BEDTIME READING
The ZZZ-list at Sheraton Grand London Park Lane
The celebrated Art Deco hotel has partnered with its neighbour Hatchards, the oldest bookseller in London, and sleep expert and chartered psychologist Dr David Lewis, to create The ZZZ-list, an exclusive library containing a specially curated selection of books designed to help guests get the best night’s sleep possible – even if their circadian rhythms say they should be awake. With falling asleep in a new bed one of the biggest challenges faced by travellers, the one-of-a-kind library houses 30 scientifically selected fiction and non-fiction works that will ease weary travellers into a peaceful and unbroken slumber.
Piccadilly, W1J 7BX
020 7499 6321
marriott.com
SWEAT TO SLEEP
Tips from personal trainer, Monty Simmons, of SIX3NINE
There’s less moisture in the air at cruising altitude so skip happy hour, drink water and schedule food around your destination’s meal times. On arrival, resist the urge to retreat to your suite. Sunlight speeds up the adjustment of your intrinsic body clock by stimulating nerve pathways from your retinas to your hypothalamus, the part of your brain responsible for how awake you feel (artificial lighting does not have the same effect). If you want to work out, prolong your warm-up. Travelling makes the body stiffer and less coordinated, so injury risk is higher. Do a light workout on day one filled with cardio to increase oxygen uptake post-flight, plus a bit of weight training. Cool down for longer, too, to create a parasympathetic response in your nervous system, helping your body to relax and sleep.
41-44 Great Queen Street, WC2B 5AD
020 7242 0060
six3nine.com
DRIFT OFF
Tranquillity Pro Sleep Ritual at Cloud Twelve
This luxurious lifestyle club in the heart of Notting Hill includes a spa, salon, nutritionally focused brasserie and holistic wellness clinic (available to members and non-members alike). The space was designed following a feng shui philosophy to ensure the free flow of harmonious energy throughout all three floors. Its sleep treatment is a complete mind-and-body experience which combines the intense, sleep-inducing qualities of aromatherapy and music with the unique massage techniques of Kerala Ayurveda and Indonesian Sea Malay. The ritual (£120 for 60 minutes) stimulates three sensorial pathways to induce a deep state of relaxation: warmed, scented ‘tranquility’ oils, unique body-brushing techniques and specially selected music. This treatment aids deep relaxation that jet lag prohibits, allowing muscle tension and stress to melt away.
2-5 Colville Mews, W11 2DA
020 3301 1012
cloudtwelve.co.uk
TIME OUT
Pop & Rest
If jet lag gets the better of you during a working day, Pop & Rest sleep and meditation pods can be booked from 30 minutes up to four hours, via the
web-app. Once you arrive at the studio in Old Street, a receptionist will welcome you into your pod and offer refreshments, which are included in your booking. “We ask our guests to be quiet once they get here to avoid waking up the people already sleeping and to keep the environment relaxing for everyone at all times,” explains CEO Mauricio Villamizar. Once your time’s up, the receptionist knocks on the door to gently wake you and then gives you time to come round at your own pace in the waiting room (£8 for 30 minutes).
Ground Floor, Unit 1, 10-12 Bache’s Street, N1 6DL
074 9546 0742
popnrest.com
TAKEAWAY WELLNESS
The Aman ‘To Go’ Massage at the Aman Spa at The Connaught
Following a restoration and refurbishment this summer, the Aman Spa at The Connaught is back in business. If your stay in London is too packed to allow much rest and relaxation, its ‘To Go’ massage is brief enough to squeeze in just as your concierge summons your transfer to the airport. Loosening up your joints, shoulders, neck and back, boosting circulation and increasing relaxation, it’s the quickest way to relax before boarding and prevent jet lag upon arrival. At your request, this treatment can also be performed while you are clothed, so you can simply pop in and unwind before you leave (£80 for 30 minutes).
Carlos Place, W1K 2AL
020 7499 7070
the-connaught.co.uk
ENERGY INFUSED
VitaDrip Infusions by The Elixir Clinic
After being ushered into the private treatment rooms of Ned’s Club Spa, you’ll be able to recline, propped up by cushions, before being hooked up to an IV infusion of taurine, zinc, magnesium and potassium to give you an energy boost, kick-start your circulation and immune system and give your mood a much-needed lift. It’s like a double espresso shot without the jitters. Pair with an Oxygen Bar session to replenish the O2 levels that air travel depletes to help reduce stress and relax into your stay (VitaDrip Jet Lag Infusion, £180; 20-minute Oxygen Bar session, £50).
The Ned, 27 Poultry, EC2R 8AJ
020 3828 2000
thened.com
