“What is your best beauty tip?” is a question asked to celebs, makeup artists and beauty gurus worldwide, and the answer so many of us don’t want to give, for fear of the bore factor is, “sleep”. But the simple fact is, getting enough good quality sleep is far more beneficial to our appearance (let alone our mind and body health) than any cream or facial money could ever buy.
For a lot of people (myself included) we just don’t go to bed early enough- this is an easy one to tackle; limit caffeine in the evening- ideally your last tea or coffee should be drank before 6pm, switch off all tech an hour before you plan to go to bed, and be strict with yourself about sticking to a reasonable bed time.
For others, it’s a much more complicated affair. Some people, and probably a vast majority reading this, dread bedtime knowing it is going to be an all too familiar struggle. As isolating as it feels in the bleak of night, you are not alone- far from it in fact. Trouble sleeping is on the rise among men and women alike, and blame is kind of irrelevant to sufferers- often they will know it is due to stress/worries/lifestyle but knowing the cause doesn’t cure the problem. And of course, for some people, there is no obvious cause anyway.
At Chelsea’s famous Ushvani Spa, the meditation classes have become hugely popular, with ‘better sleep’ given as a more and more common reason for attendees. So much so, that they have just launched their Sleep Well-Being workshops. This may seem a bit ott (especially if yoga and meditation isn’t your thing) but for people at their wits end, I can really recommend it. After all, just like when we are babies, good sleeping habits are something we learn.
The workshops focus on Pranayama (controlled) breathing and meditation techniques designed to induce mind and body relaxation. The meditation techniques are then combined with yoga poses for complete moving meditation to trigger the relaxation response- you do not need any experience in yoga at all, the most difficult thing you will be asked to do is cross your legs!
I’m very open-minded but I must admit, it took me a little bit of time to get into the class and although I felt massively relaxed, I don’t think I quite achieved meditation status (plus I got the giggles at the start of the class which couldn’t have helped). I did however, wake up the next day feeling incredibly light and clear-headed, like I’d had a spring cleaning of the chakras! I’m sure I’d get the hang of it after another class.
I know meditation is not for everyone and some will see it as a total waste of time but I absolutely believe that anything that takes you away from the chaos of our thoughts, even for an hour, will always do you the world of good- especially for the sleep deprived.
The next Sleep Well-Being workshop is on Thursday 21st June, book in advance as spaces are limited, £30 per person, per class.