Ria Elaina – Back To The Beginning

Chill In

Ria Elaina Atkins

A Mum’s Life

Let me introduce myself – I’m Ria, Mum of two, married to my handsome hubby. I’m born and bred in my beloved Surrey and spend most of my time between here and London. I’m a handbag and shoe addict and lover of all things luxe.

To find out more about Ria’s luxe lifestyle follow her on Instagram @ria.elaina BACK TO THE BEGINNING

Hello and a Happy New Year to you all! January is an opportunity to stop and take stock of the year that has passed, before we delve ahead into what is to come. It has been a tricky year for most, with uncertainty and worry.

As some of you may know, I am a huge believer in self-care. Taking the time out to do something for you is so important for your physical and mental health. It can be anything from having a bath to getting a massage. Like many I lead a busy life, so I like

THE BEGINNING

to take some down time which doesn’t involve speaking to anyone. I love nothing more than a relaxing, but firm, full body massage to lull me into relaxation mode. My absolute favourite spas in Surrey have to be Pennyhill Park and Coworth Park. When I was 18 my Mother took me to Pennyhill Park for my first spa experience, I was hooked and still to this day believe it is the best spa in Surrey. I love how they have a variety of relaxation rooms, from the ice room to the thermal room, as well as indoor and outdoor pools. The best bit is the secret sensory room with gel beds that you get taken to after your treatments. Total and utter bliss!

There are many wonderful apps that can help bring the spa to your home. Through one of these apps I found a very skillful masseuse who was just excellent at finding all my knots with the perfect amount of pressure. I put the kids to bed and set up a plinth in my lounge with candles and relaxing music. A little tip - I like to book the very last appointment of the day so that I can roll into bed and sleep with all the lovely oils on my skin.

Many people struggle with sleep. I think it can be beneficial to seek help if you are in a pattern of not sleeping, as the root cause can stem from worry or anxiety. If you are experiencing this, please book an appointment with your GP who can make an appropriate referral for you. Alongside healthy eating and exercise, supplements are a great way to make sure you area getting enough vitamins and minerals. I find the vitamin world overwhelming so I love that JS Health Vitamins have ones targeting specific health needs. I love to take my daily JS Health Vitamins and can certainly see a difference since using the skin and digestion ones.

I find the Calm App really helps me to switch off, with a fantastic array of sleep stories and relaxing sounds. I find listening to stories read by Alan Sklar especially relaxing. I like to also use my Neom diffuser with lavender oils to address all the senses and send me into the deepest sleep possible.

I recently attended a sound healing session which was one of the most unique experiences of my life. It’s an ancient meditative practice that uses aspects of music to improve physical and emotional health and well-being.

My amazing therapist Dao of Chan Tri Wellness is a gong master and has a deepened understanding of the immense power of sound. Using the gong and sound bowls which she placed on various points along my body, she created harmonic vibrations which sent me into a deep meditative state. Sound therapy is known to work by a process called entrainment. This basically provides a stable frequency that our brainwaves can adapt to which takes us into a more relaxed consciousness. Studies have shown that if the body and mind are more relaxed, this then can help reduce the likelihood of illnesses that are associated with stress such as high blood pressure, depression and sleep disorders. I personally found after the session I had a greater sense of calm, I also had one of the best nights sleep that I have ever had….until the 6am wake-up call the next morning!