From exercise and outdoor activity to stargazing trips to wellness programmes destinations are showing the way to adopt lifestyle changes to achieve restfulness and good sleep. This gains significance in March – a month dedicated to sleep awareness.
Chronic sleep issues are growing globally due to upended routines, more screen time and irregular physical activity, increased food and alcohol consumption, and dissolving boundaries between work and private life. However, research shows that exercise and time outdoors improves sleep by reducing stress and producing feelings of calm.
Las Catalinas
Car-free Las Catalinas on Costa Rica’s Gold Coast is an outdoor paradise for hikers, trail runners, mountain bikers, yogis, kayakers, paddleboarders and water enthusiasts. Bordered by a tropical dry forest and the Pacific Ocean, Las Catalinas has taken cars out of the equation, encouraging guests and residents to spend more time outdoors on foot (or on bike).
It offers day-long opportunities for outdoor activity – making it easy to fall in step with the well-living ethos in town. An extensive network of 26 miles of world-class, single-track trails offers views of the stunning coastline and valleys, wildlife, while lending great spots for forest bathing and meditation.
The day concludes with a chance for a cold plunge the town’s wellness hub Center of Joy for an ice bath therapy that has been found to improve overall sleep quality.
This outdoor escapade to Las Catalinas provides a chance to stay at the boutique Santarena Hotel or one of the many flats or villas in the Las Catalinas Collection.
Also, Xterra Costa Rica brings its world-class, off-road triathlon to Las Catalinas from August 23-25, 2024.
Maharaja’s Palace Estate
A luxury, award-winning wellness retreat on a 100-acre Maharaja’s Palace Estate in the Himalayan foothills overlooking the spiritual river Ganga and Rishikesh valley, Ananda in the Himalayas offers a holistic ‘Sleep Enhancement Program’.
It utilises lifestyle modifications, dietary corrections, Ayurveda including Panchakarma and Shamana therapies, Yoga and Emotional Healing, Traditional Chinese Medicine including Acupuncture, Cupping and Moxibustion.
The programme aims to improve sleep quality, energy, and attention, remove associated memory difficulties, cognitive dysfunction, or fatigue.
A Stargazing Journey
Stargazing has been widely known to help with sleep issues. Exposure to natural light regulates Circadian rhythms and it’s an activity that can reduce daily screen time, promoting a more restful state.
Travel company Naya Traveler has designed a journey to see the stars throughout Latin America.
The Patagonian Steppe, a desert in Argentina, might be known for its dramatic landscapes and temperamental weather, yet on a cloudless winter night, visitors can watch the Milky Way ‘dance’ over the snow-capped peaks of the Andes and reflect on the icy glaciers.
Trek the Perito Moreno glacier by day and the other-worldly Southern constellations by night, guided by an astronomer who will unveil the mysteries that lie beyond our galaxy.
Naya Traveler designs tailor-made journeys to Argentina, besides Chile, Bolivia, and Peru.
Calabash Cove Resort and Spa
Studies have found that going plant-based can improve sleep and help alleviate insomnia. Plant-based diets are high in complex carbohydrates, including fibre and isoflavones which may help with quality sleep.
Plant-based foods can also be sources of tryptophan and melatonin, which are known to aid in good sleep hygiene and help regulate sleep.
As one of the few properties in Saint Lucia to offer a robust vegan menu and dedicated vegan dinner, Calabash Cove Resort and Spa offers vegan and vegetarian dishes with ingredients locally sourced from organic farms and fishermen.
The boutique 26-room, eco-conscious Caribbean resort also features Ti Spa where guests can indulge in an hour-long aromatherapy massage using essential oils derived from plants widely known for promoting relaxation and better sleep. Each essential oil has healing properties and can also be used for inhalation during treatment. Essential oils such as lavender, ylang-ylang, chamomile and vetiver are excellent choices for someone suffering with insomnia.
