While each type of wellness retreat is slightly different and each has their own focus, all retreat getaways are sure to provide you with more benefits than you can imagine! With healthy food, juices and tea, positive teachers, regular yoga lessons and beautiful natural surrounds, Me Time Away retreats aim to offer a peaceful atmosphere in which to slow down and to connect with yourself, nature and others around you. Here we give you a run-through of the top ten benefits of treating yourself to a wellness retreat this summer but we imagine you’ll discover even more when you get out there and enjoy a retreat for yourself.
Time To Slow Down
One of the real highlights of taking a wellness retreat is that it gives you time to slow down and relax from the stresses of daily life. We live in such a busy world filled with constant stimulation, endless social media feeds, work anxiety and relationship struggles, that it’s no wonder it all gets too much sometimes. Unlike a regular holiday where you can keep half an eye on what’s going on in the office, a wellness retreat encourages you to take a step back and consider putting yourself and your health first.
Switch Off From Technology
The easiest way to do this is to disconnect from technology. We find it so easy to distract ourselves with social media, podcasts, music and on-demand TV that we rarely have time to ourselves just to be. Having a digital detox, even if only for a few days allows you to unwind, lower your stress levels, be more aware of your surroundings and even open up your creative channels. When you remove technology from your day-to-day life, you’ll be amazed at how much more time you have to focus on things that make you feel good. Whether that’s going for a walk, meditating, doing yoga or meeting new people, you’ll be glad you put your phone or tablet down and was present in the moment.
Connect With New People
As humans, we are inherently social animals so it’s not really surprising that there has been an increase in isolation, loneliness and mental health issues in line with us becoming a more physically disconnected society. While social media has made it feel as though we’re more connected than ever, we are in fact having less honest, social connection then in generations gone by. Social relationships are vital to both our mental and physical health and taking part in a wellness retreat is a great way to connect with like-minded individuals on a real, human level.
Realign With Your Values
Another benefit of treating yourself to a wellness retreat is that it gives you time to realign with your values. Many of us set New Year’s Resolutions or have dreams that we want to fulfil, but so often life gets in the way. It can sometimes be difficult to remember what it is we want to achieve and more importantly, why, so taking time out to yourself allows you to refocus on your goals. When you’re not distracted by work, family or technology you can spend time sitting with your feelings and fears surrounding your goals and challenges and see if there is a way you can work through them in order to achieve the outcome you so desire.
Get Out Of Your Head And Into Your Body
While wellness retreats do allow you plenty of time to think, they can also be a good chance to get out of your head and into your body. So many of us are prone to worrying or over-thinking and can sometimes spend hours and hours fretting about one particular problem. Instead of dwelling on these issues, a yoga-centred wellness retreat is all about focussing instead on your body. When you tap into your breath and the movement of your body, you can move into a meditative state where you are only focused on the present moment and worries about the past and fears about the future are released. Connecting with your body also allows you to feel where there might be tension or pain and you can sit with where this discomfort might be coming from and figure out a way to move through it.
Surround Yourself With Positive Energy
On the whole, wellness retreats are pretty positive places, with the instructors, staff and other participants wanting everyone to have a calm and beneficial experience. As such, you are usually surrounded with positive energy which can really rub off on you. The more time you spend with positive teachers the more likely you are to release negativity, anxiety and stress. It is so easy to complain about the little things that aggravate or annoy us in daily life, when in actual fact, most of us have so much to be grateful for. Wellness retreats allow us to recalibrate, focus on the good in our lives and become beacons of positivity for others.
Deepen Your Yoga Practice
If you choose a yoga wellness retreat you will have a real chance to deepen your practice by getting on the mat every day and learning from teachers who can help push you to your full potential. It is sometimes hard to motivate ourselves to do a daily yoga practice and often fear gets in the way of us pushing ourselves to improve. On a yoga retreat, you will be in a safe and encouraging environment which is the perfect place to push your practice a little further.
Space To Heal
Another benefit of a wellness retreat is that you have the time, space and tools you need to heal. This may be physical healing through the use of stretching, massage or detoxing, or more emotional/mental healing which can be achieved through meditation, breathing techniques, trauma counselling or alternative therapies. There are many different options when it comes to choosing a retreat and if you have something specific in mind that you want help with, you might want to seek out a retreat with teachers and practitioners that have experience in that field.
Mindfully Explore Somewhere New
Many of the benefits that we have mentioned so far are based around the actual retreat activities but it also worth mentioning that many wellness retreats are located in spectacular surroundings that can be an absolute joy to explore! Whether you’re relaxing on the beach feeling the warmth of the sand beneath your feet; are out in the jungle listening to the sounds of birds and wildlife overhead; or are walking in the rolling hills of the countryside, you will be able to slow down and connect with the beauty of nature around you in a way like never before.
Make New Wellness Routines
Last but not least is the fact that wellness retreats help you to get into positive routines that you can take into daily life. This may be starting your day with a cup of hot water and lemon, a daily meditation practice, 5-minute mindfulness tips or a new form of yoga that you love. Whichever way, you will have learnt to connect with things that you enjoy and that make you feel good. Doing something every day is much easier when you don’t have the distractions of daily life, but a retreat helps these wellness routines become habits that you’ll want to continue long after you’ve left the blissful bubble of the retreat.
Are you thinking of going to a wellness retreat this summer? Where would you like to go and what type of retreat does your heart desire? Let us know in the comments below!
