Women's Fitness
We know you love to be ahead of the curve ball, up with the latest, and ahead of the trends before they even land. This is exactly why we – I – wrote this story for you. While wellness retreats have been around for years now, with the collective rise in sleep deprivation – Aussies, on average, sleep just 6.2 hours a night, and our counterparts in the US only 5.8 hours; forward thinking hotels like The Westin are expanding their wellness offerings to include Sleep Retreats – and here’s what you need to know.
First up, who’s it for? Rather than a clinical insomniac who should be seen by a medical doctor, sleep retreats are designed for those who are still able to sleep, but simply want to sleep better. You may be struggling to fall asleep, stay asleep, or lack daytime energy; and may have tried all the stock standard recommendations like limiting screen time and taking sleep supplements. Similarly, you may be feeling stressed, burnt out, wired, unable to switch off – and because of this, your sleep is suffering. Lastly, you may just be looking for a wellness retreat in general, but want to elevate your sleep game, so you can return home feeling more rested, rejuvenated and refreshed than ever before.
So – what happens in a sleep retreat?! Do you just sleep all the time?! Haha – no, but certainly you will enjoy longer, deeper rest. Just like a wellness retreat, you’ll experience workshops, meditations, mindful movement like yoga – everything you need to feel your best, inside and out. The only difference here is that the focus is on sleep: workshops are centered around sleep strategies like your bedtime routine, meditations are embedded with affirmations like ‘tonight, I will sleep better than ever before’, and mindful movement like yoga is timed so it synchronises your circadian rhythm.
When it comes to food – which is of course, always a highlight – each meal is designed to enhance your sleep. Think… salmon with a pistachio crust, because salmon has 203% of your daily needs for tryphophan, the building block of melatonin, and pistachio is the richest source of melatonin in itself. Think… chia seed pudding with coconut milk, because chia seeds are rich in magnesium, and coconut milk (plus chia seeds) are rich in omega 3 healthy fats, which calms the nervous system and regulates melatonin. You’re not just eating for the sake of eating – each meal is intentionally curated with your best sleep in mind.
Sounds like a dream, right?! Right! And, after just co-hosting my first sleep wellness retreat with The Westin, I can confirm – it works. From our VVIP guests, everyone agreed – sleep… better than ever. Energy… higher. Eyes.. brighter. Everyone looked… rejuvenated. Rested. Restored. Plain and simple – they looked like they were sleeping well. Bags from eyes, gone. Skin, smoother.. with that ‘I just slept incredlby well’ glow. There was a noticeable shift in mood too – we were calmer and more centered. Lighter, uplifted. Grounded yet inspired. I do not believe this was a coincidence – given the interconnectedness between sleep, energy, mental and physical health; it’s no wonder all of this happened – this is the direct impact of quality sleep.
The best thing though? The group learnt tools and techniques to use at home, so they could re-create their own sleep retreat, and continue to sleep well. In our sleep masterclass, I purposefully interlaced the sleep strategies with a meditation, visualisations, goal setting and affirmations – taking it from a learning experience to a transformational one. The group was empowered with the golden triangle of sleep success: expert support, a science based strategy, and long term structure.
Now it’s really sounding like a dream – right?! Right. So.. can you book in?! Not yet – but you can sign up to a VIP pre-launch list (below) which will grant you early insight into where, when and exactly what the sleep retreat will offer – and of course, exclusive VIP discounts. And, with extensive interest worldwide, regardless of where you are, there will be a sleep retreat in your favourite holiday spot before you know it. Sign up to the pre-launch list on instagram – @oliviaarezzolo or by emailing olivia@thesleepretreat.com.au.
For the full article grab the October/November 2024 issue of Women’s Fitness Australia from newsagents and convenience locations. Subscribe here.
