rhythm calm your nerves? Europe offers both, and everything in between. From the snow-capped Alps to the sunny Mediterranean coast, the continent is a mosaic of landscapes that cater to every mood and need.

Imagine starting your day with a yoga session overlooking the rolling hills of Tuscany, followed by a day of exploring ancient olive groves and vineyards. Or perhaps you’d prefer the serenity of a lakeside retreat in Austria, where the only sounds you’ll hear are the rustling leaves and gentle lapping of water.

These landscapes aren't just beautiful—they're therapeutic. Each setting provides a unique atmosphere that enhances your wellness experience, making it easy to find a package that suits your personal preferences.

Luxurious Spas and Retreats

When it comes to spas and wellness retreats, Europe is unparalleled. Picture yourself in a serene spa in the French countryside, where every treatment is tailored to your needs. Or in a state-of-the-art wellness centre in Scandinavia, where the focus is on harmony between the natural environment and personal well-being.

These aren’t just any spas—they’re world-renowned establishments known for their cutting-edge therapies and luxurious amenities. Many of them offer bespoke wellness travel packages that combine relaxation with health, ensuring that you return home feeling rejuvenated and revitalised.

The options are endless, from detox retreats in Portugal to yoga and meditation escapes in Greece. Whatever your wellness goals, there’s a European retreat that’s perfect for you.

Culinary Delights for the Soul

What’s wellness without good food? Europe is home to some of the world’s best cuisines, each offering a unique blend of taste and nutrition. Whether it’s the Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil and fresh vegetables, or the hearty, wholesome meals of the Nordic countries, there’s something for every palate.

But it’s not just about eating well—it’s about the experience. Imagine enjoying a farm-to-table meal in the Italian countryside, where every ingredient is fresh, organic, and locally sourced. Or take part in a wine-tasting session in the French vineyards, where you learn about the health benefits of moderate wine consumption.

Food in Europe is an integral part of the wellness experience. It nourishes not just the body, but the soul, making your wellness journey truly holistic.

Perfect for Corporate Retreats

Europe isn’t just for individual travellers—it’s also an ideal destination for businesses looking to invest in their employees’ well-being. Many top resorts offer corporate retreat packages that combine relaxation with team-building activities, making it easy to rejuvenate your team while fostering stronger bonds.

Imagine your team working together on a project in a beautiful Alpine chalet, followed by a day of spa treatments and wellness activities. Or hosting a company workshop in a luxurious Mediterranean resort, where the peaceful surroundings inspire creativity and innovation.

These corporate retreat packages are designed to enhance productivity and morale, ensuring that your team returns to work not just refreshed, but also more cohesive and motivated.

Conclusion

So, why choose Europe for your wellness travel? Because it's more than just a holiday—it's a transformative experience. With its rich heritage, diverse landscapes, luxurious spas, delectable cuisine, and excellent corporate retreat packages, Europe offers something for everyone. Whether you’re looking to unwind alone or rejuvenate with your team, Europe is the perfect destination to find balance, peace, and well-being.

[corporateretreat]

Rejuvenate and Refresh: Exploring Wellness and Corporate Retreats in Europe

Escape the Daily Grind

Are you overwhelmed by the daily routine and desperately needing a break? Europe presents a wealth of opportunities for those yearning for a refreshing getaway. Whether your interest lies in wellness holiday packages or corporate retreat packages, the continent offers numerous chances to unwind and revitalize. Picture yourself enjoying spa therapies, participating in mindful yoga sessions, or simply soaking in tranquil landscapes. Tempting, isn't it?

Embracing Wellness Travel

Understanding Wellness Travel aims to maintain and enhance personal well-being during your journey. It transcends a typical vacation, adopting a holistic approach that encompasses physical, mental, and spiritual health. Activities might include spa treatments, yoga, meditation, fitness routines, and nutritious eating.

Why Europe is Ideal for Wellness Travel Europe abounds with wellness destinations. From Budapest's thermal baths to serene yoga retreats in the Italian countryside, Europe offers diverse experiences designed to rejuvenate mind, body, and soul. The continent’s rich cultural heritage and breathtaking natural scenery further amplify the wellness experience, making Europe a prime destination for a wellness holiday.

Premier Wellness Holiday Destinations

Coastal Sanctuary in Cascais Discover wellness at the opulent Coastal Sanctuary in Cascais, Portugal, where the ocean's tranquility awaits. This corporate retreat features invigorating beach yoga sessions that awaken your senses, striking the perfect balance between relaxation and stimulation. After productive meetings, unwind with thalassotherapy treatments utilizing seawater and marine extracts. Enjoy scenic coastal cycling, day trips to Lisbon for cultural experiences, and artistic workshops that enhance creativity and team bonding. Relax by the pool or on the sandy shores, feeling your stress dissipate in this peaceful setting.

Spain's Andalusian Haven Experience the heart of Andalusia with a unique corporate retreat package that combines Spanish wellness and culture. Begin with mindfulness walks through ancient olive groves, providing a serene environment for reflection. Enjoy customized spa treatments using local herbal remedies, tailored to your team's needs for personalized wellness. Explore historic sites like the Alhambra and Seville, immersing your team in Andalusian heritage. Evenings feature lively flamenco dance sessions, while culinary team-building activities, such as paella cooking classes, foster camaraderie and lasting memories. This retreat perfectly blends rejuvenation, inspiration, and cultural immersion.

Coastal Haven of Comporta, Portugal Escape to the serene coastal haven of Comporta, Portugal, known for its unspoiled beauty and luxury. This corporate retreat offers your team a chance to disconnect from daily life and reconnect with nature and each other. Start your day with tranquil yoga sessions amidst stunning landscapes at sunrise. Explore the region’s rich biodiversity through bird watching and hiking, creating joyful and bonding moments. Enjoy a unique beach horseback riding experience, fostering trust and communication as you navigate the shoreline together. In the evenings, gather around a beach bonfire, sharing stories and laughter under the starry sky, building lasting relationships in this serene environment.

Planning the Ultimate Corporate Retreat

Why Choose a Corporate Retreat? Corporate retreats are an excellent way for companies to enhance teamwork, boost morale, and increase productivity. They give employees a break from their routine, allowing them to relax and recharge. Corporate retreat packages often include activities that promote team building and personal development.

Top Locations for Corporate Retreats Europe offers a range of fantastic locations for corporate retreats. From Greece's serene beaches to Germany's lush forests, there’s a destination to suit every company’s needs. These retreats often combine work and relaxation, providing a balanced approach to corporate well-being.

Essential Activities When planning a corporate retreat, it’s vital to include activities that promote relaxation and team bonding. Consider incorporating yoga sessions, nature walks, and wellness workshops. These activities not only enhance physical health but also foster a positive work environment.

The Benefits of Wellness Travel

Physical Advantages Wellness travel provides numerous physical benefits, such as improved fitness, better sleep, and reduced stress levels. Activities like yoga, hiking, and swimming help maintain a healthy body and mind.

Mental and Emotional Benefits Mental well-being is as crucial as physical health. Wellness travel helps reduce anxiety, boost mood, and promote overall happiness. Meditation and mindfulness practices are particularly effective in achieving mental clarity and emotional stability.

Corporate Benefits For companies, wellness travel can enhance employee satisfaction and productivity. A relaxed and happy workforce is more motivated and efficient. Investing in corporate retreat packages can, therefore, yield significant returns for businesses.

Tips for a Successful Wellness Journey

Plan Ahead To maximize your wellness trip, planning is essential. Research the destination, book treatments or activities in advance, and ensure your accommodation meets your wellness needs.

Pack Smartly Bring comfortable clothing, especially for physical activities like yoga or hiking. Don’t forget essentials such as sunscreen, a reusable water bottle, and any personal wellness products you use.

Stay Open-Minded Wellness travel is about trying new things and stepping out of your comfort zone. Whether it’s a new spa treatment or a meditation session, remain open-minded and embrace the experience.

Conclusion

Wellness travel in Europe offers an ideal blend of relaxation, adventure, and personal growth. Whether you’re interested in wellness holiday packages or corporate retreat packages, Europe’s diverse destinations and experiences promise to rejuvenate your body and mind. So, why wait? Begin planning your wellness journey today and experience the transformative power of travel.

[awakeninnerbuddha]

Yoga Retreats in Europe: A Journey to Rejuvenation and Inner Peace

Embarking on a Yoga Retreat For Forgeiners in Europe can be a transformative experience, offering a perfect blend of serene landscapes, expert instruction, and cultural immersion. Whether you're looking to deepen your practice, find inner peace, or simply escape the hustle and bustle of daily life, Europe's diverse range of yoga retreats has something to offer. Here's a guide to some of the best Yoga Retreats Europe.

The Best Destinations for Yoga Retreats in Europe

Ibiza, Spain

Highlights: Renowned for its vibrant energy and stunning beaches, Ibiza offers a variety of yoga retreats that combine practice with holistic wellness.

Popular Retreats: Atzaro Agroturismo, offering luxury retreats with organic meals, spa treatments, and beach yoga sessions.

Tuscany, Italy

Highlights: Tuscany's picturesque countryside and historic charm provide a serene backdrop for a yoga retreat.

Popular Retreats: Ebbio, a charming farmhouse retreat focusing on yoga, meditation, and organic vegetarian cuisine.

Amalfi Coast, Italy

Highlights: The breathtaking coastline and Mediterranean climate make the Amalfi Coast an ideal location for a rejuvenating yoga retreat.

Popular Retreats: Santa Maria del Sole, offering yoga sessions with panoramic sea views and fresh, locally sourced meals.

Santorini, Greece

Highlights: Known for its stunning sunsets and crystal-clear waters, Santorini offers yoga retreats that blend relaxation with scenic beauty.

Popular Retreats: Santorini Yoga Retreats, offering personalized yoga classes, meditation, and excursions to local attractions.

Algarve, Portugal

Highlights: The Algarve region boasts golden beaches, dramatic cliffs, and a warm climate, perfect for outdoor yoga practices.

Popular Retreats: Vale de Moses, a rustic retreat offering yoga, surfing, and nature walks.

French Alps, France

Highlights: The majestic French Alps provide a tranquil and inspiring environment for a yoga retreat, with fresh mountain air and stunning vistas.

Popular Retreats: Chalet Rosière, offering yoga, hiking, and wellness workshops in a luxurious alpine setting.

Andalusia, Spain

Highlights: Andalusia's rich culture and diverse landscapes make it a unique destination for a yoga retreat.

Popular Retreats: Suryalila Retreat Centre, offering a variety of yoga styles, organic meals, and an eco-friendly environment.

What to Expect on a Yoga Retreat

Daily Yoga Practice: Most retreats offer multiple daily yoga sessions, often including different styles such as Hatha, Vinyasa, or Yin yoga.

Meditation and Mindfulness: Many retreats incorporate meditation sessions, breathwork, and mindfulness practices to enhance your experience.

Healthy Meals: Enjoy nutritious, often organic and locally sourced meals that cater to various dietary needs.

Accommodation: Stay in comfortable, often scenic accommodations that range from luxury villas to rustic farmhouses.

Workshops and Activities: Participate in workshops on topics such as wellness, nutrition, and personal development. Many retreats also offer additional activities like hiking, swimming, or cultural excursions.

Tips for Choosing the Right Yoga Retreat

Define Your Goals: Determine what you hope to achieve from the retreat, whether it's deepening your yoga practice, relaxation, or adventure.

Research Instructors: Look for retreats led by experienced and reputable yoga instructors.

Consider the Schedule: Check the daily schedule to ensure it aligns with your preferences for activity and relaxation.

Read Reviews: Look for reviews from past participants to get a sense of the retreat's quality and atmosphere.

Budget: Consider the cost of the retreat, including travel expenses, to ensure it fits within your budget.

[ertharetreat]

Journey to Serenity: Exploring Yoga Retreat Centers in Portugal

Nestled along the sun-kissed shores of Portugal, a hidden gem awaits – a sanctuary where the rhythms of the ocean mingle with the whispers of ancient wisdom, inviting you to embark on a journey of self-discovery and renewal. Welcome to our Yoga Retreat Centers in Portugal, where tranquility meets transformation in the embrace of nature's beauty.

Set against the backdrop of Portugal's stunning landscapes, our retreat centers offer a haven of serenity for seekers of inner peace and holistic wellness. Whether you are drawn to the rugged cliffs of the Algarve coast or the rolling hills of the Alentejo countryside, each location is infused with its own unique charm and energy, creating a tapestry of experiences that captivate the senses and nourish the soul.

At the heart of our retreat center Portugal lies a commitment to authenticity and immersion, where each moment is an opportunity to reconnect with yourself and the world around you. From sunrise yoga sessions on secluded beaches to meditation retreats in ancient forests, every experience is crafted to honor the rich tapestry of Portuguese culture and heritage, inviting you to embrace the essence of mindfulness and presence.

What sets our retreat centers apart is our dedication to providing a truly transformative experience that goes beyond the mat. Led by experienced instructors and wellness experts, our programs offer a holistic approach to well-being, encompassing yoga, meditation, holistic therapies, and mindful living practices. Whether you seek to deepen your yoga practice, cultivate inner peace, or simply unwind from the stresses of daily life, our retreats provide a supportive and nurturing environment where you can explore, grow, and thrive.

But our retreat center in Portugal offers more than just yoga; they are a gateway to adventure and exploration. Immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of Portugal with excursions to local markets, traditional villages, and historical landmarks, or simply bask in the natural beauty of your surroundings with leisurely walks along scenic trails and dips in crystal-clear waters.

What truly sets our retreat centers apart is our commitment to sustainability and eco-conscious living. From our eco-friendly accommodations nestled amidst pristine nature reserves to our dedication to supporting local communities and preserving the natural environment, every aspect of your retreat experience is designed with the utmost respect for the planet and all its inhabitants.

So, if you are ready to embark on a journey of self-discovery, healing, and transformation, we invite you to join us at our Yoga Retreat Centers in Portugal. Let the beauty of this enchanting land awaken your senses, nourish your soul, and inspire your spirit as you delve into the depths of mindfulness, presence, and inner peace.

[contentpassstory]

Ultimate Guide to the Best Travel Destinations for Solo Female Travelers

Embarking on solo travel as a female can be an empowering and enriching experience, offering opportunities for self-discovery, adventure, and cultural immersion. Whether you’re seeking bustling cities, tranquil beaches, or rugged landscapes, there are countless destinations around the world that cater to the solo female traveler. Here’s a curated list of some of the best travel destinations for solo female travelers:

Bali, Indonesia: Known for its stunning beaches, vibrant culture, and lush landscapes, Bali is a popular destination for solo female travelers. Explore ancient temples, indulge in rejuvenating spa treatments, or simply relax on pristine beaches while soaking in the island’s laid-back atmosphere.

Kyoto, Japan: Immerse yourself in the rich traditions and serene beauty of Kyoto, Japan’s cultural heart. Wander through tranquil bamboo forests, visit historic temples and shrines, and savor authentic Japanese cuisine in this enchanting city known for its timeless charm and hospitality.

Reykjavik, Iceland: Discover the otherworldly landscapes of Iceland while exploring the charming capital city of Reykjavik. Marvel at cascading waterfalls, soak in natural hot springs, and embark on exhilarating outdoor adventures such as glacier hiking and whale watching in this safe and welcoming destination.

Lisbon, Portugal: Lose yourself in the winding streets and colorful neighborhoods of Lisbon, Europe’s sun-kissed capital. Sample delicious pastries in local bakeries, admire historic architecture, and soak up the vibrant atmosphere of this lively city overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

Queenstown, New Zealand: For adventurous solo female travelers, Queenstown offers an adrenaline-pumping playground set against the backdrop of breathtaking alpine scenery. Take on thrilling activities such as bungee jumping, skydiving, and jet boating, or simply enjoy hiking, biking, and wine tasting in this picturesque destination.

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia: Escape to the tranquil heartland of Bali in Ubud, a haven for wellness retreats, yoga studios, and holistic healing centers. Immerse yourself in yoga and meditation, explore lush rice terraces, and connect with fellow travelers in this peaceful and spiritual enclave.

Barcelona, Spain: Indulge your senses in the vibrant city of Barcelona, where art, culture, and cuisine converge in a dynamic urban landscape. Stroll along bustling boulevards, marvel at the architectural masterpieces of Antoni Gaudí, and experience the city’s lively nightlife and culinary scene.

Santorini, Greece: Experience the romance and beauty of Santorini, with its iconic whitewashed buildings, crystalline waters, and stunning sunsets. Explore charming villages, relax on black sand beaches, and savor delicious Greek cuisine while soaking in the island’s timeless charm.

Chiang Mai, Thailand: Delve into the rich culture and spirituality of northern Thailand in Chiang Mai, a city known for its ancient temples, vibrant markets, and serene countryside. Join a cooking class, visit an elephant sanctuary, or embark on a trekking adventure in the nearby mountains.

Cape Town, South Africa: Discover the vibrant melting pot of cultures, cuisines, and landscapes in Cape Town, a city where mountains meet the sea. Explore historic neighborhoods, hike to the summit of Table Mountain, and embark on a safari adventure in nearby national parks.

These are just a few of the many incredible destinations around the world that are perfect for solo female travelers. Whether you’re seeking relaxation, adventure, or cultural immersion, these destinations offer unforgettable experiences and the opportunity to create lifelong memories on your solo journey.

[architectnews]

Alps Wellness Retreat design competition

Alps Wellness Retreat design competition by Switch, Architecture Contest 2021

Alps Wellness Retreat Design Competition by Switch

26 Apr 2021

Alps Wellness Retreat design contest Winners

Alps Wellness Retreat Architecture Competition Winners News

1st Winner – Peran Guillaume, Camille Desplanques (France)

2nd Winner – Matthew Cox (United States)

3rd Winner – Stefani Fariawati Hasan, Muhammad Agus Ali Ridho, Gregorio Eben Heizer (Indonesia)

Honorable Mentions:

Jakub Wichtowski, Jan Zieliński (Poland)

Li Han, Siyi Pan, Jingxiao Ma (China)

António Rebelo, Bruno Graça, Luís Martins (Portugal)

An Heesung, Park Minjoo (South Korea)

Nora Ravanidou (Switzerland)

Ole Flatebø, William Horstad (Norway)

Xianglei Ding, Haoran Ma, Siwei Xu (China)

Marta Adamik, Patrycja Raszka (Netherlands)

Tony Li, Jocelin Chan (United Kingdom)

Arup Tiwari, Poornima Verma, Sarthak Wadhwa (India)

5 Jan 2021

Alps Wellness Retreat design contest by Switch

Alps Wellness Retreat Architecture Competition News

The fast pace of 21st century has led to a very distorted work-leisure balance among urban settlers. This has caused numerous lifestyle-related mental and physical issues like stress, depression and other chronic ailments.

This has shifted the focus on wellness and its importance in leading a happy and fulfilling life. We are getting aware and more conscious of the fact that wellness is more than the absence of disease and is a careful holistic balance of the mind, body and spirit. The dialogue has been initiated and we can see an upsurge in the wellness tourism sector, as people demand for a more accessible and wholesome experience.

Designing for health and wellness is inherent to architecture. Great architecture is rooted in real world outcomes that foster healthier spaces and environments. The aim of the competition is to design a wellness retreat in the picturesque setting of Alps that can incorporate different aspects of wellness under a single roof and create a therapeutic and immersive experience for the user through architecture.

Architecture constantly evolves to meet the needs of society and part of its social role is to assist the well-being of those who transit and use their spaces daily. Architecture for Wellness is a niche responsible for the development of captivating architectural experiences that can facilitate and support the search and the achievement of the psychophysical wellness.

Architecture can have a deep healing effect on a person if it can stimulate the human senses. The Wellness Retreat should be resonant with an elemental materiality and a deep sensual pleasure that can be a very good medium for instilling emotions, i.e. the aura of space should bring a positive change in a person’s perception and mood while using the space. The Wellness retreat should enhance the olfactory, tactile and visual experiences of the visitors.

The participants should integrate nature with the Wellness hub in a meaningful manner. The transition between the natural-artificial, interior-exterior should be fluid and seamless to the extent that it becomes one continuous envelope.

The combinations of light and shade, open and enclosed spaces should create sensuous and restorative experience. The built form should not just be created with beautiful materiality and facia but resonant with atavistic memories of weight, contiguity and enclosure, of sound and enticing illumination.

The Wellness retreat should have a ‘music-like’ rhythmic quality to it. It should help people unwind in solitude and slow down. The retreat should indulge in various spiritual, physical and psychological activities.

The participants are free to impart any function they feel are needed inside the retreat. All generic functions like rooms/cabins for stay, meditation and yoga halls, spa, heated pools/baths, sauna, massage rooms, gym, restaurant, healing rooms etc. should be provided for an all-in-all experience under a single roof.

PRIZES

Prizes worth EUR 2500 are up for claim with the distribution as follows:

FIRST PRIZE: EUR 1200 SECOND PRIZE: EUR 800 THIRD PRIZE: EUR 500

Apart from the winners, the jury will select ’10 Editors’ Choices’ who will be featured on our website and several other international magazines and websites across the world. The winners and Editors’ Choices will be provided with an honorary certificate.

REGISTRATION &TIMELINE

The competition is open to everyone in the world (architects, students, engineers etc.). You can participate individually or in a team. A team can have a maximum of three members only. • For Indian nationals: 1800 INR + Taxes (per team)

Standard registration: – 1st January 2021 – 28th February 2021 • For foreign nationals: 60 EUR + Taxes (per team)

Late registration: – 1st March 2021 – 30th March 2021 • For foreign nationals: 80 EUR + Taxes (per team) • For Indian nationals: 2100 INR + Taxes (per team)

Submission deadline: 31st March 2021

Result: 25th – 28th April 2021

DISCOUNT

Group discounts apply for a minimum of 5 teams from one particular architecture school/university as our initiative to promote more participation from students. Send us the following details at queries@switchcompetition.com to avail the offer.

OTHER DETAILS

Website: https://ift.tt/2jlIMgs Facebook: https://ift.tt/2FuLOb7 Instagram: https://ift.tt/2QJWjiU

Alps Wellness Retreat design competition by Switch information / images received 050121

Switch Architecture Competitions

Switch Competitions on e-architect

Museum of Design Oslo Competition Museum of Design Oslo Competition by Switch

Winter Pavilion London Competition Winter Pavilion London Architecture Competition

Tomb of Waste Architecture Competition Tomb of waste design competition by Switch

UnSchool Copenhagen Architecture Competition Winners News UnSchool Copenhagen Design Competition by switch

UnSchool Copenhagen Architecture Competition UnSchool Copenhagen Design Competition by switch

Architecture Competitions

Current Architectural Competitions Selection

‘RETHINK: 2025’ Design Competition RETHINK: 2025 Design Competition

Call For Submissions: Sustainable Revolution Call For Submissions: Sustainable Revolution

WAF / PechaKucha ‘Isolation Transformed’ Design Competition Isolation Transformed Design Competition

Kaizhou New City International Young Designer Competition, Sichuan, China Kaizhou New City International Young Designer Competition

Comments / photos for the Alps Wellness Retreat design competition by Switch page welcome

The post Alps Wellness Retreat design competition appeared first on e-architect.

[itsfinancethings]

New story in Business from Time: Why We Buy In to the Big Business of Sleep

In a small room without windows, I am instructed to breathe in sync with a colorful bar on a screen in front of me. Six counts in. Six counts out. Electrodes tie me to a machine whirring on the table. My hands and feet are bare, wiped clean and placed atop silver boards. My finger is pinched by an oximeter, my left arm squeezed by a blood-pressure cuff. Across from me, a woman with a high ponytail, scrublike attire and soft eyes smiles encouragingly. She is not a doctor, and this is not a lab. The air smells like lavender and another fruity scent I later learn is cassis. My chair is made of woven reeds, topped with a thick cushion and a pillow for lumbar support. The windowless room feels more cozy than claustrophobic; this is not torture but a luxury. I am, in fact, in a five-star resort with a 2,000-sq-m spa and an indoor heated pool. This process, I have been promised, will help me sleep better.

For years, I had been waking up exhausted. My primary care doctor ran my blood work three separate times to try to suss out an underlying problem, and each time it came back fine. I had no problem falling asleep, or even really staying asleep. The problem was that no matter how many hours of sleep I got, I had to haul myself out of bed in the morning, grumpy and lethargic.

So, in December, before COVID-19 ravaged the world and made travel unsafe, I journeyed to a beautiful valley in Portugal’s Port wine region to take part in the €220-per-night Six Senses Sleep Retreat to try to learn to sleep better. Six Senses has long made wellness and sustainability two of its main pillars of business. They have yoga retreats and infrared spas. They’re aiming to be plastic-free by 2022—all plastic, not just single-use. But for the past two years, the luxury resort brand has bet big on sleep. In 2017, they launched a sleep program with a sleep coach, sleep monitoring, a wellness screening, bedtime tea service and a goody bag of sleep-health supplies. The idea was that, with three nights of analysis and behavioral adjustments, I might finally train my body to get a good night’s sleep. It’s a vacation with a purpose, and it’s one with big appeal: Six Senses offers the program at 10 of its resorts and is requiring all new resorts (including New York City in 2021) to include the program.

Luxury hotels have been pushing health as a selling point for travel since well before events made the two oxymoronic. The global wellness-tourism market was valued at $683.3 billion in 2018 by Grand View Research, and according to the Global Wellness Institute’s 2018 report, 830 million wellness trips were taken by travelers in 2017. That was up nearly 17% from 2015. In 2018, American Airlines partnered with the meditation app Calm to help their passengers sleep. Headspace has partnerships with seven different airlines to do the same thing, all over the past few years. A survey from the National Institutes of Health shows that the number of U.S. adults who reported meditating while traveling tripled from 2012 through 2017. And all this travel wellness has one common goal: to get people to sleep better, because we know that—generally—people aren’t sleeping well.

In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) published findings claiming that one-third of adults are not getting enough sleep and that sleep deprivation is costing the country some $400 billion each year in productivity. It is also important to note that many studies have found a large disparity in sleep quality based on race, ethnicity and socio-economic status. In comparisons of white and Black populations, studies have found that white women have the best sleep duration and Black men the worst. Those disparities do not go away when studies adjust for socio-economic level. The Sleep Foundation writes that a factor may be higher levels of stress because of discrimination in daily life.

Although consumers have opened their wallets in pursuit of better sleep since the debut of memory foam in 1966, the past five years have been a boom for the sleep-wellness industry. The global sleeping-products market brought in $69.5 billion in revenue in 2017, and, according to the most recent report published in May 2018 by P&S Market Research, the industry is on track to hit $101.9 billion in 2023. The consulting group McKinsey put out a seven-page guide to investing in sleep health in 2017. And anyone who has tried to buy a mattress online recently has noticed just how many new mattress brands there are: Casper, Tuft & Needle, Purple, Leesa, Allswell, SleepChoices, Bear. The U.S. mattress industry has doubled in value since 2015, from $8 billion to $16 billion.

In my desperate quest for good sleep, I’ve bought into all of this. When I sat down to calculate it all, I was stunned to find that over the past three years, I have spent more than $1,000 on sleep. I bought a Fitbit, a Sonos speaker with a built-in alarm, a new pillow, a new mattress, a fluffier comforter, a weighted blanket, cold eye masks, a humidifier, pajamas made of bamboo, pajamas made of 100% cotton, pajamas made of satin and an alarm clock that mimics a sunrise. The sleep retreat, I hoped, would do something all the other purchases had not.

I don’t sleep well on the plane. After four hours of fitful slumber interrupted by turbulence, dinner service and my seat neighbor bumping into me on the red-eye from New York City to Lisbon, I groggily deplane and replane for the short flight to Porto, down another espresso and drive the one and a half hours to the Douro Valley. By the time I arrive at the hotel, the sun is beginning to set and my bed looks very inviting. It is only 5 p.m.

I’m led to my room by a woman named Vera who introduces my supplies: an eye mask, bamboo pajamas, earplugs, lavender spray for my bed and a worry journal where I can write down anything bothering me before I sleep. I flop down on the €2,500 mattress and hope that whatever I learn here will be easily transferable to the $200 mattress I bought off Amazon and my sad cotton-blend sheets. By the bed is a small box made by ResMed, which will track my movements while I sleep and present me with colorful graphs of data each morning.

I follow the given instructions: eat dinner leisurely, have only one glass of wine, take a bath in the deep tub, drink chamomile tea, put on the new pajamas, write in the journal and go to bed around 10 p.m. When I wake up, the ResMed app shows a series of colorful bars—my “sleep architecture” progression through deep, REM and light sleep—and a score of 97. “I had nothing to say about that sleep,” shrugs Javier Suarez, the director of the spa and wellness programs at Douro Valley, at my first consultation. He studied physiotherapy at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and he knows this is abnormally good. “What we [often] see here is the first night, [guests] sleep bad because they come jet-lagged or they’re anxious,” he says. I’d slept a hard, uninterrupted eight hours. I feel proud of the prep I did before I came, adjusting my bedtime to try to prevent jet lag.

There are many scientific reasons to desire good sleep. Poor sleep quality is associated with a whole host of unhealthy side effects. Getting bad sleep puts people at a higher risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, impaired memory, problem-solving issues, fatigue, anxiety, mood disturbances and poor performance at work. There’s a market, then, to help people sleep better, not just because it makes money, but also because it is generally good for people. “There’s no wellness without good sleep. Forget about it,” Suarez tells me. “If you don’t make sleep your priority, then you will not be healthy.”

The Global Wellness Institute attributes the growing wellness industry to four things: an aging population, increased global rates of chronic disease and stress, the negative health impacts of environmental degradation and the frequent failures of modern Western medicine. In the case of insomniacs, the ever popular sleep drugs Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata and others received black-box warnings from the FDA—the agency’s most serious caution—in May 2019. Those turned off by the foreboding -packaging may turn to more holistic sleep-wellness methods. Sleep scientists have also been working to better publicize their research on the benefits of sleep hygiene. In 2013, the CDC and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine launched the National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project, which aimed to raise public knowledge of sleep disorders and the ways sleep affects health.

Obsession is the inevitable peak of any trend. While I’m at the resort, Suarez recommends several other ways I can optimize my health, including Wellness FX, a company that will run a full blood panel, and Viome, a company you can mail your poop to in order to learn about your gut -micro-biome. We have the ability now to analyze absolutely -everything about ourselves sans doctor oversight: our blood pressure, our pH, our urine, our poop, our genes. Sleep is just part of the cultural movement toward health obsession. A 2017 study done by Rebecca Robbins at New York University found that a full 28.2% of people in the U.S. track their sleep—with an app, a wearable sleep tracker, or both—and Robbins, now a postdoctoral fellow at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, says she thinks that number has likely increased since the study.

All this data is what runs the sleep-wellness industry. Every major sleep-wellness company tracking sleep is collecting data—cumulative data. Eight Sleep, for example, says it has 40 million hours of sleep traffic logged. Alexandra Zatarain, a co-founder and vice president of brand and marketing for the company, says the medical establishment has “never had access to people’s actual sleep [outside of] clinical settings.” Six Senses, on the other hand, has complete data about how people sleep when they’re on vacation, thanks to their sleep programs. Companies theoretically use all this data to make their products better for the consumer, but they also use it for targeted marketing (perhaps to sell you a new pillow or blanket) or sell it outright. Some sleep-wellness companies more benevolently share their data with academic institutions to learn more about what it could mean. Eight Sleep is working on studies with Mount Sinai, UCSF and Stanford. Matt Mundt, who founded a company called Hatch Sleep, which makes a blanket cocoon sleep pod for adults, says he plans to announce a partnership with a major medical system to bring the product into clinical trials.

The sleep-wellness industry is made up of three categories of products: treatments (prescription sleep aids, homeopathic remedies, and doctor interventions like surgeries or sleep-apnea-treatment devices), routine disrupters (sleep trackers, meditation apps, dietary changes and sleep programs) and nesting (mattresses, pillows, curtains, humidifiers). Treatments are mainly performed and monetized by the medical industry and the hospitality industry (like this sleep retreat). Most of the buzzy sleep-wellness companies like Eight Sleep, Oura, Casper and OMI are creating products that fit into the routine disrupter and nesting categories. Eight Sleep, for example, sells a mattress that regulates its own temperature (nesting) and tracks your sleep to provide personalized coaching (treatment). The brand has raised $70 million over the past three years, with $40 million of that raised in November. Zatarain says the company plays to the public desire to self-analyze and self-optimize. “We want people to be asking themselves, ‘Am I sleep-fit, or not?’” she says.

Courtesy Six Senses Douro ValleyAn outdoor resting spot at the Six Senses Douro Valley in Portugal

After my first night of delicious, wonderful 97-score sleep, I’m feeling a little cocky. I—I’ve convinced myself already—am sleep-fit. Suarez is not so sure. “I bet you tonight you’re going to do worse,” he says on day two. “You’ll get an 87 or something.” The data, he says, does not care about my confidence.

I spend much of my second day at the retreat thinking about my sleep score. The keys to good sleep, I’m told, are simple: exercise; eating well; not drinking too much; a dark, quiet space; creating a wind-down routine; no screens two hours before bed; and a comfortable bed. The greatest enemy of sleep is stress. The main value of the sleep score—and sleep tracking in general—is not to affect your sleep, but to tell you when you need to change your waking habits.

“The biggest win [of sleep tracking] is in the behavior change,” says Els van der Helm, the co-founder and CEO of Shleep, which designs customized sleep programs. Through her company, van der Helm works to convince companies that employees’ sleep should be prioritized not only because it is good for them, but also because it will make the company more profitable. (Shleep itself raised $1.4 million in venture capital in August 2019.) At her presentations, van der Helm sees the same behavior again and again. As she describes easy things employees can do to improve their sleep, she suggests a wake-up light alarm. Immediately, everyone grabs their phones and orders one online. “That’s great, but can they be as passionate about exercise, or creating a wind-down routine?” she says. “The issue is that people love throwing money at the problem and just buy something and think they’re good. ”

The problems with our sleep—for those who are otherwise healthy—are often problems we can fix ourselves. “You don’t need any of that stuff,” Suarez tells me when I run through the list of products I’ve tried. “People say, ‘How can I sleep better?’ And my answer is, ‘How can you have a better life?’”

Making sleep improvement all about what we can purchase to help us also creates an untrue narrative around what that data means. In her study on sleep-tracking habits, Robbins also found a disparity in who tracks their sleep: the higher a person’s income, the more likely they were to track their sleep. “A very concerning aspect of the conversation around sleep is the message that sleep is a luxury,” Robbins says. “We need to remove the notion that sleep is a luxury and replace it with the truth, which is that sleep is something we all deserve and that unifies us.”

So on my second day at the sleep retreat—yes, a massive luxury—I do everything right. I think about my sleep score and forgo a second glass of wine, even though I’m on vacation. I think about my sleep score and go to yoga. My body and I deserve it.

That night, I feel terrible getting into bed. I’m stressed about the amount of work I have to do, and I keep thinking about how that stress will disrupt my sleep. Suarez is either a sleep witch who intentionally cursed me, or someone who knows what he’s talking about. My money is on the latter. I close my eyes and open them again only a few hours later, thinking about my sleep score. Eventually, I get back to sleep and wake in the morning to a markedly worse 85.

Suarez had warned me that some Type A people slept worse on their second night simply because they knew they were being tracked, but when Vera reviews my Night 2 results, she says she can tell what the problem was. The ResMed shows two scores for each night’s sleep, both calculated based on your movement in bed: one for your mental sleep and one for your physical. On the second night, my mental sleep was fine. It was my body sleep that was a disaster. I needed, Suarez says, to wear myself out.

On the third day, I sign up for a cardio class in the gym after a nice long walk. By the time I begin my wind-down routine in the evening, I’m already sore. In the morning, I wake up feeling refreshed. I can’t remember the last time I felt this way first thing in the morning. I roll over and check my score: 94. Success. The charts show that I had not only slept well, but I also got plenty of deep sleep. “I’m not giving you a perfect solution for sleep,” Suarez says before I leave the resort, “I’m just showing you what happens when you do things right.”

When I return from the sleep program, I feel better physically than I have in a long time. I find myself making decisions based not on my health, but on how they will affect my sleep quality. I don’t have coffee late even though it’s a struggle to stay awake back on the East Coast. I do my wind-down routine and spray my lavender spray and sleep hard through the night. The biggest change, though, is how often I think about my sleep, which is constantly. I join a gym, something I had been meaning to do for a year, simply because I know it will help me sleep. And it does work—for a while.

My perfect sleep routine begins to devolve even before the pandemic hits. At home, I fall asleep with the TV on watching Monday Night Football. I don’t have time to exercise every day. Unsurprisingly, I’m much, much more stressed than I had been at the luxury hotel with every amenity in the world and no job to do. I need motivation—inspiration—so I turn to Instagram, and I find @followthenap.

Alex Shannon is a “sleep influencer” who spends most of his time running the account, crafting cozy-looking images of heavenly sleepscapes. He started the account a year and a half ago and says he has noticed a substantial growth in the focus on sleep health in the time since. The boom in products has been good for him too. Every new supplement or sunrise alarm clock or mattress is another potential sponsorship. He’s one of only a few influencers focused solely on sleep, but plenty of general wellness influencers also dabble in sleep, and the content is there. More than 26.8 million posts on Instagram have been tagged #sleep and almost 4 million have been tagged #nap. Even now, when he’s not traveling because of COVID-19 concerns—he was often sent to expensive sleep retreats gratis, in exchange for posts—Shannon has pivoted his sleep content to his own home. And he says he’s had a lot of interest from foreign travel boards making plans for when the travel restrictions are lifted. “I feel like as recently as a few years ago, making rest and relaxation a priority was seen as selfish somehow,” Shannon says, “but with the rise of ‘self-care,’ it’s become much more acceptable to slow down and take care of ourselves.”

Part of that impulse to slow down has been engineered by sleep companies themselves. If wellness can look good on Instagram, it can make money. Just take the boom in Casper sales. Casper was hardly the first mattress startup to market, and it wasn’t even the first to roll its mattresses. But in 2014, the company encouraged customers to post videos unboxing their Casper mattresses and watching them unfurl. The influx of mesmerizing videos, all featuring Casper’s logo, helped the company become the leading brand in mattress startups. James Newell, a vice president at an investment firm that backed Casper, said in an interview with Freakonomics that Casper “would tell you they’re not a mattress company, they’re a digital-first brand around sleep.” It helps that Casper is estimated to have an $80 million marketing budget.

“Our brand ambassadors”—a common synonym for influencers paid to promote a product—“are providing their honest feedback and review of our products, providing potential customers with another perspective outside of our own,” says Julianne Kiider, the affiliate and influencer manager for Tuft & Needle. “The way we sleep is such a personal thing, so these diverse perspectives help guide followers to the right product for their own sleeping habits.” Several major mattress brands declined to share data about how much of their advertiser budgets are spent on influencers, if mattresses are given to influencers for free, and how well influencer marketing really works. But a scroll through major wellness-influencer accounts shows plenty of cozy bed photos with discount codes in the captions. Shannon says in this scenario, the influencer’s payment is often a kickback of the percentage of mattresses sold with their discount code. For him, it’s paying off.

“We all dream of being a little more relaxed, a little less stressed and not feeling guilty about indulging ourselves,” he says. That dream—of sleeping through the night and being more relaxed and waking up refreshed and ready for the day—is exactly what has made sleep wellness such a lucrative industry.

In March, four months after my visit to the sleep retreat, COVID-19 began to spread in the U.S., and the dream felt further away than ever. Several of my friends got sick, and I stopped sleeping. Then the Black Lives Matter protests began, and I continued to sleep fitfully, worried for my friends and fellow citizens. This time, though, I knew what mistakes I was making. I knew that stress was keeping me awake, bolstered by scrolling through my phone for news updates until 11 p.m. and not exercising and having another glass of wine. I knew all that, but I was too stressed to stop. One night, in a sleepless haze, I swiped away from the news and found myself browsing my old online shopping haunts. I added a new lavender spray and a set of pajamas to my cart, and clicked Buy Now.

McKinney is a features writer and co-owner at Defector Media

from Blogger https://ift.tt/3fw9yh7 via IFTTT

[nhouvang-blog]

Some hotels manage the feat of creating a buzz before they are even open, and for these five properties below, that’s certainly true.

1. Zadùn Ritz-Carlton Reserve

Opening on the dramatic coastline of San José del Cabo in Mexico, this luxury retreat features 115 villas, many of them equipped with private pools, as well as Ritz-Carlton Reserve Residences. The place also boasts two championship golf courses and will maintain a botanical park with the desert flora.

2. J.K.Place Paris

Set in a former embassy building on rue de Lille in Paris in the chic 7th arrondissement between St-Germain-des-Près and the Musée d’Orsay, the hotel infuses its interiors with the sense of place, thanks to furniture commissioned from French designers as well as antiques sourced from Parisian flea markets. J.K. Place Paris features a spa and pool and an all-day Italian restaurant Casa Tua or “Comme chez-soi” as the French would translate.

3. The Equinox New York

Built high above Hudson Yard, one of the most expensive and exclusive urban development across the world, next to the Hudson river, the very first Equinox Hotel to open brings a whole new way of building a better life through advance wellness and holistic spa. Rooms, suites and public areas are modern, spacious, incredibly bright and meticulously + intuitively appointed so the technology wont represent any challenge at any time.

4. Raffles Singapore

Even icons need a refresh and the 131-year-old colonial hotel reopens its doors this summer. When it first opened, the property boasted 10 rooms. Today it’s an all-suite hotel. Fresh and bright, colonial feel but 21st century tech! 5 restaurants (to include La Dame de Pic by Anne-Sophie Pic) 6 bars, the world-famous boutique, spa and exclusive yoga classes in the beautiful gardens.

5. Bairro Alto Lisbon

The chic yet bohemian Bairro Alto in the heart of a vibrant Lisbon is where tradition meets irreverence at every corner. A member of The Leading Hotels of the World, Bairro Alto Hotel has set the standards for 5-star luxury boutique hotels in Portugal. The Hotel’s architecture preserves elements from iconic buildings from the 18th century, creating a surprising harmony between classic and contemporary. With its provocative charm, it offers guests a superior and highly personalized service, always catering to their every need. Do not miss the sunset on the hotel’s elegant roof top.

The post 5 Hotel Openings- And Re-Openings- We are Most Excited About Right Now appeared first on Magazine.

[mkprep-blog]

5 luxury wellness spas to check out in 2019

The end of the holiday season is a time for pondering the year that was, making plans for the future, and implementing changes towards a better you. After the champagne has run dry and the tree is taken down, it's time to focus on finding the balance, calm, and happiness that you'll need to start the year right.

Whether an improved health and wellbeing routine is on your list of New Year's resolutions, or perhaps you just want a holiday from your holiday, these luxury wellness spas will ease you into 2019 and give you the sense of serenity you deserve.

Baraza Resort and Spa

Baraza Resort and Spa provides a tranquil refuge away from busy city life

Situated on the eastern coast of Zanzibar, Baraza Resort and Spa provides a tranquil refuge away from busy city life. Each of its 30 villas has a private plunge pool with the entire resort decorated to evoke a bygone era fit for the sultans. Holding the privilege of being the only hotel in Africa amongst the Top 25 Luxury Hotels in the World, this island paradise provides rejuvenation for both mind and body.

Baraza Resort and Spa offers their very own yoga retreat where guests have the opportunity to learn and practice Hatha yoga with twice-a-day sessions at the Frangipani Spa or on the beach overlooking the Indian Ocean. The Frangipani Spa offers a range of specialist massages and treatments and has its own yoga centre and relaxation room where Swahili-spiced teas are offered before and after every session. Adventure-seekers are also able to take part in the numerous activities on offer, such as snorkeling safaris, scuba diving trips, or Swahili cooking lessons using medicinal herbs and spices.

Six Senses Spa Elounda

Six Senses Spa offers treatments combining luxury, relaxation and state of the art technology

For travellers looking for a sun-drenched hideaway, look no further than Elounda SA Hotels & Resorts in Crete. The brand includes the Six Senses Spa, the Elounda Mare hotel (the only Greek member of the Relais & Chateaux group), the Porto Elounda spa and golf resort, and an all-suite hotel with seafront private pools called Elounda Peninsula.

Covering over 2,220 square metres, the Six Senses Spa offers treatments that perfectly combine luxury, relaxation, and state-of-the-art technology. Therapy treatments include the Sweet Honey and Yoghurt, which focuses on hydrating and rejuvenating the skin for improved elasticity and softness, the Aegean Breeze with salt and olive oil for removing dead skin cells, and the Wine Elixir Facial which takes advantage of the antioxidants found in red wine to reduce signs of ageing. For those who are looking for a more intense programme, their semi-medical offerings allow guests to meet with nutritionists and fitness experts who will give a full personal assessment before curating a bespoke programme that will target the mind, body, and soul.

Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre

The Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre is an oasis in central London

Located inside one of London's top luxury destinations, the Hotel Café Royal, the Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre offers a relaxing urban retreat right in the city centre. “Akasha” is said to be the source of all creation, and when joined with the elements of earth, water, fire, and air, results in a holistic awakening of the spirit.

The centre is home to 9 treatment rooms, a private Hammam, London's first Watsu pool, a sauna, jacuzzi, cutting-edge gym technology, and a lounge bar with an assortment of healthy options. Cleanse your mind and body with a selection of treatments such as an Aromatherapy Associates body experience, a specialist hydrotherapy treatment, or a Detoxifying Green Tea Vichy Shower Ritual, among others. Additionally, they have a faculty of wellbeing specialists who provide a range of expertise from nutrition and weight management, to Reiki, meditation, and even crystal healing.

Vilalara Longevity Thalassa & Medical Spa

The Vilalara Longevity Thalassa and Medical Spa is located in the Algarve

Thalassotherapy refers to the use of seawater for improved health and wellness. The Vilalara Longevity Thalassa & Medical Spa is one of the leading experts in fusing Thalassotherapy with an overall luxury experience right in Portugal's famed Algarve region.

The idyllic location is complemented by 27-acre gardens, a secluded beach, five outdoor pools with fresh or sea water, four tennis courts, and two health-focused restaurants. The spa offers a relaxing wellness retreat, alongside detox and anti-inflammatory programmes; however it's their 7-night Longevity Thalassa Weight Loss programme which is really remarkable. The programme is the perfect solution for those wanting to jump-start their fitness regime for the year with participants benefiting from expert consultations, a bespoke fitness schedule, a dedicated detox meal plan, and access to a plethora of physical therapy and workout sessions.

Rudding Park Spa

Rudding Park Spa sits in 300 acres of landscaped gardens and woodland

Named one of the best spas in the country, Rudding Park Spa in Harrogate sits in 300 acres of landscaped gardens and woodland and capitalises on the area's sulphuric medicinal spring water. Its rooftop spa garden is the first of its kind in the UK, and guests are spoilt for choice with a hydrotherapy infinity pool, a panoramic sauna, herbal bath steam room, an ice fountain, and warming Evo lounge beds.

Treatments include their signature Rudding Park Jewel Ritual which starts with a Mother of Pearl and jasmine body scrub followed by a lathering of inner peace oil using ancient yogic techniques and finishes with a rose quartz healing face therapy and jade cream massage. If you want to try something off-the-beaten-path, the Mud Rasul Ritual is a must. A traditional Moorish cleansing treatment, the ritual involves applying nutrient-rich mud onto the face and body, letting it dry, and washing all the impurities away with a gentle rain shower.

[ertharetreats6]

Wellness Travel in Europe: A Journey to Reconnect and Recharge

Are you feeling the weight of the daily grind and seeking a much-needed escape? Europe offers a myriad of options for those looking for a refreshing break. Whether you’re interested in wellness holiday packages or corporate retreat packages, the continent provides numerous opportunities to relax and rejuvenate. Imagine yourself indulging in spa treatments, engaging in mindful yoga sessions, or simply basking in serene landscapes. Sounds enticing, right?

Discovering Wellness Travel

What is Wellness Travel?

Wellness travel focuses on maintaining and enhancing one's personal well-being while traveling. It's more than just a vacation; it's a holistic approach to travel that integrates physical, mental, and spiritual health. Wellness travel can include a variety of activities like spa treatments, yoga, meditation, fitness regimes, and healthy eating.

Why Choose Europe for Wellness Travel?

Europe is a treasure trove of wellness destinations. From the thermal baths in Budapest to the tranquil yoga retreats in the Italian countryside, Europe offers diverse experiences tailored to rejuvenate the mind, body, and soul. The rich cultural heritage and stunning natural landscapes further enhance the wellness experience, making Europe an ideal destination for a wellness holiday.

Top Destinations for Wellness Holidays

Coastal Sanctuary in Cascais

Experience wellness at the luxurious Coastal Sanctuary in Cascais, Portugal, where the ocean meets tranquility. This corporate retreat starts with energising beach yoga sessions to awaken your senses, providing the ideal balance of relaxation and invigoration. After productive meetings, unwind with therapeutic spa sessions featuring thalassotherapy treatments using seawater and marine extracts. Enjoy scenic coastal cycling, easy day trips to Lisbon for cultural exploration, and artistic workshops that foster creativity and team bonding. Lounge by the pool or the sandy shore, feeling stress melt away in this serene and inspiring environment.

Spain's Andalusian Haven

Experience the vibrant heart of Andalusia with this exceptional corporate retreat package that blends Spanish wellness and culture. Begin your day with mindfulness walks through ancient olive groves, providing a serene backdrop for reflection. Enjoy bespoke spa treatments using local herbal remedies tailored to your team’s needs, ensuring personalized wellness. Culturally enriching excursions to historic sites like the Alhambra and Seville immerse your team in Andalusian heritage. Evenings feature lively flamenco dance sessions, while culinary team-building activities, such as paella cooking classes, foster camaraderie and create lasting memories. This retreat offers a perfect blend of rejuvenation, inspiration, and cultural immersion.

Coastal haven of Comporta, Portugal

Escape to the serene coastal haven of Comporta, Portugal, known for its untouched beauty and luxury. This corporate retreat offers your team a chance to disconnect from daily life and reconnect with nature and each other. Begin your day with peaceful yoga amidst stunning landscapes, basking in the sunrise's warm glow. Explore the region’s rich biodiversity through bird watching and hiking, creating joyful and camaraderie-filled moments. Enjoy a unique beach horseback riding excursion, fostering trust and communication as you navigate the shoreline together. In the evenings, bond around a beach bonfire, sharing stories and laughter under the star-filled sky, building lasting relationships in the tranquil surroundings.

Planning the Perfect Corporate Retreat

Why Opt for a Corporate Retreat?

Corporate retreats are an excellent way for companies to foster teamwork, boost morale, and increase productivity. They provide employees with a break from the daily routine, allowing them to relax and recharge. Corporate retreat packages often include activities that promote team building and personal development.

Best Locations for Corporate Retreats

Europe offers a range of fantastic locations for corporate retreats. From the serene beaches of Greece to the lush forests of Germany, there’s a destination to suit every company’s needs. These retreats often combine work and relaxation, providing a balanced approach to corporate well-being.

Activities to Include

When planning a corporate retreat, it’s essential to include activities that promote relaxation and team bonding. Consider incorporating yoga sessions, nature walks, and wellness workshops. These activities not only enhance physical health but also foster a positive work environment.

Benefits of Wellness Travel

Physical Benefits

Wellness travel offers numerous physical benefits, such as improved fitness, better sleep, and reduced stress levels. Engaging in activities like yoga, hiking, and swimming helps in maintaining a healthy body and mind.

Mental and Emotional Benefits

Mental well-being is just as important as physical health. Wellness travel helps in reducing anxiety, enhancing mood, and promoting overall happiness. Meditation and mindfulness practices are particularly effective in achieving mental clarity and emotional stability.

Corporate Benefits

For companies, wellness travel can lead to improved employee satisfaction and productivity. A relaxed and happy workforce is more motivated and efficient. Investing in corporate retreat packages can, therefore, yield significant returns for businesses.

Tips for a Memorable Wellness Journey

Plan Ahead

To make the most of your wellness trip, it’s crucial to plan ahead. Research the destination, book your treatments or activities in advance, and ensure that your accommodation meets your wellness needs.

Pack Wisely

Pack comfortable clothing, especially if you plan to engage in physical activities like yoga or hiking. Don’t forget essential items like sunscreen, a reusable water bottle, and any personal wellness products you use.

Stay Open-Minded

Wellness travel is about trying new things and stepping out of your comfort zone. Whether it’s trying a new spa treatment or participating in a meditation session, stay open-minded and embrace the experience.

Conclusion

Wellness travel in Europe offers a perfect blend of relaxation, adventure, and personal growth. Whether you’re looking for wellness holiday packages or corporate retreat packages, Europe’s diverse destinations and experiences promise to rejuvenate your body and mind. So, why wait? Start planning your wellness journey today and discover the transformative power of travel.

[ertharetreat]

Finding Serenity in Portugal: Exploring Yoga Retreat Centers

Introduction:

Nestled along the sun-kissed shores of the Atlantic Ocean, Portugal beckons travelers with its picturesque landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and laid-back charm. Beyond its bustling cities and vibrant streets lies a sanctuary for those seeking solace and renewal: yoga retreat centers. In recent years, Portugal has emerged as a premier destination for wellness seekers, offering a diverse array of retreat centers that cater to the body, mind, and soul. Join us on a journey of serenity as we explore the tranquil haven of yoga retreat centers in Portugal.

Discovering Tranquility:

At the heart of Portugal's allure lies its serene landscapes and temperate climate, providing the perfect backdrop for a rejuvenating retreat experience. From the rugged cliffs of the Algarve to the rolling hills of the Alentejo region, each yoga retreat center is nestled amidst nature's embrace, offering a sanctuary for inner exploration and self-discovery.

Yoga Retreat Centers:

Portugal boasts an impressive selection of yoga retreat centers, each offering a unique blend of yoga,  meditation, and holistic wellness practices. Whether you're a seasoned yogi or a novice seeking to deepen your practice, there is a retreat center to suit every need and preference. From rustic eco-lodges to luxurious spa resorts, the options are as diverse as the landscape itself.

Immersive Retreat Experiences:

Beyond the yoga mat, retreat centers in Portugal offer a wealth of immersive experiences designed to nourish the body, mind, and spirit. From guided nature walks to therapeutic spa treatments, each day is filled with opportunities for relaxation, reflection, and personal growth. Whether practicing sunrise yoga on a secluded beach or indulging in a traditional Portuguese cooking class, every moment becomes a cherished memory.

Cultural Enrichment:

Portugal's rich cultural heritage adds an extra dimension to the retreat experience, allowing participants to immerse themselves in the country's history, art, and cuisine. From exploring ancient castles and cobblestone villages to savoring fresh seafood and local wines, every cultural excursion is a journey of discovery and delight. Whether strolling through the winding streets of Lisbon or exploring the charming towns of the Douro Valley, the beauty of Portugal leaves an indelible mark on the soul.

Healing Power of Nature:

Nature serves as a powerful ally on the path to wellness, and Portugal's natural beauty is awe-inspiring in its diversity. Retreat centers are often situated amidst lush forests, verdant valleys, or overlooking the azure waters of the Atlantic, offering a serene setting for contemplation and renewal. Whether practicing yoga amidst swaying palm trees or meditating by a tranquil river, the healing energy of nature permeates every aspect of the retreat experience.

Community and Connection:

One of the most cherished aspects of retreat life is the sense of community and connection that emerges among participants. Whether sharing stories around a crackling bonfire or bonding over a nourishing meal, yoga retreat centers in Portugal foster an atmosphere of warmth, acceptance, and camaraderie. Lifelong friendships are forged, hearts are opened, and spirits are uplifted as individuals come together in pursuit of shared goals and aspirations.

Retreat Centers Beyond Yoga:

While yoga retreats hold a special place in the wellness landscape, Portugal offers a diverse array of retreat centers catering to a wide range of interests and preferences. From silent meditation retreats to creative arts workshops, there is something for everyone seeking to escape the stresses of daily life and reconnect with their inner wisdom and creativity.

Conclusion:

In a world filled with noise and distraction, finding moments of peace and serenity becomes essential for our overall well-being. Retreat centers in Portugal offer a refuge from the chaos of modern life, inviting us to slow down, tune in, and reconnect with ourselves and the world around us. Whether practicing yoga on a sun-dappled terrace or immersing ourselves in the rich tapestry of Portuguese culture, each moment spent on retreat is an opportunity for growth, healing, and transformation. So, why not embark on a journey of self-discovery and renewal amidst the beauty of Portugal's retreat centers? Your soul will thank you for it.

[bloominglotusyoga]

A Surf Yoga Retreat Aimed at Helping You Find Creativity Is Exactly What You Need This Winter

Learn more: http://oakwoodretreatcenter.org

Want to challenge yourself and activate your inner badass on the gorgeous beaches of Portugal? This yoga retreat is here to help.

Inspire your inner badass with the Ocean and Yoga x Inner Astronauts' Surf and Yoga Retreat.

Creativity isn't one of those things you can turn on and off like a light. But you can open up your mind to be in the best possible position to promote creativity. For Jana Toepfer, founder of Ocean and Yoga, a series of yoga retreat programs held on the beaches of Portugal, a great way to do it is catching a wave on these breathtaking shores (we don't really need any arm-twisting to get behind that). After all, a day in salt water has the tendency to be humbling, quieting, and undeniably soul-cleansing.

Ocean and Yoga offers a handful of different retreats, from Panchakarma detoxes (October 2019) to family-friendly yoga getaways for parents and children (July 20–26, 2019). To foster leadership, Toepfer has created a holistic retreat that blends play and purpose. “The aim is to lead a life of creativity, inner connection, and freedom. To drop the unnecessary stories that we've written about ourselves at some point,” she says.

See also Yoga + Delicious Eats: 3 Mouth-Watering Retreats You Won't Want to Miss

The retreat combines leadership coaching workshops with pranayama, asana, meditation, homemade organic meals, and time in sand and sun for the full mind-body experience. Toepfer's transformative yoga practice primes the mind to open up to learning more about who you are, and in turn, about the inner leader that the program will help empower. Plus, Toepfer is a firm believer in the idea that meditating in nature-such as by an ocean cliffside or on secluded beaches-is twice as easy and twice as effective.

And the surfing? That's a leadership exercise in itself. The childlike joy you'll feel among the breakers is meant to reinforce the lessons you'll learn, and surfing will act as a challenge in courage and stepping outside your comfort zone. Once you tackle a wave and find your inner, fully connected leader, tackling challenges at home or in the office will seem like no big deal at all.

Where: Algarve, Portugal

Next session: May 4–10, 2019, prices from $1,130, oceanandyoga.com; innerastronauts.com

About the Author

Loren Savini is a writer and editor living in Queens, New York, with her large housecat, Rio. Find her at lorensavini.com.

[michellelewis7162]

Discover A Yoga Exercise Sanctuary and Possess Well-balanced Exciting

Discover A Yoga Exercise Sanctuary and Possess Well-balanced Exciting

 Yoga exercise refuges are offered throughout the year using classically-based method, or even creatively-explored techniques to all forms of doing yoga, reflection, self-inquiry, attributes and also deeper silence. This generates an atmosphere for strengthening your method, individual renewal as well as metaphysical musing. Yoga Retreats to gorgeous exterior sites may provide you time to check out coastlines, mountain ranges or other landscapes, have massage therapies or only looking into the nearby lifestyle. Yoga resorts are actually supplied all around the globe. Yoga exercise holidays as well as hideaways are an uplifting experience into personal. http://www.pfmyoga.com/

 Exciting Retreats

 These are actually additionally casual, exciting yoga refuges where all levels as well as grows older may engage. Some Retreats are dedicated to ensuring the genuine metaphysical heritage of Yoga in an incredible setting. There are a large number of yoga exercise hideaways offered in a variety of fantastic and strong locations. I extremely recommend a retreat for religious applicants of all amounts, or for people simply searching for an opportunity of internal tranquility in a stunning exterior setup for a couple of times. Caribbean hideaways are also on call. Most will definitely offer you travel plans with two yoga exercise lessons daily, time for reflection, guided and also permit you opt for personal walking as well as great deals of spare time to attach and also look into along with nature. They likewise typically feature luscious health foods. Unique yoga exercise refuges supply a wide collection of yoga knowledge in combo along with almost any sort of kind of free as well as diverse activity you will prefer.

 Teacher Retreats

 If you are to develop as a teacher and also become an educator who can converse with all degrees of pupils, I strongly believe that joining a yoga retreat is actually important. They will certainly let you move base with your inner self, technique regular reflection as well as yoga exercise, and also find great treatments. You can easily find out all about doing yoga refuges from your yoga exercise teacher, journals, good friends and also through finding retreats that might excite you online. Many people are pulled to yoga exercise refuges similar to this considering that they give the odds to incorporate a great getaway along with one more task that they really love: yoga Europe.

 Doing yoga Retreat

 Sanctuaries are actually an excellent means to give on your own an effectively should have vacation, make an effort and meet new buddies one thing new. The sanctuaries and the wonderful folks met are special as well as there are actually possibilities to hook up as well as make long lasting relationships. When you attend a Yoga Retreat it's an option to mirror and re-evaluate your whole lifestyle from a much various viewpoint. A whole lot greater than a pamper or even wellness holiday, the refuge uses a possibly life-changing knowledge. At times the hideaway is a trip to the heart, and however at various other times it's an expertise of freedom as well as internal happiness, or a sense of connectedness. The effects can easily commonly be felt for full weeks after the resort ends and this can easily create a fantastic opportunity for one significant lifestyle transforming expertise.

 Yoga Retreat Activities

 Yoga exercise and meditation is actually normally delivered regular (for instance from 7am-9am), pranayama, shouting, leisure as well as pilates and different activities as well as other routines throughout the time, certainly this all varies based upon which retreat you select, therefore ensure that you discover one along with an excellent harmony of tasks that interest you. The outcome is typically an incredible volume of your time for you to invigorate and also kick back. Some also deliver an odds to nurture the body and launch undesirable pressure consisting of outstanding on website massage therapy, or a possibility to cleanse the entire physical body of toxins which may develop from a bad diet regimen, or even absence of exercise.

 Conveniences of Yoga Retreats

 A retreat is often a time to disconnect from the whole entire exterior world, and to re-connect with your very own interior soul. It is actually an exceptional possibility to possess a yoga expertise and also to engage your own self virtual in an encouraging as well as healing setting all at once. Yoga holidays are also available: giving you a capacity to take a vacation and experience a yoga exercise retreat throughout hectic holiday season times - this is actually particularly valuable for others or even single people that might not possess a close household to appreciate the holiday seasons with. Many times a retreat is actually made for you to find rest, leisure, and a location for image and development in a native environment. Some business even give personalized personal sanctuaries that will certainly allow you match it to your very own schedule. A yoga exercise getaway, resort, vacation or even retreat offers the supreme possibility for a healthy, exciting and also awesome adventure to exotic spots, or even exciting spots close to property Europe.

 An Overview of Yoga Retreats Around You

 Doing yoga is actually only a set of different asana, stances, as well as placements. Yoga ought to have a place that is actually normally wealthy as well as has biodiversity.

 In yoga exercise instruction facilities around your city, there are actually lots of hideaways that are well-known for different types. Refuges are actually constantly a great method to begin the yoga exercise practice if considering refuges perks after that. Likewise Yoga Retreat spots are the greatest method to begin from zero if anyone does not have expertise in Yoga. Resort's coordinators do not require any yoga knowledge. Individuals who prepare for Yoga trips might be young/old or flexible/stiff. Yoga resort's educators will definitely provide you the most effective opportunity to avoid our office and also job strains as well as provide opportunity to devote to care for on your own.

 Few of the renowned resorts for Yoga practice, generally, offered are as below:

 Holistic Retreats:

 It is individual doing yoga resort that manages yoga excursions of a week. It is actually beneficial for individual development. All yoga exercise practice has been actually performing in the native environment. Educators of the sanctuary are globally renowned. They take you via a personal experience of change of mind and body with help from doing yoga.

 Excursions highlights are actually:

 There are up to 10 yoga lessons

Lunch vouchers likewise offered.

You may likewise get semi-private yoga training class also.

Ayurvedic treatment certificates

Lush spa therapy tokens.

Free breakfast promos

After Yoga lessons, the remaining opportunity of time is actually free to go to neighboring places

Lodging is, naturally, readily available.

Renewing Retreats:

 This sanctuary is popular for anxiety alleviation. Numerous facilities supply worry release package deals. These package deals supply doing yoga, reflections and also spa treatment.

 In addition to these bundles, you may receive free of charge advantages including taking in the sights of close-by areas. Daybreak Yoga asana as well as pranayama, open chakra massage therapy, luxurious shower, dusk meditation, eco forest walk. These are actually also featured in the package. This yoga excursion rests you and alleviates your stress Europe.

 Excursion highlights are:

 Daily sunup as well as dusk doing yoga asana as well as reflections

Numerous spa therapies

Various Ayurvedic treatments

Eco rainforest stroll

Banjar thermal springs

Vihara Buddhist Temple

Local and fresh meal

Holiday accommodation

Bring back Retreats:

 If you feel an absence of electricity, stress and anxiety, ache, bad sleep, at that point this shows that you provide a long time on your own and also plan a yoga trip. Yoga exercise trips regularly pay attention to only you. The system gives more intense restoration procedure and helps over a long period.

 Trip highlights are:

 Doing yoga sessions

Yoga exercise appointment on private basis

Ayurvedic foot and also facial message

Ayurvedic therapy

Conventional performances

Property lodging

Daily new as well as ayurvedic meals.

 How to Find Centers for Top Yoga Retreats?

 Doing yoga resorts centers in these times reside in abundance and if you have resided in doing yoga method for long, at that point you should rest. If you have already made that decision as well as are actually seeking a doing yoga resort facility, after that you came to experience this article quite thoroughly as it will definitely inform you about some points you need to perform in order to discover top doing yoga sanctuary facilities that will certainly see to it that your leisure time is actually eaten beautifully Yoga Retreats Portugal.

 Your 1st research is actually looking into every achievable feature of doing yoga if you intend to get into a facility providing top yoga sanctuary resources. You must go through every publication related to yoga exercise in a municipal library and visit all the sites, forums and also conversation pages related to yoga refuges as performing that are going to help you greatly in picking the most appropriate resort facility. Collect as a lot of reports as feasible from the yogic authorizations in your area to ensure that you can know which facilities were chosen one of the most by the yoga exercise specialists. This will give you a fairer concept concerning the path in which you need to have to prepare your foot.

 Contacting the specialists in the business is undoubtedly going to be helpful as you will certainly be familiar with some realities regarding yoga exercise sanctuaries that will definitely open your eyes. As for selecting the centers, you have to make a discussion along with them pertaining to how you may locate the leading yoga retreat facilities and they will surely educate you some approaches which will certainly additionally assist you in getting in touch with the right agency for the refuge facility stipulation. Make sure that the experts you talk with have a terrific amount of expertise and also know the proper ways to think factors out for people who are unwinding from their yoga exercise practice.

 It is actually necessary that you discover out the measures they have actually taken to provide the doing yoga specialists a state of joy if you wish a top doing yoga location. After engaging in yoga exercise for a substantial period of time, an individual needs for a fully serene environment and also for that, it is critical that you perform certainly not get yourself in a resource where folks go on entering approximately. Facilities that are tranquil and also offer you sufficient room are thought about to be very valuable.

 So as for you to discover the leading doing yoga facility, you reached find out where they can offer you along with outside activities to make sure that you can easily refresh and delight in up your mood. Those tasks need to be tiring and moreover they need to show you several of the best significant courses in lifestyle to make sure that your opportunity could be taken in beautifully Yoga Retreats Portugal.

 So these were actually some things that you needed to perform in order to find best centers for doing yoga resorts. I am actually rather specific that the methods within this article will undoubtedly aid you enter the most proper as well as location rich facility for yoga and also you will definitely additionally be actually fully pleased with what you'll come to enjoy your free time certainly there.

 Yoga Retreats - How to Choose the Right One

 As an innovator of tropical yoga retreats in Hawaii and Mexico, I've explored countless hotels and sanctuary facilities to find the areas most suited for the clients I desire to pull. Resort facilities vary coming from the rustic to the extravagant, coming from mountain to beach front environments, as well as from remote to metropolitan area. Below are actually some factors to consider of what to search for in your search for the best yoga resort.

 Know what you really want. Perform you desire to retreat right into on your own or even possess a social exterior experience? Some centers possess many groups coming together at foods, at the pool, dance celebrations, or are centrally located in a town with street noise, popular music, etc. Others possess area for a single team, or reside in distant places without cars and trucks in sight. Several remain in between. I've discovered that even when there are actually loads of extra tasks given, one may constantly opt for to stay away, stay tranquil, take snoozes, obtain bodywork, etc, as long as the setup is relaxing.

 Animal Comforts: Are you desiring an unique resort/5-Star hotels and resort knowledge, or do you prefer the low-budget or quite rustic experience? Yoga refuges cover the total range and are actually generally valued accordingly. Spend a long time exploring what is offered and also the quality of the holiday accommodations before you sign up.

 Is the refuge located at a center that satisfies doing yoga retreats? Or even, they may certainly not be geared up with yoga props or have the familiarity with just how to best provide the yoga exercise group's unique requirements.

 Is it situated at a retreat facility or at a lodging? Depending upon what you're wanting coming from your sanctuary, some of these is a lot better for you. Would you somewhat be eliminated from the day-to-day diversions of buying, driving, web and active streets, or will you like to become in town where you can walk, bus, ride or bike to local area attractions? Being at a refuge facility where there's plenty of acreage isolating it from the outside world may be quite conducive to going inwards and paying attention to your method, private health, furlough. Numerous sanctuary facilities offer both, where you may decide on to stay solely on their grounds or you can easily elect to participate in expeditions to explore the local environment and also destinations Yoga Retreats Portugal.

 Are actually all foods consisted of? I have actually found that discussing foods along with my retreat participants is a very connecting adventure for the group. When our experts can easily get to understand each other as well as reinforce our links, it is actually an opportunity. It is also a surprise not to must fuss with amount of money as well as suggestions at each dish when it is actually all-encompassing. However, if you're more of the adventurous or solitary style, you may prefer a resort not consisting of all foods where you may blow up to discover the nearby meals.

 Are added view seeing trips featured in the retreat rate? Once again, depending upon your goals for your hideaway, you may prefer extra experiences are featured. If they are, you can be sure you're spending for all of them, whether you attend all of them or not.If you intend to check out the region around your refuge, then the additional adventures could be a blast as well as another fantastic method to connect with your team while strengthening your understanding of the regional society and environment.On our sanctuaries, we like to create these extras optionally available and after that the attendees can determine which excursions they will such as to participate in and the facility will still offer a lessened price for minimum team measurements. Some facilities may have more than one group staying at an opportunity, and they supply a different journey every day for whoever prefers to join Yoga Retreats Portugal.

 What sort of Yoga is being actually given? There are a lot of types of hatha yoga taught in these times, that it is important to understand what style you prefer in order to avoid obtaining stuck to a teacher or even design that is actually inadequate or extremely difficult to your attribute. Most excellent is actually if you recognize the teacher you're signing up to invest your full week with. Second best is actually if you at the very least know that you like the style of yoga that they show.

 Your Perfect Yoga Retreat

 Yoga exercise is the art of launch. It is actually the research study of one's focus upon the diverse levels of the physical body, exploring deeper along with a state-of-the-art focus into the thoughts, till at some point delving and also settling permanently within the spirit. This early tradition of meditation, action as well as sigh established within the Hindu culture of the Indian subcontinent ends up being the expert's sacred habit. For that reason, finding the correct yoga exercise resort is actually every bit as a component of one's technique as is actually a particular breathing of breath, an expiration into a particular pose, or even the serenity of quiet finding. The best hideaway must line up with the appropriate person, and simply at that point will one have the relaxation to allow go as well as discover the true depths of their yogic journey.

 The Destination Is Actually Also The Journey

 Yoga exercise hideaways are aplenty. They are available in all different shapes, dimensions, places as well as total package deals. Some supply 24/7 doing yoga, stringent dish tips, and also outright silence. Others start the day along with a set of opening up postures (or asanas in Sanskrit), and then submerse individuals in the lifestyle of their atmosphere, carrying out imaginative activities and also corrective down time. The time ends along with a final series of relaxation. It's all up to you-the practitioner. It is your technique and also only yours. Just how perform you find the best sanctuary?

 Finalize the eyes. Take a long inhalation by means of the nostrils. Accommodate. Currently discharge all breathing spell away from the oral cavity. Settle down in to your chair and also unwind. Visualize you yoga-ing. Imagine the environment. Where would certainly it be actually?

 To use a little bit of input, I'm on a beach front. I'm not in the Himalayas viewing a swift approaching lightning hurricane inverted while shaking in Sirsha-asana (or head-stand present). No. I am actually in the tropics, half nude (ok ... totally nude) on warm and comfortable sands along with the audio of the ocean's surges cresting upon each other. Drafty hand plants rustle overhead and also their darkness use refreshing sanctuaries. I am far coming from the office, the phone calls, the assumptions others' harbor of me. These are actually long moved as well as weird of mind. I am rested, cozy, serene and loving lifestyle Yoga Retreats Portugal.

 Your dreamy environment may be different. It might certainly not. Despite, it's your yoga practice (as the conscious teacher reiterates); consequently it's your yoga exercise retreat.

 Take Me To Your Leader

 Coming from the site of the refuge, the following necessary factor of the practice is that is actually mentor. Who is it that will lead you through the doorways of your "guesthouse" as the Sufi mystic Jelaluddin Rumi referred to when speaking of the body? Whose advice will you count on and relinquish to? At finest, it is actually risk-free to say that if an expert establishment certifies the instructor you possess no explanation to doubt their strategy and capacities. Each person's type of mentor is special as well as each device of yoga is actually various. Look their name on the web, locate their website as well as preferably take their lessons. Get reviews and review their pupils' testimonials. Where possess they lead retreats before? And most importantly, find a teacher whose design of practice and also body of yoga straightens along with your necessities. Yet how do you carry out that? There can't be that many practices of yoga ...

 Oh yes. There is Hatha Yoga, Yin Yoga, Flow Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Bikram Yoga, etc., etc., and so on. The list takes place and for the specialist to pick the best right resort it is wise to bring basic expertise concerning and adventure within that suitable yogic unit Europe.

 You're looking to operate on your own. You wish to literally sweat, pressure, press and sustain your whole entire body-muscles, joints, tendons, bone tissues and all-then unlock to a vigorous Ashtanga technique. Or mention you're seeking calmness as well as tranquility-long restorative postures-then work out in to a form of Yin Yoga. The choices are actually as several as the notions found within the thoughts.

 Your Life, Your Retreat

 Along with a location and also design of yoga selected, then it's up to you to learn what is actually being actually delivered past your guesthouse's doorstep. Inspect the regional workshops for leaflets. Explore reliable regulars as well as publications that focus on devoutness and self-improvement. Look the Internet for refuges in particular locations or in a certain tradition of method. Inquire your close friends. Inquire deep space. Inquire your own self.

 A yoga retreat is a blessed offering to your body system, your guesthouse, your temple. It is opportunity taken off the day-to-day lightness of "making-a-living" so as to honor who you are; if you want to create the soul, thoughts as well as body system closer to a state of relaxation and peace. Fundamentally, yoga exercise is actually knowing just how to allow and like oneself whole-heartedly and also without any reason.

 Great Benefits Of A Yoga Retreat

 Yoga exercise hideaways are actually pretty helpful for people who have tons of tension in their lifestyles because of amount of work. These have actually likewise come to be fairly prominent recently as people searching for a tranquil vacation expertise go all out to ensure they can remain from all the worldly strains for a specific time frame to reclaim their mental and physical toughness. Further in this post, you will definitely familiarize concerning some terrific perks that you avoid a yoga exercise refuge. Read on thoroughly.

 Repairs Balance

Going on yoga exercise resorts helps you restore your psychological, spiritual, emotional and also physical equilibrium to make sure that you can produce your lifestyle much better. Renovation of harmony is pretty crucial given the fact that today, people are surrounded by many traits which take their focus and in addition create all of them worn out as well as a yoga resort holiday is actually the very best method to invigorate your soul.

 Makes you Happier

This doing yoga is very handy as they make you better from the within and also get rid of all your worries. They give you with ample volume of space in order that you can easily give some ideas to your own self concerning your individual concerns as well as just how you need to adapt up along with all of them. It likewise aids you in analyzing on your own so that you can easily recognize what you were actually skipping in your life and what procedures you need to have to absorb purchase to achieve that trait.

 Individual Digging

This is actually quite different from spirit exploring. On a yoga exercise resort, you must understand the variation between exploring yourself and individual development as they are actually 2 really different targets. Doing yoga also aid you establish on your own in those realms where you are without, as an example; it assists you get a favorable method towards every little thing if you had negativeness, it permits you to reflect upon the techniques that you require to consider the improvement of your future and furthermore it offers you ample volume of time to re-think regarding your attitude in the direction of complications.

 Complete on Enjoyment

On a yoga resort, you may invest your time appreciating along with individuals there and also will definitely aid you obtain positivity in your life and also you are going to certainly never lack time to smile even if you are actually overloaded along with job. The satisfaction in your refuge is actually undoubtedly heading to make you tough and mature from the core.

 Assists you Socialize

These yoga exercise are actually undoubtedly going to help you a whole lot in hanging out along with individuals as well as enhancing the bonds along with them if you were actually not an incredibly social kind of person. It is certainly going to make you interactive as well as when you return to your typical lifestyle, you will definitely experience a modification as you are going to instantly create buddies that will value your method towards every little thing in life.

 These were actually some wonderful perks of going on a doing yoga sanctuary. You can additionally retreat coming from your ordinary life as bunches of trip and also tourist agencies supply yoga resort bundles together with wonderful rewards. I am actually relatively certain that you are going to pick the best appropriate retreat package on your own dropping under your finances series.

 Doing yoga retreats are actually used throughout the year supplying classically-based technique, or creatively-explored strategies to all types of yoga, reflection, self-inquiry, attributes and deep-seated muteness. You may discover all concerning yoga retreats coming from your yoga exercise instructor, publications, pals and by seeming up retreats that might interest you online. You must go via every publication similar to doing yoga in a social library and check out all the sites, forums as well as discussion pages associated to doing yoga hideaways as doing that will certainly assist you hugely in deciding on the most ideal retreat. No issue, it's your yoga practice (as the mindful coach repeats); consequently it's your yoga exercise hideaway.

 There is actually Hatha Yoga, Yin Yoga, Flow Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Bikram Yoga, etc., and so on, etc.

[alenkamali]

How come you’re never in Slovenia?

I usually come to Slovenia every year, this year I haven’t yet, but I’ll make my way down soon. (very soon, whoever’s in Europe let’s catch up!) Currently, life in Europe isn’t a big part of mine… apart from friends and family that live there. The beautiful land of the small country is surrounded by such amazing landscapes, mountains, lakes, and waterfalls… but I found a similar paradise on the other side of the world. I think that is why I love BC so much… because it reminds me of Slovenia.

    What is the best place in the world?

The one that I’m in right now.

I don’t travel to places, only to dream about that best one that I could be in. I love how flexible my life can be sometimes, that allows me to explore some pretty cool places. But it’s funny how I never think about someplace holding the title of the best. I like to appreciate the town that I’m currently in, without thinking about a better spot to be at that moment. I hope that makes sense.

    What camera do you shoot with?

I use Canon 5D mark ii. Best investment I ever did. The best lens that I love to pair it with, is my 50 mm f1.4.

  Do you use your drone a lot?

Yes, I take my drone, everywhere I go, here’s a shot, from one of my favorite Uluwatu beaches:

  The cheapest way of traveling?

Well, depends how far you want to get. I’ve hitchhiked all around Canada, states, and Europe. I have no problems with packing all my shit in a backpack and sticking my thumb out in the middle of the highway. I’ve literally done that one day when I was supposed to go up to Whistler to ski, my friends ditched so I booked a flight to Santa Cruz to surf for a week and hitchhiked to the airport. (You gotta do what you gotta do, no?) I have met many amazing people through hitchhiking, who are still, till this day, some of my best friends!

      If you live in BC and the cost of gas might be getting in your way of going to more places… you should definitely check out this awesome rideshare site, Poparide. I have taken lots of people with me while going places – especially for the long drives! Saves money for gas and provides great company! Personally, I really like it.

Then, there are plenty of cheap accommodation options on sites like Booking.com and Airbnb.com – look for homestays which save money and give you a chance to meet some locals!

If you want to know more about how I get around, check out my TRAVEL page.

    What do you do, for work?

– photography (adventure(outdoors), commercial, lifestyle, sports, Instagram content, and brand promotion – read below)

– website design (pretty self-explanatory I would say, if you know someone who’s in need of a website, don’t be afraid to shoot me an email! got some specials coming for the holidays

– affiliate marketing links and collaborations with different brands

– online work for this awesome travel company (psst…we’re launching soon)

– selling prints!

– social media consulting  for new, upcoming brands

My weekly workload changes throughout the months, but that pretty much sums it up. I like to keep it busy, but not overwhelmed.

    Do you also work, as you travel?

Yes – I do. I actually managed to create a sweet routine of being able to work from my laptop, pretty much. I usually book my photo shoots, before I travel to a certain place and work from there. Most of the time, working from a laptop, I edit pictures, build websites for others, manage projects back home or I hold private health consulting sessions over Skype and manage my SEEKING THRIVE business. I have studied the Holistic Approach of Integrative Nutrition which is allowing me to travel the world while spreading information about wealth in our health. We have a few spots left in our Portugal retreat if you’re interested check out the EVENT.

    Collaborating with brands

Through my Instagram, I collaborate with a lot of different brands as their influencer. In my opinion, the term “collab” applies to more than just creatives and companies, it also refers to the collaboration between consumer and creator to support one another in their artful pursuits. This year, I made the commitment to only support brands that align with my beliefs. I ONLY promote brands whose products I’ve tried and who’s working conditions, sustainability plan and green planet lifestyle co-ops with mine! Usually, the companies that I work with produce surfing or snowboarding clothing lines, homemade products, natural skincare etc…

If I have the power of influencing my followers, blog readers, kids of my friends and my family, then I want to do it, because I’m doing something good. Not to increase the already big percentage of consumption on this planet. Every time we shop, we give our money to businesses who make decisions in favor of the environment, we shift the direction of our future. As ocean dwellers and seaside occupants, we can no longer afford to stand by and watch our sacred playgrounds be destroyed. We are simply out of time. Being a conscious consumer means we hold the power to support the development of new values in a fast-changing social climate. Fashion is dictated by trends, and we decide the trends. It is our responsibility to make sustainability a permanent trend that drives those industry standards forward.

  ***I DO NOT support brands who run a business of only making money, underpaying or abusing their workers, getting out a wrong message to young girls or test their products on animals.***

  I love to support:

local or family-owned businesses with locally produced products

brands who put their effort into eliminating single-use plastics

fair trade

small production/handmade/organic/sustainably produced clothing

brands that GIVE AWAY (Patagonia)

companies that are making a point of reducing their footprint

authentic and artful contribution

products made with an intention

  Here some of the brands I’ve collaborated with:

Organic Cup, Suntribe Sunscreen, Manda, Entreaguas Swimwear,

  These are some of the examples of products I love to spread the word about. Those companies work hard to support the environment and the health of our bodies. As a surfer, zinc cream and sunscreen are the most important things I always pack with me, that’s why it matters a lot, how it impacts my skin and the water that I surf in. Using the organic ingredients of their choice, like cacao butter and olive oil come with many nutrient minerals and vitamins! These ingredients also don’t harm the coral reef for example, like other sunscreens. I have also been using the Organic Cup as a supplement from pads and tampons. That has saved me so much money (which can go towards another plane ticket) and waste! I love it.

** If you are a brand that wishes to collaborate with me, in exchange of an Instagram post or a blog post, please fill out the form below or contact me directly **

  Are you vegan?

No. I don’t like labels to begin with, but I eat a wholesome 90% plant-based diet and I believe in diversity. Balance is important in my life, especially when it comes to food. I eat a big variety of foods and cooking is one of my favorite activities. Transferring into a mainly plant-based diet has been easier than I imagined and dramatically improved how I felt and looked. I share the recipes daily of my cook-ups on Seeking Thrive Instagram.

  What does your morning routine look like?

I love this. Absolutely love my mornings. Developing a calm, taking-it-slow routine in the last year has helped me staying motivated in waking up early. My day usually begins around 6 in the morning, as the sun rises up (or doesn’t – if its winter time and I’m in Whistler). I keep it simple. No distractions, no phone or music or sounds or the internet. The worse habit that I’m happy that I got rid off, is checking my social media first thing, after waking up. No, I left that in 2018.

Even though I had developed a routine, I don’t necessarily stick to it very strictly. Sometimes I would meditate before journaling and other times I will do a 30-minute yoga stretch and then meditate. The idea was built around 3 or 4 mindful practices that include yoga, meditation, morning journaling and listing things I’m grateful for. Followed by the cup of green tea (or boiled ginger water with lemon) with a walk outside. No matter where I am at the moment, I love the quiet mornings. Still no distractions.

After breakfast (avo toast, granola or smoothie bowl, freshly squeezed orange juice or chia pudding) I work! So that means finally turning on my mobile devices, checking email and planning my day! Which is also the end to my zen morning! If it’s the weekend (which doesn’t necessarily mean the end of the Western week that we know, simply a day that I choose not to work), that usually puts me in the mood to read a book. I don’t think many people know, that I am a huge book warm. I read books in Slovenian, English or recently Spanish. I’m also a firm believer that books help to enhance my mood, and calm me down at the same time. Expanding my vocabulary, the creative flow and giving my brain a nice workout is important too. Is basically food for the soul! Authors and books that inspire me are usually the ones describing a surfers lifestyle, (Barbarian Days is an amazing one) or the ones with a strong female lead. They remind me of my mom.

  What’s your favorite workout?

I am not a gym person and the youtube workouts are also something long gone. Now, all the workout that I do for my body is the sports that I live for. Whether is surfing, climbing, snowboarding, hiking or even yoga. I make sure something interesting happens every day. Which isn’t hard, since my whole life is basically planned on the Search for the waves to surf, rocks to climb or the hunt for the best powder.

  Where are you based out of?

I’m based out of Canada. Most of my year, I live in this small coastal town Squamish, which is a playground for big kids. Lovers of mountain biking, backcountry skiing, kitesurfing, and hiking come from all over the world, to enjoy the beauty of our place! Surrounded by mountains, close to the ocean – my friends and I fell in love with this piece of paradise that we now proudly call home.

  Do you make videos too?

For sure. I took a break from video making that I loved so much, in earlier stages of my “media career”. But I am ready now, to start creating more. I think it was good of how I grew a little more, gave my creative self some space, and now I’m back on track with ideas for more stories I’d love to produce. In terms of filmmaking, 2019 will be a very exciting year.

MOTION REEL is the name of my portfolio. I think it holds a washed out, rustic touch from the ’90s which I’m a fan on. It makes me think of film camera, typewriter script and coffee spilled storyboarding. The pieces that bring me the most joy, were usually shot with some hippie athletes, in the mountains or beach bums in Bali. I had an amazing opportunity of shooting with Ozzy Wright in Uluwatu and some pretty impressive skiers in Whistler. Similar as with photography, my love for filmmaking keeps growing every day.

  Where did you learn photography and editing?

Mostly while practicing. Being on terrain and working with other professionals and experts. Having a circle of friends that are into the same things, really helped me improve them. And not just with photography! I watched a lot of Youtube and Skillshare videos and tutorials. I even made one on my own, about tropical photography!

  Where are you from?

I was born in Slovenia. That is where it all began. My father is Slovenian, and so is my mom. But she was born and raised in Argentina, where my brothers and I spend a lot of our childhood. Bariloche is a beautiful place, located in Patagonia and I’m very proud to call it my home, even though I wasn’t born there.

  Words that you live by?

“Embrace the highs and learn from the lows; stability is important, but it is not our purpose.”

  What are your top skin care products?

I have actually been eliminating any kind of product from my morning and evening routine. In general, using close to zero of the cosmetic chemical stuff, full of promises. I’ve been completely in love with just massaging myself with organic coconut oil before and after a shower, either when I’d wake up or before going to sleep. For my face, I only use Zinc made sunscreen, for surfing (I use Suntribe Sunscreen – they’re the best small family-run business, based out of Europe) and for washing my face – I make a mix of pure coconut and argan oil. Voila! If my skin isn’t having a great week, I would usually apply some tea tree oil.

I am nowhere near having perfect skin, but I’m learning how to accept it and love it every day.

        Do you have more questions, about how I travel, where I live and what I do for work? Would you like to collaborate with me? Fill out the form below and I’ll get back to you, within the following 24 hours.

    [ninja_forms id=1]

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Answers to very personal questions like where I live, what I do for work and how I'm able to travel around. How come you're never in Slovenia? I usually come to Slovenia every year, this year I haven't yet, but I'll make my way down soon.

[itsfinancethings]

In a small room without windows, I am instructed to breathe in sync with a colorful bar on a screen in front of me. Six counts in. Six counts out. Electrodes tie me to a machine whirring on the table. My hands and feet are bare, wiped clean and placed atop silver boards. My finger is pinched by an oximeter, my left arm squeezed by a blood-pressure cuff. Across from me, a woman with a high ponytail, scrublike attire and soft eyes smiles encouragingly. She is not a doctor, and this is not a lab. The air smells like lavender and another fruity scent I later learn is cassis. My chair is made of woven reeds, topped with a thick cushion and a pillow for lumbar support. The windowless room feels more cozy than claustrophobic; this is not torture but a luxury. I am, in fact, in a five-star resort with a 2,000-sq-m spa and an indoor heated pool. This process, I have been promised, will help me sleep better.

For years, I had been waking up exhausted. My primary care doctor ran my blood work three separate times to try to suss out an underlying problem, and each time it came back fine. I had no problem falling asleep, or even really staying asleep. The problem was that no matter how many hours of sleep I got, I had to haul myself out of bed in the morning, grumpy and lethargic.

So, in December, before COVID-19 ravaged the world and made travel unsafe, I journeyed to a beautiful valley in Portugal’s Port wine region to take part in the €220-per-night Six Senses Sleep Retreat to try to learn to sleep better. Six Senses has long made wellness and sustainability two of its main pillars of business. They have yoga retreats and infrared spas. They’re aiming to be plastic-free by 2022—all plastic, not just single-use. But for the past two years, the luxury resort brand has bet big on sleep. In 2017, they launched a sleep program with a sleep coach, sleep monitoring, a wellness screening, bedtime tea service and a goody bag of sleep-health supplies. The idea was that, with three nights of analysis and behavioral adjustments, I might finally train my body to get a good night’s sleep. It’s a vacation with a purpose, and it’s one with big appeal: Six Senses offers the program at 10 of its resorts and is requiring all new resorts (including New York City in 2021) to include the program.

Luxury hotels have been pushing health as a selling point for travel since well before events made the two oxymoronic. The global wellness-tourism market was valued at $683.3 billion in 2018 by Grand View Research, and according to the Global Wellness Institute’s 2018 report, 830 million wellness trips were taken by travelers in 2017. That was up nearly 17% from 2015. In 2018, American Airlines partnered with the meditation app Calm to help their passengers sleep. Headspace has partnerships with seven different airlines to do the same thing, all over the past few years. A survey from the National Institutes of Health shows that the number of U.S. adults who reported meditating while traveling tripled from 2012 through 2017. And all this travel wellness has one common goal: to get people to sleep better, because we know that—generally—people aren’t sleeping well.

In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) published findings claiming that one-third of adults are not getting enough sleep and that sleep deprivation is costing the country some $400 billion each year in productivity. It is also important to note that many studies have found a large disparity in sleep quality based on race, ethnicity and socio-economic status. In comparisons of white and Black populations, studies have found that white women have the best sleep duration and Black men the worst. Those disparities do not go away when studies adjust for socio-economic level. The Sleep Foundation writes that a factor may be higher levels of stress because of discrimination in daily life.

Although consumers have opened their wallets in pursuit of better sleep since the debut of memory foam in 1966, the past five years have been a boom for the sleep-wellness industry. The global sleeping-products market brought in $69.5 billion in revenue in 2017, and, according to the most recent report published in May 2018 by P&S Market Research, the industry is on track to hit $101.9 billion in 2023. The consulting group McKinsey put out a seven-page guide to investing in sleep health in 2017. And anyone who has tried to buy a mattress online recently has noticed just how many new mattress brands there are: Casper, Tuft & Needle, Purple, Leesa, Allswell, SleepChoices, Bear. The U.S. mattress industry has doubled in value since 2015, from $8 billion to $16 billion.

In my desperate quest for good sleep, I’ve bought into all of this. When I sat down to calculate it all, I was stunned to find that over the past three years, I have spent more than $1,000 on sleep. I bought a Fitbit, a Sonos speaker with a built-in alarm, a new pillow, a new mattress, a fluffier comforter, a weighted blanket, cold eye masks, a humidifier, pajamas made of bamboo, pajamas made of 100% cotton, pajamas made of satin and an alarm clock that mimics a sunrise. The sleep retreat, I hoped, would do something all the other purchases had not.

I don’t sleep well on the plane. After four hours of fitful slumber interrupted by turbulence, dinner service and my seat neighbor bumping into me on the red-eye from New York City to Lisbon, I groggily deplane and replane for the short flight to Porto, down another espresso and drive the one and a half hours to the Douro Valley. By the time I arrive at the hotel, the sun is beginning to set and my bed looks very inviting. It is only 5 p.m.

I’m led to my room by a woman named Vera who introduces my supplies: an eye mask, bamboo pajamas, earplugs, lavender spray for my bed and a worry journal where I can write down anything bothering me before I sleep. I flop down on the €2,500 mattress and hope that whatever I learn here will be easily transferable to the $200 mattress I bought off Amazon and my sad cotton-blend sheets. By the bed is a small box made by ResMed, which will track my movements while I sleep and present me with colorful graphs of data each morning.

I follow the given instructions: eat dinner leisurely, have only one glass of wine, take a bath in the deep tub, drink chamomile tea, put on the new pajamas, write in the journal and go to bed around 10 p.m. When I wake up, the ResMed app shows a series of colorful bars—my “sleep architecture” progression through deep, REM and light sleep—and a score of 97. “I had nothing to say about that sleep,” shrugs Javier Suarez, the director of the spa and wellness programs at Douro Valley, at my first consultation. He studied physiotherapy at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and he knows this is abnormally good. “What we [often] see here is the first night, [guests] sleep bad because they come jet-lagged or they’re anxious,” he says. I’d slept a hard, uninterrupted eight hours. I feel proud of the prep I did before I came, adjusting my bedtime to try to prevent jet lag.

There are many scientific reasons to desire good sleep. Poor sleep quality is associated with a whole host of unhealthy side effects. Getting bad sleep puts people at a higher risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, impaired memory, problem-solving issues, fatigue, anxiety, mood disturbances and poor performance at work. There’s a market, then, to help people sleep better, not just because it makes money, but also because it is generally good for people. “There’s no wellness without good sleep. Forget about it,” Suarez tells me. “If you don’t make sleep your priority, then you will not be healthy.”

The Global Wellness Institute attributes the growing wellness industry to four things: an aging population, increased global rates of chronic disease and stress, the negative health impacts of environmental degradation and the frequent failures of modern Western medicine. In the case of insomniacs, the ever popular sleep drugs Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata and others received black-box warnings from the FDA—the agency’s most serious caution—in May 2019. Those turned off by the foreboding -packaging may turn to more holistic sleep-wellness methods. Sleep scientists have also been working to better publicize their research on the benefits of sleep hygiene. In 2013, the CDC and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine launched the National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project, which aimed to raise public knowledge of sleep disorders and the ways sleep affects health.

Obsession is the inevitable peak of any trend. While I’m at the resort, Suarez recommends several other ways I can optimize my health, including Wellness FX, a company that will run a full blood panel, and Viome, a company you can mail your poop to in order to learn about your gut -micro-biome. We have the ability now to analyze absolutely -everything about ourselves sans doctor oversight: our blood pressure, our pH, our urine, our poop, our genes. Sleep is just part of the cultural movement toward health obsession. A 2017 study done by Rebecca Robbins at New York University found that a full 28.2% of people in the U.S. track their sleep—with an app, a wearable sleep tracker, or both—and Robbins, now a postdoctoral fellow at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, says she thinks that number has likely increased since the study.

All this data is what runs the sleep-wellness industry. Every major sleep-wellness company tracking sleep is collecting data—cumulative data. Eight Sleep, for example, says it has 40 million hours of sleep traffic logged. Alexandra Zatarain, a co-founder and vice president of brand and marketing for the company, says the medical establishment has “never had access to people’s actual sleep [outside of] clinical settings.” Six Senses, on the other hand, has complete data about how people sleep when they’re on vacation, thanks to their sleep programs. Companies theoretically use all this data to make their products better for the consumer, but they also use it for targeted marketing (perhaps to sell you a new pillow or blanket) or sell it outright. Some sleep-wellness companies more benevolently share their data with academic institutions to learn more about what it could mean. Eight Sleep is working on studies with Mount Sinai, UCSF and Stanford. Matt Mundt, who founded a company called Hatch Sleep, which makes a blanket cocoon sleep pod for adults, says he plans to announce a partnership with a major medical system to bring the product into clinical trials.

The sleep-wellness industry is made up of three categories of products: treatments (prescription sleep aids, homeopathic remedies, and doctor interventions like surgeries or sleep-apnea-treatment devices), routine disrupters (sleep trackers, meditation apps, dietary changes and sleep programs) and nesting (mattresses, pillows, curtains, humidifiers). Treatments are mainly performed and monetized by the medical industry and the hospitality industry (like this sleep retreat). Most of the buzzy sleep-wellness companies like Eight Sleep, Oura, Casper and OMI are creating products that fit into the routine disrupter and nesting categories. Eight Sleep, for example, sells a mattress that regulates its own temperature (nesting) and tracks your sleep to provide personalized coaching (treatment). The brand has raised $70 million over the past three years, with $40 million of that raised in November. Zatarain says the company plays to the public desire to self-analyze and self-optimize. “We want people to be asking themselves, ‘Am I sleep-fit, or not?’” she says.

Courtesy Six Senses Douro ValleyAn outdoor resting spot at the Six Senses Douro Valley in Portugal

After my first night of delicious, wonderful 97-score sleep, I’m feeling a little cocky. I—I’ve convinced myself already—am sleep-fit. Suarez is not so sure. “I bet you tonight you’re going to do worse,” he says on day two. “You’ll get an 87 or something.” The data, he says, does not care about my confidence.

I spend much of my second day at the retreat thinking about my sleep score. The keys to good sleep, I’m told, are simple: exercise; eating well; not drinking too much; a dark, quiet space; creating a wind-down routine; no screens two hours before bed; and a comfortable bed. The greatest enemy of sleep is stress. The main value of the sleep score—and sleep tracking in general—is not to affect your sleep, but to tell you when you need to change your waking habits.

“The biggest win [of sleep tracking] is in the behavior change,” says Els van der Helm, the co-founder and CEO of Shleep, which designs customized sleep programs. Through her company, van der Helm works to convince companies that employees’ sleep should be prioritized not only because it is good for them, but also because it will make the company more profitable. (Shleep itself raised $1.4 million in venture capital in August 2019.) At her presentations, van der Helm sees the same behavior again and again. As she describes easy things employees can do to improve their sleep, she suggests a wake-up light alarm. Immediately, everyone grabs their phones and orders one online. “That’s great, but can they be as passionate about exercise, or creating a wind-down routine?” she says. “The issue is that people love throwing money at the problem and just buy something and think they’re good. ”

The problems with our sleep—for those who are otherwise healthy—are often problems we can fix ourselves. “You don’t need any of that stuff,” Suarez tells me when I run through the list of products I’ve tried. “People say, ‘How can I sleep better?’ And my answer is, ‘How can you have a better life?’”

Making sleep improvement all about what we can purchase to help us also creates an untrue narrative around what that data means. In her study on sleep-tracking habits, Robbins also found a disparity in who tracks their sleep: the higher a person’s income, the more likely they were to track their sleep. “A very concerning aspect of the conversation around sleep is the message that sleep is a luxury,” Robbins says. “We need to remove the notion that sleep is a luxury and replace it with the truth, which is that sleep is something we all deserve and that unifies us.”

So on my second day at the sleep retreat—yes, a massive luxury—I do everything right. I think about my sleep score and forgo a second glass of wine, even though I’m on vacation. I think about my sleep score and go to yoga. My body and I deserve it.

That night, I feel terrible getting into bed. I’m stressed about the amount of work I have to do, and I keep thinking about how that stress will disrupt my sleep. Suarez is either a sleep witch who intentionally cursed me, or someone who knows what he’s talking about. My money is on the latter. I close my eyes and open them again only a few hours later, thinking about my sleep score. Eventually, I get back to sleep and wake in the morning to a markedly worse 85.

Suarez had warned me that some Type A people slept worse on their second night simply because they knew they were being tracked, but when Vera reviews my Night 2 results, she says she can tell what the problem was. The ResMed shows two scores for each night’s sleep, both calculated based on your movement in bed: one for your mental sleep and one for your physical. On the second night, my mental sleep was fine. It was my body sleep that was a disaster. I needed, Suarez says, to wear myself out.

On the third day, I sign up for a cardio class in the gym after a nice long walk. By the time I begin my wind-down routine in the evening, I’m already sore. In the morning, I wake up feeling refreshed. I can’t remember the last time I felt this way first thing in the morning. I roll over and check my score: 94. Success. The charts show that I had not only slept well, but I also got plenty of deep sleep. “I’m not giving you a perfect solution for sleep,” Suarez says before I leave the resort, “I’m just showing you what happens when you do things right.”

When I return from the sleep program, I feel better physically than I have in a long time. I find myself making decisions based not on my health, but on how they will affect my sleep quality. I don’t have coffee late even though it’s a struggle to stay awake back on the East Coast. I do my wind-down routine and spray my lavender spray and sleep hard through the night. The biggest change, though, is how often I think about my sleep, which is constantly. I join a gym, something I had been meaning to do for a year, simply because I know it will help me sleep. And it does work—for a while.

My perfect sleep routine begins to devolve even before the pandemic hits. At home, I fall asleep with the TV on watching Monday Night Football. I don’t have time to exercise every day. Unsurprisingly, I’m much, much more stressed than I had been at the luxury hotel with every amenity in the world and no job to do. I need motivation—inspiration—so I turn to Instagram, and I find @followthenap.

Alex Shannon is a “sleep influencer” who spends most of his time running the account, crafting cozy-looking images of heavenly sleepscapes. He started the account a year and a half ago and says he has noticed a substantial growth in the focus on sleep health in the time since. The boom in products has been good for him too. Every new supplement or sunrise alarm clock or mattress is another potential sponsorship. He’s one of only a few influencers focused solely on sleep, but plenty of general wellness influencers also dabble in sleep, and the content is there. More than 26.8 million posts on Instagram have been tagged #sleep and almost 4 million have been tagged #nap. Even now, when he’s not traveling because of COVID-19 concerns—he was often sent to expensive sleep retreats gratis, in exchange for posts—Shannon has pivoted his sleep content to his own home. And he says he’s had a lot of interest from foreign travel boards making plans for when the travel restrictions are lifted. “I feel like as recently as a few years ago, making rest and relaxation a priority was seen as selfish somehow,” Shannon says, “but with the rise of ‘self-care,’ it’s become much more acceptable to slow down and take care of ourselves.”

Part of that impulse to slow down has been engineered by sleep companies themselves. If wellness can look good on Instagram, it can make money. Just take the boom in Casper sales. Casper was hardly the first mattress startup to market, and it wasn’t even the first to roll its mattresses. But in 2014, the company encouraged customers to post videos unboxing their Casper mattresses and watching them unfurl. The influx of mesmerizing videos, all featuring Casper’s logo, helped the company become the leading brand in mattress startups. James Newell, a vice president at an investment firm that backed Casper, said in an interview with Freakonomics that Casper “would tell you they’re not a mattress company, they’re a digital-first brand around sleep.” It helps that Casper is estimated to have an $80 million marketing budget.

“Our brand ambassadors”—a common synonym for influencers paid to promote a product—“are providing their honest feedback and review of our products, providing potential customers with another perspective outside of our own,” says Julianne Kiider, the affiliate and influencer manager for Tuft & Needle. “The way we sleep is such a personal thing, so these diverse perspectives help guide followers to the right product for their own sleeping habits.” Several major mattress brands declined to share data about how much of their advertiser budgets are spent on influencers, if mattresses are given to influencers for free, and how well influencer marketing really works. But a scroll through major wellness-influencer accounts shows plenty of cozy bed photos with discount codes in the captions. Shannon says in this scenario, the influencer’s payment is often a kickback of the percentage of mattresses sold with their discount code. For him, it’s paying off.

“We all dream of being a little more relaxed, a little less stressed and not feeling guilty about indulging ourselves,” he says. That dream—of sleeping through the night and being more relaxed and waking up refreshed and ready for the day—is exactly what has made sleep wellness such a lucrative industry.

In March, four months after my visit to the sleep retreat, COVID-19 began to spread in the U.S., and the dream felt further away than ever. Several of my friends got sick, and I stopped sleeping. Then the Black Lives Matter protests began, and I continued to sleep fitfully, worried for my friends and fellow citizens. This time, though, I knew what mistakes I was making. I knew that stress was keeping me awake, bolstered by scrolling through my phone for news updates until 11 p.m. and not exercising and having another glass of wine. I knew all that, but I was too stressed to stop. One night, in a sleepless haze, I swiped away from the news and found myself browsing my old online shopping haunts. I added a new lavender spray and a set of pajamas to my cart, and clicked Buy Now.

McKinney is a features writer and co-owner at Defector Media