Rest: a surefire remedy for stress.
ARE WE SLEEPING WELL?
Something as natural and simple as going to bed and sleeping shouldn’t be a luxury—it’s a basic necessity. However, getting a good night’s rest—those 7 or 8 hours of restorative sleep—seems to be somewhat elusive, since, according to the Spanish Society of Neurology (link https://www.sen.es/), more than 12 million people wake up every day feeling like they’ve slept poorly or haven’t rested enough, and more than 4 million people in Spain suffer from sleep disorders.
But most people who suffer from these sleep disorders are subject to exhausting days filled with hours of commuting, household chores, work pressure, excessive noise, late dinners sometimes followed by other tasks or a final check of messages, emails, etc. It’s not always possible to visit a Hammam or a spa regularly, or to have access to in-home physical therapy services, so we have to make use of the resources available to us and, very importantly, muster a minimum of willpower to consider rest as something even more important than food; in fact, it’s better to go to bed without dinner than to have eaten a late, poor-quality meal—or none at all.
REPARAITIVE SLEEP
Getting a good night’s sleep is probably the best remedy not only for reducing stress and anxiety but also for achieving an optimal level of well-being.
At HAMMAM AL ÁNDALUS, we welcome many people every day who, in the late hours of the day, are looking for a relaxing and restorative ritual to help them sleep better. It is well known that a session in the hot bath followed by a relaxing massage with a body oil that promotes rest is an excellent way to prepare for a restful night’s sleep, provided that no more than an hour passes between the Hammam session (link HAA) and bedtime.
Using just a Hydro-Nourishing Body Oil and, optionally, a Scented Mist from El JARDÍN DE HAMMAM (link to Store), it’s easy to treat yourself to a short 15-minute ritual that prepares your body and mind for a more peaceful and restorative sleep.
OUR RESTFUL RITUAL
- Set a time that is as consistent as possible to begin the ritual and prepare for sleep.
- Choose a good body oil for a soothing self-massage; the Lavender Harmony Hydro-Nourishing Oil (link to product) or Calm Rose (link to product) are particularly recommended.
- Massage the oil into the areas where tension tends to build up, typically the neck, nape, and shoulders…
- Don’t forget to massage both wrists and the knuckles as well.
- You can use a scented mist with the same fragrance as the oil to spray on your pillow and sheets, then go to bed right away and keep the room dark.
- Now is the time to get into a comfortable position; sleeping on your side is best for your brain. Focus solely on your breathing and the sensations of the moment, and let sleep come and stay.