4 minute read
Spoil someone this christmas
FAUNA AUDIO GLASSES
We just love the Fauna Audio Glasses! Admittedly, I didn’t expect to. Who needs audio glasses, I thought, only to be converted by their quality, ease of use, comfort level and stylish design.
The benefits, I learnt, are open-air listening and situational awareness meaning you can be fully aware of bikes, babies, birds and bees as you bop along to your favourite tune. The sound quality is very good - different to the fullness of earbuds though - more of a feeling of music in the background and pleasantly so. The Fauna glasses connect to your device via Bluetooth and can connect to your phone’s voice assistant too. Answering calls is a simple double-tap and call quality is similar to holding your phone to your ear.
And they look good. With stylish designs and clear or tinted Carl Zeiss lenses that can be replaced by your own prescription lenses if needed. We tried the Fabula Crystal Brown which was comfortable and surprisingly light, weighing just 15g more than my regular sunglasses.
https://wearfauna.com
SPOIL SOMEONE THIS CHRISTMAS
By Tess De Klerk
LUMIE DESKLAMP
Perhaps not the most fun of Christmas gifts but it makes our list because it’s a truly beneficial gift. Let’s face it, winter can be tough; the lack of consistent sunlight affects us and can lead to fatigue, lowered productivity and affect our moods. In comes Lumie, with 30 years of research and innovation in using light therapy to boost overall wellbeing. The company offers a variety of well-thought-out, quality products of which we tested the Lumie Desklamp for bright light therapy over a two-week period. With four tap-control light levels, a removable diffuser and adjustable neck, the lamp is sturdy, easy to use and effectively boosts mood, alertness and concentration. We have found the Lumie Desklamp to be a fantastic tool of resistance against the mid-afternoon slump. I, for one, will be using my Lumie throughout the year.
Lumie also offers Wake-up Lights that simulate sunrise to gently rouse you from sleep. Give the gift of light
www.lumie.com/collections#sad-lights
MAKE A DONATION IN SOMEONE’S NAME
Most charities offer the option of donating in someone else’s name and, what a terrific gift to give! Find out which causes lie close to their hearts and donate. Many organisations offer cards or souvenir gift packages to go with donations. For instance, the Red Cross sends printed cards or e-cards to people who’ve had donations made in their names. Save the Children provides printed tribute cards that explain how the donation is being spent. If your charity doesn’t provide notification, a mention in their Christmas card will do the job.
Keep your receipts since your donation may be tax-deductible.
THERAGUN MINI
At-home massagers have come a long way in recent years. Looking for a powerful, convenient massage? Try the Theragun Mini – it has a boatload of power! Probably not for the most fragile among us, this massager delivers deep tissue percussion massage that leaves you in no doubt that you’ve been pummeled.
The vigorous vibrations created by this drill-like device drastically increase blood flow to the muscles and help to reduce tension, loosen knots and, crucially, calm inflammation. It is a game-changer when it comes to avoiding Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) after exercise and we found it equally effective in working through those aches and pains caused by hunching over a computer. It has three-speed settings and at first, I thought I would never go beyond the lowest setting due to its power but before I knew it I found myself on the fastest speed! Weighing less than 1.5lbs, it’s easy to use and manoeuvre and small enough to pop in your gym bag and desk drawer. We also liked how the battery charge seemed to last forever.
www.therabody.com/uk/ en-gb/4th-generation-devices
SENSATE
Deceivingly plain and simple in appearance but effective in function. We found that this pebble-shaped wearable induced deep relaxation with its calming vibrations and accompanying audio app.
The Sensate is said to stimulate the vagus nerve which runs all the way from the brain to the digestive system and is part of our parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for our ‘rest & digest’ state, i. e. state of calm and relaxation. The device should be placed on the sternum and connected to the app to listen to one of the provided soundtracks as the Sensate vibrates along with the audio. The vibrations are low frequency but deliver quite a powerful sensory experience and we found the device to be very soothing. I consistently found myself in a meditative state within a few minutes of lying back, putting my headphones on and letting the Sensate do its thing. A bit costly for what it is but we like it and think it will make a good gift for those wanting a touch of zen in their lives.
