4 wellness retreats for your tired soul

This article first appeared on Go Away's 4 Wellness Retreats For Your Tired Soul

And two of these retreats are in Singapore!

Ever wished you could hit the "Reset" button on life? You're not alone. A survey conducted in 2015 by workplace provider Regus found that more than half of senior managers and business owners in Singapore are experiencing greater stress now than they were five years ago.

While stress is an inevitable part of life, we don't have to let it overwhelm us. Especially not when there's a slew of wellness retreats designed to specially help you take a step back from the harried treadmill of life.

Six Senses Laamu, Maldives

Photo: Six Senses Laamu

If you've always fantasised about having your own private island, Six Senses Laamu - which is the only resort located on the Laamu Atoll in the Indian Ocean - is as good as it gets. This luxurious resort is a combination of on-land and over-water villas, all constructed with sustainable materials, and dotted across an idyllic landscape. In December 2015, Six Senses Laamu launched a three-night Mind Fitness programme, which is a series of treatments designed to calm and "exercise your mind".

Some of these treatments include Nasyam, a therapeutic treatment that uses medicated oils to gently cleanse the nasal and sinus cavities and the throat to promote oxygenation and clarity of mind; Pranayama, which comprises breathing techniques to strengthen your respiratory system and improve focus and memory; and Shirodhara, an ancient stress-releasing practice where warm oil is poured over the third eye. In Ayurveda, this practice is said to help treat fatigue, mental exhaustion, anxiety, insomnia, and other conditions related to the nervous system.

For more information, click here.

Kamalaya Koh Samui, Thailand

Photo: Kamalaya Koh Samui

In February 2016, Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa in Koh Samui was awarded "Best Destination Spa" at the prestigious Conde Nast Traveller Spa Awards. And it's easy to see why. Centred around a centuries-old cave, which was once used by Buddhist monks as a place for meditation and spiritual retreat, Kamalaya is synonymous with peace of mind.

Here at Kamalaya, they have a suite of wellness programs to cater for every imaginable urban woe - from fitness and yoga to detox and sleep enhancement. If you prefer something customised to your specific needs, the naturopaths at Kamalaya are also able to put together a tailor-made programme for your stay at the retreat. So, whether you're looking to achieve even more specific goals, adjust the intensity of a programme, or perhaps focus on a particular modality such as Ayurveda, Naturopathy or Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kamalaya is well-poised to meet your needs.

For more information, click here.

COMO Shambhala Urban Escape, Singapore

Photo: COMO Shambhala Urban Escape

Bring out your best self - both personally and professionally - with this three-week course designed by COMO Shambhala Urban Escape and Club 21 Style Services. Created by a team of experts, this "Holistic Overhaul" programme aims to cover four primary concerns: work, relationships, health, and nutrition.

The first week of the course focuses on nutrition, and includes a session with COMO Shambhala's resident naturopath to create a customised eating plan that can help you tackle stress, fatigue, and food allergies. Week two includes an intensive coaching session with Ralitza Peeva, COMO's Wellness, Leadership and Life Coach to set health, personal, and work goals, and devise practical steps to achieve them.

Finally, in week three, you'll have a session with Mind Body Guide, Per Van Spall, who will use personal energy work to help remove blockages from and stimulate the natural energy flow of your body. Plus, you'll also receive a hair and makeup makeover and personalised wardrobe styling at Club 21 Style Services with certified Style Coach Lani Chan.

The 'Holistic Overhaul' programme includes three group yoga or Pilates sessions per week as well as one 60-minute spa treatment and a $100 voucher to be used during the styling session.

For more information, email singapore@comoshambhala.com

Emerge Performance MBSR Course, Singapore

Photo: Go Away

Mindfulness-based stress reduction, better known as MBSR, is a mindfulness-based programme designed to help people better manage pain, whether it's due to physical conditions or emotional issues. MBSR taps on a variety of mindfulness-based practices such as mindfulness meditation, body awareness, and yoga to improve one's state of health and increase awareness to one's daily living. Benefits of MBSR include stress management, better sleep, and pain relief. It can also help alleviate symptoms caused by health problems such as anxiety, depression, headaches, and high blood pressure.

This programme was created in 1979 by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the Center for Mindfulness, University of Massachusetts Medical School, and is now available in Singapore via trained instructor Lim Han Ee, who studied under the instruction of Kabat-Zinn. While a typical MBSR course takes place over eight weeks, Lim has created an abridged four-week programme for those who find it challenging to commit to the full eight weeks.

Readers of Go Away's sister website, Material World, will be entitled to discounts for the upcoming MBSR courses. Click here for more information.

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