WELLNESS MATTERS

European Spa shines a light on the latest global wellness treands and modalities

Edited by Mark Smith

EDITOR’S PICK

Mindful movement gains momentum

Working to improve health, relieve stress and increase focus, mindful movement has become a global success. European Spa reveals how spas can adapt their offering to bring balance and tranquillity to their guests

Mindful movement is broadly defined as any form of exercise that is performed with mindful awareness. The techniques can be delicate and slow or strong and fast but tend to include mental and internal focus, body awareness and controlled breathing.

Image courtesy of Euphoria Retreat, Greece

The Global Wellness Institute’s (GWI) 2019 Move to be Well: The Global Economy of Physical Activity valued the global mindful movement market at $29 billion (£22bn/€24.5bn), and as Beth McGroarty, research director at the GWI, explains, the appetite for these techniques is growing.

“Coming out of the pandemic, people are so incredibly stressed and the demand for mindful movement – which is slower, grounds people, and tackles anxiety – is even greater,” she says. “This includes yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, mindful stretching and simple movement paired with breathwork.”

Beth McGroarty Research Director, GWI Ophelia Yeung Senior research fellow, GWI Karen Atkinson Senior partner, Mindfulness UK Mindful movement also includes Pilates, stretch and barre, as well as other less mainstream somatic and energy-based practices such as Gyrotonic and the Feldenkrais Method.

Image courtesy of Euphoria Retreat, Greece

People have been enjoying mindful-based modalities for some years and now are seeking a wider range of slower-paced alternatives that combine mindful movement and exercise.

Ophelia Yeung, senior research fellow at the GWI and co-author of the report says: “Across the board, there is growing interest in, and increasing recognition of, the importance of mind-body health.”

Getting to the core The continual evolution of wellness has seen a deeper understanding of how the body and mind connect and that treating an individual in a holistic way has become central to spa programming. Karen Atkinson, senior partner at Mindfulness UK, explains why this connection is so powerful.

Image courtesy of Euphoria Retreat, Greece

“Choosing to pay attention to the body while in movement can be a meditative process,” she says. “Rather than moving mindlessly, rushing from A to B, a client learns to shift from autopilot to become more attuned to the experiences and effects of movement in their body, emotions and thoughts, and can transfer these skills to everyday life.”

For spas, there are many opportunities to bring these benefits to guests during their wellness journeys. They can offer dedicated classes, but as McGroarty notes, mindful practices also work well in nature and can be creatively combined into treatments.

“They add an important stress-tackling, mental element to the treatment and really engages people, and makes them part of what can be more passive experiences,” concludes Karen Atkinson. www.globalwellnessinstitute.org www.mindfulnessuk.com

Rockliffe Hall’s new wellbeing manager develops retreat programmes

Rockliffe Hall, a five-star luxury golf and spa hotel in the north-east of England, has appointed Peter Bell as its first wellbeing manager.

Drawing on his background as a sports therapist and fitness manager at the hotel, Bell, pictured below, leading a Nordic walking class, will implement a new set of wellbeing initiatives, including a series of day retreats designed to achieve a sense of contentment, invigoration and relief from stress.

The new programmes will be available to everyone connected to the property, from team members to golf and spa members, hotel guests, the local community and corporate companies.

Bell has developed three new day retreats focused on achieving a sense of contentment, vitality and stress reduction. Based around Nordic walking, meditation and mental health, the day-long sessions include four hours in the spa, a combination of yoga, movement and mental relaxation, plus a nutritious two-course lunch in its brand-new restaurant Nu Sana.

www.rockliffehall.com

Wild Life Botanicals launches spa-ready cans of de-alcoholised wine

Tapping into the wider trend for low-alcohol beverage alternatives, Wild Life Botanicals has introduced single-serve sizes to its sparkling de-alcoholised wine product line.

Ideal for individuals in a spa or wellness setting, the English-made drink offers an elixir of botanicals and eight vitamins. Its Nude and Blush has just 0.5% alcohol by volume and more than 60% fewer calories than Champagne or Prosecco.

The drinks are blended with botanicals including damask rose, lemon balm, rosemary and ashwagandha, renowned for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and mood-boosting credentials. Damiana is said to offer an aphrodisiac, energetic and mood-boosting effect.

The 250ml cans have been developed to appeal to a growing market in the UK and abroad. The brand is found in prestigious retailers including Harvey Nichols and Harrods as well as Champneys and Pennyhill Park spas. www.wildlifebotanicals.co.uk

Preidlhof celebrates Quiet Stay certification with new holistic experiences

Preidlhof in South Tyrol, Italy, has been certified as a Quiet Stay by Quiet Parks International, a non-profit organisation that is committed to the preservation of quiet places. The hotel and spa’s certification followed an audit involving the measurement of noise pollution as well as checks to ensure that the wellness resort promotes silence and internal and external regeneration.

Spa director and transformational wellness coach Patrizia Bortolin (pictured far right) has developed a series of new holistic experiences that embrace silence both within the spa and in the world outside.

Guests are encouraged to appreciate stillness and observe its benefits to their physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. A variety of nature-inspired techniques includes silent walks, mindfulness in a scented garden, sensorial journeys in the countryside, Kneipp journeys walking barefoot in the surrounding hills and wild swimming.

Stefano Battaglia leads forest immersions in the surrounding woods and neuropsychologist and experiential trainer Norma Jean Botticelli helps guests learn to develop the natural intelligence of their senses using apples from the Val Venosta region. www.preidlhof.it | www.quietparks.org

Amanzoe introduces high-tech wellness into its holistic healing ethos

Renowned for its holistic healing traditions, Amanzoe has added new high-tech, machine-based wellness treatments to its natural product and treatment menu.

Mimicking the results of altitude training, the spa’s new Cellgym experience is designed to improve energy efficiency and performance through intermittent hypoxia hyperoxia training (IHHT). The treatment involves sitting or lying down wearing a specialised breathing mask while the body consumes a combination of normal, oxygen-rich and oxygen-reduced air.

The therapy is said to improve energy levels, enhance performance during physical exercise and aid faster recovery. The spa has also introduced complementary therapies to support and increase the benefits for guests.

Focusing on the face, the MesoJet skin rejuvenation system incorporates supersonic sub-dermal infusions of anti-ageing ingredients with skin tightening radiofrequency, ThermiShape technology, to transform the skin. On-site expert medical professionals also offer the IV Vitamin Push treatment, an intravenous therapy that delivers vitamins, minerals, and amino acids directly into the bloodstream. www.amanzoe.com

Every breath you take

Stuart Sandeman, founder of Breathpod, explains how breathwork classes can energise spa guests and help them to live happier and healthier lives

Breathing coach, DJ and host of BBC Radio One’s Decompression Session, Stuart Sandeman has worked with award-winning artists, Olympic athletes, top business executives and global brands. Sandeman’s unique breathwork method helps to support mental and emotional wellbeing, performance, energy, productivity, communication, confidence, and focus. We asked him how this can be useful to spas.

Why is the breath so powerful?

Breath is the gateway to the autonomic nervous system (ANS) responsible for the fight-flightfreeze response. This makes it incredibly powerful, because the ANS regulates the heart rate, immune response, digestion and more.

How can breathwork help people?

It can help you focus more, think more clearly, alleviate feelings of stress and anxiety, sleep more deeply and have more energy throughout the day. It also has the potential to help deal with trauma, and mental, physical, and emotional blocks that may be rooted in past experience.

“Under the guidance of a trained professional, the effects of breathwork are stronger and real transformation is possible.

– Stuart Sandeman, Founder, Breathpod

It’s totally accessible – anyone, anywhere can do it – and breathwork puts power in the hands of the individual but under the guidance of a trained professional, the effects are stronger and longer-lasting, and real transformation is possible. The Breathpod technique works at different levels of conscious awareness and uses tailored music to help people relax easily into the session which gives our sessions a contemporary vibe.

How can spa operators introduce breathwork sessions into their offering?

The first step is to determine your needs and the needs of your guests. Then you can talk to a trained breathwork expert, who can help you design and carry out a tailored breathwork programme that’s right for you. There are different schools of breathwork, and of course, all spa and wellness operators will be slightly different. It’s important to find what works for you.

www.breathpod.me