Franka Hänig knows her stuff
Orange juice and saunas in hotels were once considered wellness offerings. But expectations have risen significantly. But wellness hotels and thermal baths as well as other facilities are currently closed due to the Corona crisis. Wellness is also possible at home. An expert gives tips.
Tip 1: Gentle start to the morning
Slept well and ready for the new day? How about a gentle workout to activate your body? The sun salutation, a special sequence of twelve different asanas, i.e. yoga exercises, performed dynamically, will get you going.
Another plus point: yoga has been proven to strengthen the immune system! The great thing about these joint-friendly stretching exercises: you don’t actually need anything except a yoga mat. If you don’t have one to hand, a rug will do just fine. Ten minutes is more than enough. And you’ll see, you won’t want to miss this morning ritual any more.
By the way: There are numerous YouTube tutorials on the Internet. And many local yoga studios now also have their own videos on their websites. A good opportunity to try something new while the gym is closed.
Tip 2: Let the sun into your heart
Sunlight stimulates vitamin D production. Together with calcium, this helps against possible osteoporosis. UVB rays are also important stimuli for the hormone system. When light falls on the retina, the brain stem begins to produce the happiness hormone serotonin.
Despite all the enthusiasm for the sun, from now on, when you go outside, never go without sunscreen. Too much UV radiation damages the skin, making it look old and wrinkled. So it’s best not to go for a walk during your lunch break, but before you go to work in your home office or in the afternoon after all those video conferences.
My tip: After a long stay in the garden, gently cleanse your face, apply a moisturising mask, put your feet up and relax for a few minutes – perhaps with a meditation CD?
Tip 3: My bathroom? My home spa!
At least once a week, the bathroom is now yours alone. If your stay at the wellness hotel had to be cancelled, your bathroom at home can now become your home spa. So turn off the lights and light the candles.
Do you like scented candles? Then I recommend mood-enhancing scents like rose geranium, bergamot, grapefruit and calming ones like orange, lavender and vanilla. Instead of a bubble bath, use a few drops of nourishing almond oil so that your skin doesn’t dry out while you bathe.
Before bathing, gently rub the body with a brush
Before you get into the water, gently rub your body with a brush or loofah sponge. After bathing, massage a rich body butter or body oil from your feet to your shoulders, slip into your comfortable homewear and relax. At least 30 minutes.
Tip for hands that are worn out and cracked by constant washing: spread the body butter on them to a thickness of a knife’s back and put on thin cotton gloves or loose-fitting rubber gloves. It’s best to leave it on overnight.
Tip 4: Good night!
At night, our body regenerates, fights off illnesses and makes us strong for the next day. In addition to a balanced diet and regular exercise, restful sleep is the key to a physically and mentally healthy life. Make the most of your time at home.
An extra portion of sleep
Instead of drinking something in the evening and going to bed late, it’s better to get an extra portion of sleep. To ensure good dreams, air out the bedroom beforehand and drink a relaxing tea with hops or lemon balm. So-called pillow sprays are also great; they contain fine essential oils that also have a sleep-inducing effect.
Smartphones have no place in the bedroom
Tip: Smartphones have no place in the bedroom. In addition to the electromagnetic waves, it is primarily the blue light, the so-called HEV radiation (high energy visible light) from the display, that signals to the eyes and brain that it is not yet time for bed. So it is no wonder if you can no longer sleep after the tenth WhatsApp message.
Relaxing during a wellness weekend, recharging the batteries – that is something many people appreciate. In the Corona crisis, corresponding facilities such as hotels or thermal baths are not allowed to open. However, everyone can treat themselves to wellness at home, finds Franka Haenig As editor-in-chief of the wellness travel magazine “SPA inside” published in Baden-Baden, she knows some of the best wellness hotels in the world from her own experience. She cites the wellness area in Brenners Parkhotel in Baden-Baden as a model for many international hotels. But operations there are currently suspended too. Wellness, which means physical and mental well-being, has very different meanings for many people: one person relaxes by reading a book under a tree, another by jogging, taking a bath in the tub or lying on a lounger by the pool. “Everyone has to find out for themselves what is good for them,” recommends Hänig. She does miss traveling at the moment, admits the editor-in-chief of the monthly glossy magazine. Most recently, in February, she took a closer look at a new hotel in Mallorca. “I have never been at home for so long at a time,” reports the journalist. But she and her authors are not running out of topics, she assures us. The core idea is to awaken wanderlust in readers, which will hopefully awaken again when the Corona restrictions are lifted.
What does she miss most at the moment? “The sea!” She enjoys spending time with her family on the Breton coast in France. But you don’t necessarily have to travel far to experience beautiful things. Germany also offers many wonderful destinations. She also has an insider tip for wellness vacationers: the Spreewald – “simply magical.”