In our Summer 17 issue, we focused on wellness; feeling less stressed and more relaxed, energised and happy. In the wake of stressful jobs, Brexit and wondering whether Facebook has stolen your personality, these relaxed and happy feelings are more important than ever. Being in the mountains at any time of year is a massive boost to most our general wellness levels, but here are a few products and services to help you navigate the general hustle and bustle of daily life.
Lumie Bodyclock GO 75 Alarm Clock
Forget phone alarms, clock radios and any alarm clocks that jerk you out of a pleasant sleep with a stressful, traumatising jolt. The Lumie Bodyclock GO 75 wakes you up naturally over twenty, thirty or forty-five minutes with a light sequence that mimics the sunrise and non-offensive sounds. Don’t worry though, it has an alarm beep for backup! This ‘simulated dawn’ eases your body out of producing sleep hormones and helps you wake up in a stress-free, relaxing manor. This gives you more energy and helps you start the day feeling fresh, instead of tired and traumatised. The best thing is that it also works the other way, with a light and sound function that eases you into a good night’s sleep, too.
£74.95
prAna Nomad Travel Yoga Mat
There are many physical and mental benefits to practicing yoga – any yogi will tell you. If you can’t get enough of strengthening, stretching and mind-clearing, or if you want to begin your yoga journey right, the Nomad Travel Mat is a great place to start. Made by eco-friendly, sustainable clothing brand, prAna, it’s lightweight and compact but doesn’t compromise on grip or cushioning. It’s also non-toxic, recyclable and biodegradable and is protected against sun damage. Plus, the closed cell structure means you can lay it anywhere and it won’t absorb harmful bacteria and odours. Namaste!
€50
BRUU Tea Club Monthly Subscription
There really is nothing better than tea. There are so many different types and they can do anything from help you sleep and ease your pain, to making you feel more awake. That’s why we love BRUU’s monthly tea subscription service; you can try three new loose-leaf teas each month, and they’re delivered directly to your door! Like Netflix, you just enter your tea preferences online and they send you teas they think you might like. The best thing is that BRUU’s teas are all ethically sourced and made with fresh ingredients, so all you need to do is sit back with your cuppa and relax!
£10 per month (and they ship internationally!)
Faith in Nature Hemp Soap
If you read The Then and Now of Wellness Trends feature you’ll know that hemp is really good for you; a strain of the cannabis plant, it has all the parts that make you feel calm and relaxed but none of the parts that make you high. This hand-made hemp oil and green tea soap from Faith in Nature is awesome because it’s made from sustainably sourced, natural and organic ingredients. It’s also vegan, hasn’t been tested on animals, doesn’t contain any parabens and is super cheap. A guilt and stress-free shower awaits!
£10.90 (for a pack of six)
PauseAble Interactive Meditation Apps
An app that teaches you how to meditate? Yes, really. Not just hippy mumbo jumbo, PauseAble have created two science and research-based apps that provide interactive meditation sessions designed to fit into your hectic schedule. Interactive meditation is based on the kind of meditation involved in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, but is tailored to (and proven to be more effective for) busy, noisy environments, like the bus, train or workplace. Meditating using sound and movement helps the body’s ‘rest and digest’ response kick in and draw your attention away from the hustle and bustle going on around you. And you come out the other side feeling de-stressed, focused and ready to go. Want to know more? Check out our interview with Peng Cheng, the brains behind PauseAble HERE.
Pause: £1.99
Sway: £2.99
