Poor sleep can lead to a variety of mental and physical ailments. After all, it is when asleep that the body is able to repair and re-energise itself. Having adequate sleep can prevent serious conditions such as heart disease and excess weight gain
The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) says that one in three people suffer from poor sleep – presumably as a result of overwork, stress and spending long hours on social devices. Regular sleep deprivation, they say, can lead to serious medical consequences such as obesity, coronary heart disease and diabetes – as well as shortening one’s life expectancy.
Ideally, eight good-quality sleeping hours is what’s needed to function properly, subject to the individual. When a good sleeping cycle is achieved, there are several things that such sleep does for you. From boosting immunity, slimming (studies have shown that sleeping less than seven hours a day tend to result in weight gain with a higher risk of becoming obese), mental wellbeing, increase sex drive, prevent heart disease and increase fertility.
One way of getting into the habit of having more sleep is to add a couple of hours a night for a good shut-eye over the weekend. Also, forget energy or caffeinated drinks as they may help in the short term but can disrupt sleep patterns in the long term.
To help you regain those precious hours of sleep and renew your sleeping habit, we have come up with a few suggestions for the aid of it.
The Rosewood Alchemy of Sleep full immersion
One way of getting away from all the distractions over a long weekend (or week) and clocking in those precious hours of sleep may lie in the form of a staycation. Granted – a bit costly and you won’t be doing it every weekend. But the Rosewood Alchemy of Sleep offering may set a good example for the state of mind you need to be in for going forward.
Their Sleep Transformation programme is “designed to promote rest through sleep-inducing treatments, movement-driven activities and special amenities”. Although the Asaya facilities in Hong Kong are currently closed due to recent government restrictions, once the facility reopens guests can opt for different type of Alchemy of Sleep immersions. For example, with the two-night/three-day stay, you can choose between staying at Rosewood Hong Kong or the Asaya Lodge, whereas the four-night/five-day stay will only be possible at the Asaya Lodge.
If an extended stay is not the option, Rosewood also offers a “taster” option: Dreamscape – a one-night package at the Asaya Lodge. Though lesser in time but definitely not lesser in experience, this offering includes an Anchor Coach Consultation with Asaya’s resident naturopath, Dr Tal.
In the meantime, if you are outside of Hong Kong, other Alchemy of Sleep retreats are still open to offering their programmes at several Rosewood properties around the globe including Rosewood Little Dix Bay, Rosewood Mayakoba, Rosewood Miramar Beach and Rosewood Sand Hill in California, and Rosewood San Miguel de Allende among others.
Also see: Sleep better with these three grounding crystals
Diet – eat healthy
Eating well and proportionate is also important to help promote better sleep quality. “Not only does dinner affect the quality of sleep at night, but fasting can also adversely affect sleep,” says Eatology, a premium tailor-made meal delivery service in Hong Kong. This healthy-food meal planner offers a range of meal plans including keto, gluten-free, Mediterranean, paleo, vegetarian and lighter delights. The timing at which you eat also greatly influence how well your body segues into the resting phase that follows. “It is best to have dinner before 8 pm. If you’re feeling particularly hungry after dinner, you could have a salad or plain yoghurt.”
High carbs, energy drinks and sugar-sweetened beverages are best avoided and instead, they say, it is best to focus on whole foods with high levels of fibre, and food with sufficient calcium, magnesium and vitamins A, C, D, E and K. “In short, a balanced diet is key,” they explain and add: “The Mediterranean diet may be on of the ideal eating patterns to improve sleep quality, as it focuses on introducing healthy fats (such as olive oil) and a variety of healthy whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, grains and spices into your daily meals.”
All in the genes
There are many factors as to why one doesn’t feel fully rested and recharged after a night’s sleep. Lifestyle is one of them, but another could just be down to genetics.
“If you wake up in the morning and your eyes feel heavy, you feel low energy, and your body feels sore and heavy, you’re not the only one. Statistics from a global sleep survey indicate that 62 per cent of adults feel that they don’t sleep well,” says a Circle DNA article. Founded in 2014, Circle DNA is a DNA testing company with ten global offices and a headquarter in Hong Kong.
Through processing our genetic material, they compile a variety of comprehensive reports – some of which are genetic sleep reports. There are a number of syndromes and disorders that can contribute to the lack of quality rest in our daily lives. Such as the “short sleeper syndrome”, which DNA Circle explains as a genetic condition “which makes it nearly impossible for you to sleep for more than 5 or 6 hours per night”. If despite trying a range of holistic methods still fall short of getting that re-energised feeling in the morning, you can consult a medical specialist to look into it.
The balanced space
One of the first steps to improve sleep is to have a space in which you can fully relax – exuding the right energies to help you reach restfulness. Vanessa Hui, founder of The Crystal Van, suggest keeping mirrors away from the bedroom.
“Mirrors can reflect and double the energy in your space and you don’t want energy bouncing back and forth at night while you sleep,” she explains. Hui also recommends to avoid placing electronic devices such as TVs, laptops and cellphones in the bedroom as EMF radiation from these devices can affect sleep.
“If you must have electronic devices in the bedroom”, she says, “Try placing a grounding crystal such as smoky quartz or shungite (a rare black stone made of up to 99 per cent carbon) next to them to transmute any EMF radiation. If you sleep with your phone nearby, try switching it to Airplane mode to avoid cellular radiation coming through.”
Other crystals conducive to a good night sleep are lepidolite, amethyst and selenite.
Also see: #legendasks: How to create a floral self-care sanctuary at home
