This month, Lucy Parker, from FLOW asks, are you exhausted? If so, why not try these soothing ways to recharge your batteries before Santa goes on overdrive!
Rest is hugely undervalued as a pathway towards well-being and optimal health, and it’s even more important as we approach a chaotic festive season. Maybe it’s part of Maggie Thatcher’s legacy, as she proudly announced she could run the country on a mere 4 hours of sleep a night. Perhaps as a result, rest is often considered a little indulgent, lazy, or boring. Meanwhile, we’re a country of insomniacs, dragging ourselves through our days and flopping onto the sofa of an evening only to binge-watch whatever will best help us switch off. The problem is that switching off is just that, downing tools, and disconnecting from our screens. The well-deserved, and much-needed rest, we all should be inviting in does not involve watching TV into the night or pouring another glass of wine.
It’s probably worth taking a moment to look at what exactly makes us tired. The reasons can be varied and unique to everyone. There are also some common themes, the first and most obvious being the lack of ZZZ’s. The Iron Lady aside, the average person needs around 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night. The kind of sleep you might have had in your youth when your room was pitch black and silent, the troubles of the world were a world away, and you didn’t need a wee at 3 am.
Poor sleep however is not the only factor. You’ve heard the statement, “I wore myself out with worry”. We expend a huge amount of energy fretting in anxiety, stress, and pain. It’s a worrying world we live in right now with war, financial constraints and environmental changes keeping us in a state of high alert. No wonder we’re collectively exhausted and in need of a bedtime story and a cosy blanket.
So how about taking rest seriously and giving yourself the recharge that our iPhones get daily? Let me introduce these two fabulous burnout remedies to supercharge your rest and reset this December…
Crystal sound bath with Verity
Sound Therapy may seem like the latest New Age trend, but it’s been used as a healing modality for thousands of years. Our ancestors embraced sound as sacred, opening pathways of connection in ceremony and rituals, from Celtic drumming to Native American flute, the Aboriginal didgeridoo and Tibetan singing bowls. Sound Baths are a modern medium of sound healing, an all-encompassing full-body experience that soothes body and mind.
Verity says “A Sound Bath brings us home to pure vibration to remember who we are, ancient particles and elements from the stars.”
A subtle yet multi-dimensional experience, the effects of a Sound Bath can be felt almost instantly as the body relaxes into a deep sense of rest and receptivity; the brainwave state is altered from our waking (beta) to a relaxed state (alpha), dreamlike state (theta), and even restorative/ sleep state (delta). As the mind and body relax, the heart rate and blood pressure decrease, and our breathing becomes more expansive and free.
A highly effective form of meditation, Sound Baths are an excellent way of soothing stress or worries and releasing unconscious emotions or tension. In surrendered stillness, the resonant waves and vibrations wash over and through you as you’re fully immersed in sound. They are appealing compared to other meditative practices because the sound takes you there, with nothing required of you but to lay down and listen, drifting between dimensions of rest and receiving.
Verity hosts monthly Moon-attuned Sound Baths at Flow, offering a peaceful parcel of time, bathing in sounds and the luminous glow of the Full Moon. Don’t miss her Sounds of Solstice event at 6 pm on December 22nd – https://flowtunbridgewells.com/yoga-workshops/
Yin Yoga with Charlotte
Physically in Yin Yoga, the poses are held for longer than most classes (between 2-5 minutes) with the use of props such as bolsters, blocks, and blankets for support. The studio will be toasty warm and the connective tissues beyond the surface muscles are targeted to increase circulation in the joints, improving the range of motion and increasing flexibility while developing breath awareness and mindfulness. It’s not only the best practice for the busiest minds but also the perfect complement to any faster-paced yoga, fitness, and workout routines.
Charlotte says “With one’s ever-increasing and demanding schedules, a yin practice is the best antidote to busy lives. It gives us the chance to slow down, dive inwards and welcome an introspective practice with no end goal. We’re allowed to press the pause button and fully recharge. It’s certainly been a game-changer for me!”
Charlotte hosts weekly Wednesday morning Yin classes, 9.30 – 10.30 am at Flow – flowtunbridgewells.com/yoga-tunbridge-wells/
Lucy Parker
Flow Tunbridge Wells
