Where to get your ‘Wellness’ fix in London

The ‘Wellness’ trend is stronger than ever. Read on for our tips on where to get your wellness fix in the city.

 

Technology’s over-stimulating effects and our increasingly fast-paced society have left many of us craving the simplicity of mindfulness and ‘self-care’ practices. And there’s no better time than January to brush off the cobwebs and re-set yourself for the year ahead.

The Sound Bath

Ahhhhh… the sound bath. If you’ve never come across this blissful experience, ‘sound healing’ is an ancient Tibetan practice that is now mainstream. It involves immersing oneself, via meditation, in the surrounding sounds of singing bowls and other vibrating instruments. Sound Baths are proven to reduce stress and anxiety.

What could be more relaxing, then, than a Candlelit Sound Bath at Dopamine Land? Running on selected dates throughout January, the 75-minute session involves meditating among hundreds of candles and the dulcet tones of the gong. Tickets are priced at £24.95 with an optional yoga mat rental for £5.50.

At Tantra Sound Club by Warren Street station, get lost in the Nepalese Sound Healing Workshop with Live Immersive Experience. Every Thursday, from 6.30-8pm, learn about the properties of sound and experience a guided relaxation and sound listening. There is also the chance to stand in an individual vertical sound bath! Tickets are £25.

 

 Yoga

Yoga originates from Northern India and was conceived thousands of years ago, before even the first religions were established. It combines physical postures with breathing techniques, meditation and relaxation.

What could be more pleasant than practising yoga while 8-10 puppies play and roam freely around, or even, on you? On 22 Jan and on other selected dates, make your way to Angel for Puppy Yoga. Being around animals literally makes you happier as it releases the love hormone, oxytocin, which relieves stress.  Classes are from 7.30pm to 8.45pm and are priced at £35.

For another style of yoga with a twist, try Hot Yoga. It’s essentially Hatha Yoga but with the temperature cranked up. You’ll sweat toxins out but also loosen stiff limbs, enabling more flexible postures. Try it for yourself at House of Hot Yoga in Islington. It’s £22 for a drop-in class.

Check out other studios More Yoga, Triyoga and Frame, among many others. Alternatively, look out for yoga classes at unusual locations such as the Temperate House at Kew Gardens.

 

Meditation & Breathwork

 

Meditation has the power to calm the mind and create stillness in an otherwise hectic world. There are many places in the capital where you can escape the hustle and bustle and be ‘zen’.

At the London Buddhist Centre, a temple in Bethnal Green, classes are free, and there’s no need to book.  The beginners Buddhist Meditation class on Thursdays starts at 7.30pm (with a cup of tea offered before class) and a teacher takes you through the meditation.

Re: Mind in Eccleston Yards is a wellness studio offering many different classes. Its warm, womb-like colour pallet and low lighting create an instantly calming space. Try a drop-in mediation session as well as other bespoke classes such as the one-hour Restorative Breathwork.  A teacher guides you in softening your breath and bringing a deeper awareness to your body and mind: excellent for relieving stress.

 

Cryotherapy

 

Cryotherapy is when your body is exposed to temperatures as low as -110c for up to three minutes. It provides many health benefits including reducing inflammation, weightloss, improving memory and energising the body and mind. At LondonCryo in Belgravia, you can try an introductory session of full body Cryotherapy for £59. Brrrrrr!