Successful Spa Sleep-Health Program Leads to Scheduling Many More

by Susie Ellis

SpaFinder Insider

When I was at the Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat in Australia at the end of July, I was thrilled to see that they had planned a specialty "Sleep Discovery Week" for September. Gwinganna really impressed me in terms of how forward-thinking they are, and seeing this "sleep intensive" was another example. I asked Sharon Kolkka, the General Manager, to please let me know how the sleep week goes. Since sleep health was a spa trend SpaFinder predicted two years ago (before almost any spa had it as part of their curriculum) it has been especially gratifying for me to see sleep programs pop up at different spas across the country. This one in Australia, however, was one of the first full immersion sleep programs I have come across outside of the U.S.

Yesterday, I received this email from Sharon with her post Sleep Discovery Week report and wanted to share it with you. I think you will enjoy hearing it in her own words. My kudos to Sharon for blazing trails once again.

Dear Susie,

Just wanted to touch base with you regarding our sleep retreat, we loved it and so did our guests.

In a nut shell it was a huge success, we had 43 guests and one person from the media. It seems that about 1/3 came specifically for the sleep information and have never been to a retreat or spa previously, many of them brought a support person. About 10 guests came because that was the date that suited and the rest were return guests interested to see what they could learn about improving sleep.

The workshops covered the science of sleep, the body clock and the significance of the hormonal cycle as a result of this clock. The impact of the liver and detox on sleep, nutrient absorption and its relevance to sleep, what amino acids promoted sleep and in what foods they are found. The impact of light and dark on the hypothalamus, the effect of electromagnetic fields in the bedroom, the art of rituals and of course stress and the biochemistry of cortisol. We also covered the support systems such as herbs and aromatherapy and a lot more!

We encouraged guests to stop their sleeping tablets whilst staying with us and replaced this with a natural product and offered herbs for support, of course encouraged early rise and meditation. In short we had a ball and the feedback was sensational. We also asked them to continue to look for improvements over the next 3 months rather than expecting a quick fix.

This week, Tracy has received flowers from the media contact [for the first time] thanking her and a note suggesting she is sleeping better than she had in years. We have received many thank you notes, one of them from a husband who is demanding to know what we have done as his wife, is sound asleep by 10pm and stays that way and he has not seen her do that since the death of her father 2 years ago.

I know I don’t need to tell you how rewarding this is, this is what we in retreats truly live for to make a difference. So we have put two more Sleep Discovery programs on our dates from January to April and hope to offer this program at least 4-5 times a year.

Thank you for all the support that you offered with the information you supplied, wish you could have been here I think you would have enjoyed the vibe.

Warmest always

Sharon

Sharon Kolkka
General Manager
Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat

192 Syndicate Rd

Tallebudgera Valley Q 4228

Australia

Tel: +61 7 5589 5000

Fax: +61 7 55338378
www.gwinganna.com

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Spas and Sleep Health: A Sizzling Hot Topic in Spas and Beyond
by Susie Ellis
You know that something is a "hot" topic when it comes to you from many different angles at around the same time. Here are three things that came across my desk in the past 48 hours:

1. “Great Reads: Nonfiction,” People Magazine, April 7, 2008

It isn't every day that my People Magazine reading alerts me to a book that is useful for my work. However, when I saw this positive mention for Gayle Greene's new book, Insomniac, and a mention that it is the last book you ever need to read about sleep, I went right to my computer and ordered it.

2. This morning, I received a press release with this headline: "NEW YORK STATE HOTELS AND INNS HELP GUESTS GET A RESTFUL NIGHT DURING NATIONAL BETTER SLEEP MONTH." It seems there are a variety of hotels offering packages and products to guests in May for Better Sleep Month. These are "designed to celebrate the healthy quality of life difference that only a good night's sleep can provide."

3. Also this morning I received an urgent message from Cassandra at our SpaFinder Europe office stating that one of the big papers is doing a story on sleep health and wants me to comment. Their questions included: Is sleep really 'the new wellness frontier'? Why are spas suddenly taking sleep so seriously? Which spas in the UK do you recommend for Insomniacs?

Even though we at SpaFinder predicted sleep health as a top spa trend for 2007 and again in 2008 as it relates to weight loss, I wasn't prepared for such a groundswell of interest. The more I learn, the more I am convinced that this pillar of health will become of even greater importance and interest to all of us in the future. Researchers are just beginning to understand this part of our lives in which we spend almost 1/3 of our time.

Stay tuned!

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Sleep Health at Vacation Spas May be more Important than Massages, Facials, Manicures/Pedicures, Diet, or even Exercise!

by Susie Ellis

The importance of sleep is something that has been on our SpaFinder top 10 spa trends list for the past two years. In 2007 the focus was on adding sleep health to diet and exercise as an equally (if not more) important pillar of health in spas. In 2008, because of the growing research which shows sleep deprivation is linked to obesity, emphasizing sleep health in weight-loss programs at spas was the focus.

Tonight's piece on CBS's 60 Minutes made these points clearer through video than I ever could in writing. I hope everyone who didn't see it would watch it. Here is the link. A new thing I learned is that it appears we can add diabetes to the long list of consequences of sleep deprivation.

Sometimes I think that sleep health is my mantra. And for this upcoming week - it is no exception. Here is why....

I was thinking this morning about the volatile financial market situation we witnessed last Friday and how this might affect the spa industry. And what advice I might give.

I remember the October 1997 stock market plunge (which was later called Black Monday) and ever since have been aware that bad news at the end of a week might result in even worse news on Mondays. It just makes sense to me that after a weekend when people kind of regroup, they begin thinking about their personal financial situation and start taking steps toward self preservation. Too many people making financial moves all at once on a Monday can spell disaster.

Of course, I hope that I am wrong. My advice, however, for both spa consumers as well as the spa industry would be the same - be extra careful to get enough sleep. Dealing with challenges wisely necessitates clear thinking and emotional balance. Eating well is a good idea, exercising helps, however getting healthy and adequate amounts of sleep is possibly even more important. If you aren't convinced, please do me (and yourself) a favor, and watch The Science of Sleep Part 1 and Part 2 from last night's 60 Minutes.

Well...am off to bed.


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SpaFinder’s Hot Spa Trends for 2008!
By Susie Ellis

Buzz Words: New Spa Gyms, Star Therapists, Wellness, Luxury Detox, Spa Real Estate, Sleep, Spa and Weight-loss, Fertility and Spa, Hydro and Thermal Spa Experiences, Urban Ethnic Spas, Spa and Technology.

This week is Trend Week at SpaFinder! We released the findings of our year-long studies on emerging trends for the spa industry. The links below will take you to the SpaFinder Insider, which was emailed to industry professionals who have signed up to receive this email newsletter. In it, I outlined each of the top 10 Spa Trends for 2008.

SpaFinder Insider on Trends

I am also giving you a link to the press release that went to the media. As there is always a flurry of media interest in our trends, do let me know if you have spotted an example of one of them (perhaps you have experienced a fertility spa or know of an urban ethnic spa “gem”) or you are a spa which is an example of one of these trends.

SpaFinder Global Trends Press Release

For a quick snapshot….here are SpaFinder's 10 Spa Trends to Watch in 2008!

The "Feng Shui'd" Gym
A Star (Therapist) Is Born
Wellness, Wellness, Wellness
Luxury Detox and Luxury Bootcamps
Spa Real Estate Mania
Taking Sleep Seriously... Especially if you Want to Lose Weight
Fertility Tranquility
Hydro and Thermal Super-Experiences
Urban Spa Explorer
Plug-in or Unplug: It's up to You

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Nap Spa, Sleep Spa, Yelo Spa: Napping in New York City - $24 for 40 minutes
by Susie Ellis

Ever since SpaFinder and Yelo were mentioned in the same New York Times article, I have been wanting to give Yelo - the nap spa - a try. Late last year when we came out with our list of top 10 spa trends for 2007, "Sleep Health Added to Spa Menus" was at the top of our list. And coincidentally (or not) Yelo was just opening. Yelo is a place in Manhattan where you can go for some quick r & r. Basically they offer foot reflexology and naps - in a kind of sleep cab, equipped with a special sleep chair designed for the most comfortable sleep position, music and lighting, all perfectly conducive to sleep.

Here is my report:
It was late Sunday afternoon as I rushed in a cab to get to my nap before Yelo closed. No one was available for foot reflexology because "they were all booked" which in spa-speak usually means "we don't have enough therapists." Indeed that seemed to be the case...but understandable since they just started opening on Sundays. I paid $18 for a 30 minute nap (and was told if I wanted to extend it I could). So I went to sleep cabin number 3 with the attendant and sat in the chair. She gave me a choice of music - or no music - or white noise. I choose a dreamy kind of music, she put a cashmere blanket over my legs, checked my temperature and adjusted the chair so that my knees were bent and my legs were slightly elevated above my torso. She is turned out the lights and let me know I will be awakened gradually with a simulated sunrise.

It takes me time to relax....my mind is wandering, thinking about the financials of this concept, whether or not I chose the right music, etc. Before I knew it, 30 minutes had passed and the sunrise light is coming up and I have only slept a few minutes. I asked for an extension and also for a music change to white noise. As soon as she closed the door, turned the music off, and added white noise, I noticed I was falling asleep almost instantly. 15 minutes and another sunrise later I meandered back to the front desk, payed for my extra nap, perused the retail area(which had various sleep aid products) before heading out to the sound of mid-town Manhattan.

Bottom line? Clever concept. Has possibilities. Could do more for sleep health. Anticipate expansion in other big cities. Not sure how profitable it is.

It will be fun to watch if the sleep cabs catches on...clearly sleep health is an important issue and there certainly have been times (like in airports or at work) when I would love to crawl into a sleep cab for a few minutes.

Sleep Well, Siesta Time. That was the name of the class on the Rancho La Puerta schedule at 2:00pm on Monday and Tuesday. I was so glad to see it, since the issue of healthy sleep was one of the top trends we predicted for 2007. But what I liked about this class in particular was the timing; after lunch is a great time because our body rhythms tell us that this is an ideal time for a nap (or since we were in Mexico - a siesta). In a few months they are going to have couple’s specialty weeks featuring a sleep sanctuary class with Robert deStefano from Sleep Garden. Sort of “sleep intensive!"Then when I got back to my office in New York, I was reading through some of the latest spa press releases and noticed that the Qua Baths and Spa at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas has announced some of their special classes coming up; once again, one was a wellness series on sleep health. Wow, in Las Vegas no less! What a great contribution our industry could make if every spa would emphasize sleep as one of the pillars of health. It would also save a lot of money in health care costs and even lives. So many car and industrial (think Exon Valdez) accidents happen because of sleep deprivation.

Rarely do I have a spa experience these days which amazes me. But the three hour Royal Sphatika Signature Experience at the pristine clean and inviting Sphatika Spa near Columbus Circle did just that.

Afterward when I spoke to owner Janet League-Katzin, and her colleague Candace Darling, I learned that they have been working to perfect this treatment for five years! And true to my experience, it appears that every move of the therapist's hand, every spoken word, every touch of product is choreographed to be the most comfortable, the most therapeutic, and the most restful experience possible. It starts with time in one of their three individual infrared saunas (I am a fan of infrared saunas) and moves to a treatment room where partway through the session, which includes exfoliation and massage among other blissful additions, a canopy is lowered from the ceiling and covers the body for a steam.

Helping people get into deep sleep is part of the goal at Sphatika. I was told that almost 100 percent of the people who have this Royal Sphatika fall asleep during the treatment. But it is the restorative sleep that same night that really is impressive.

My advice? This is a day spa amidst many hotels in the area - some have spas and some don't. The Mandarin Oriental is right across the street, with the Trump International Hotel and the Ritz-Carlton Central Park nearby, among others. If the concierges in those hotels were smart, they would let their guests in on this secret, private, and very unusual spa.

I have a button on my desk which says "Sleep: As Important as Diet and Exercise (Only Easier!)"

It was given to me by Richard Gelula who is the CEO of the National Sleep Foundation in Washington DC. He was in town with a colleague and stopped by to see his niece, Melisse Gelula, who is Luxury SpaFinder Magazine's famous beauty editor. Since one of the top spa trends we predicted for 2007 was sleep health, I was delighted to spend some time with him. Here are a few things I learned which I thought were interesting:

- There is a National Sleep Awareness Week
- That week is in March and always timed so it coincides with the return to Daylight Saving Time when people lose an hour of sleep.
- Their tag line is "Waking America to the Importance of Sleep"
- They are seeing a huge wave of interest and awareness of the importance of sleep health

And since they left me a copy of their recent 2007 Sleep in America poll which focused on women, I also learned an interesting tidbit about who women are sleeping with.

65% sleep with their significant other, 24% sleep alone, 14% sleep with their pet (this was a surprise to me!), 7% sleep with a child, and 2% sleep with an infant.

Last Friday I had the pleasure of meeting Russell Sanna, Ph.D, who came all the way from Boston to visit us at our Spa Finder offices here in Manhattan. Dr. Sanna, the Executive Director of the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard, had contacted me after reading the NY Times Article on Sleep, in which I was quoted on the trend of sleep health and spas.

He is genuinely excited about the spa industry’s interest in helping get the word out about the importance of sleep health. It aligns perfectly with their mission and he wants to know how Harvard can help!

One of the slogans he used which I really liked (and wrote down) was “sleep is a private behavior with public consequences.” The more I read, the more truth the phrase seems to hold.

The National Sleep Foundation (Later I learned from our beauty editor for Luxury SpaFinder Magazine, Melisse Gelula, that her Uncle is head of this organization!) estimates that 40 million Americans have a sleep disorder. Other countries have a similar epidemic - especially Japan.

This affects:

Productivity

Safety at work and school

Transportation safety

Health issues like high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, heart failure and diabetes mellitus

Weight gain, overeating and obesity

Shocking examples include the Chernobyl and Exxon Valdez disasters, both of which have been linked to insufficient sleep.

Yesterday morning's press breakfast in Santa Monica on the terrace of Exhale's new spa was great fun. I especially enjoy these major-city breakfasts we sometimes hold because all the writers and reporters in attendance are really interested in the topic of spa. Many of the members of the press who were there have had a lot of experience visiting and writing about spas.

I shared in detail the top Spa Trends that Spa Finder predicted for 2007. Much of what I had to say was about the number-one trend for this year - spas adding sleep health to their menus. I shared some of the recent data from sleep scientists as well as a list of what various spas are doing currently - and what a few have in the works for later this year in terms of helping clients improve the quality of their sleep. I think the press found this trend - as well as the other nine I referenced - fascinating, as I saw them take copious notes.

But the most fun moment for me came later that evening. I was watching ABC News with Charles Gibson at the home of my host and friend, Carol Karlin, when a special segment came on about...You'll never guess the topic! The value of sleep for losing weight. The timing could not have been better. And yes, I had a sweet sleep last night in the knowledge that we are truly "on trend" and that this important aspect of health and well-being is going to be receiving a great deal more visibility and emphasis. As it should.

Heading to the Monaco Spa Event. After a mad dash to the airport for my 7:15 p.m. flight and trying to catch up on emails on my Treo (right up until the time the door of the plane closed - OK, and a few minutes beyond), it's finally time to wind down. I love long flights for just that reason - and in a way the longer the better. I'm guessing we had tail winds because the flight was only 5.5 hours. Bummer… They woke us around one a.m. for the transfer from London to Nice.

I have added one more reason (to my growing list) of why spas should offer sleep health programs, one of my Top 10 Spa Trends for 2007. The guy in front of me on the airplane put his seat all the way back, strapped on a pair of sleeping blinders, and fell asleep. Just a few minutes later he began to snore - loudly. It was absolutely dreadful. The man sitting next to him got up and moved as the rest of us tried to muffle the sound with headsets/music/tv - anything. I couldn't help noticing that the snorer was overweight and appeared to be breathing irregularly. Clearly a potential sleep apnea case.

This situation reminded me of my friend Rick Aidekman (he and his wife Ellen own the beautiful Cornelia Day Resort in Manhattan). Rick was diagnosed with sleep apnea at Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires about eight months ago. He is now using a small breathing apparatus and reports that his life has changed dramatically for the better. He has lost a lot of weight, the color in his face is restored, and he is no longer exhausted during the day. If more people would take the time to be tested and treated for sleep disorders, not only would they experience personal health benefits, but neighbors on airplanes would also not have to endure being terribly inconvenienced during a lengthy international flight.

Yesterday I flew from New York to Palm Springs for a few days of Thanksgiving vacation. I had some time en route to catch up on reading. Mostly I read spa press releases, industry magazines, and articles people brought to my attention. My favorite from yesterday's batch was this article from the LA Times titled, "Rest: It's required. Adequate sleep is as crucial to a healthy life as diet and exercise, researchers are finding." Written by Susan Brink and published last month, the article seemed appropriate for perusal on my way to a vacation. And it made me smile, since the sleep factor was one of our predicted trends for spas in 2007. Since you might be having a few days off this week (or especially if you aren't), take a moment and read about the value of a good night's sleep.

Yesterday marked an annual event I always look forward to: Our announcement of Spa Finder's “Trends to Watch for” in the upcoming year. This is the fourth consecutive year for which we have issued a spa trend “prediction” report. We always do a press release as well as one of my “Spa Finder Insiders” in which we explain each of the trends. To make this really easy for you, here is the press release and a rundown of the ten trends discussed.

1) Sleep - A New Dawn in Spa Health
Healthy sleep is being added to spa programs, inspired by the emerging field of sleep medicine, which has revealed that sleep has a profound effect on appearance, weight, and well-being - and that we, as a nation, are dangerously sleep-deprived.

2) Detox
As the culture continues to identify more "toxins" - such as dietary no-no's, stress, and environmental pollution - look for more people to turn to spas for a range of detox solutions, including relaxation, all-organic diets, sweating (exercise, steams and saunas), and the purging of emotional baggage through one-on-one or group therapy work.

3) Spa Retreats - On the March
Resorts and hotels are getting into the retreat business, adding specialty programs or special accommodations that appeal to their past guests - in effect becoming "destination spas" for a period of time.

4) Medical Tourism - In Search of Affordable Health
Squeezed by domestic health care costs, many Americans are going online and discovering global destinations that offer cutting-edge medical procedures for a fraction of the cost ... often in beautiful, culturally rich locales like Bangkok, South Africa and India, to name a few.

5) Move into a Spa Lifestyle Community...and Bring the Kids
Recognizing the growing priority among parents on raising their children in an active, healthful, communal environment (and avoiding the growing problems of childhood obesity and diabetes), more spa lifestyle communities will offer structured outdoor/exercise activities and healthy eating options just for children.

6) The Bottom Line Becomes a Top-Line Consideration
More spa trends in the New Year - such as destaffed spa treatments and revenue management - will be driven by the bottom line, which will play an ever-larger role in shaping the competitive landscape and determining what the industry will offer.

7) Social Spa-ing
In 2007, the search for spa solitude will be trumped by the natural desire for community and a growing awareness that social interaction is an important aspect of health.

8) How Green Is My Spa?
Consumers are now factoring in a spa's green commitment when they choose a spa, and they're looking for a spa that does more than just recycle and offer organic food.

9) Beauty Inside-Out and Outside-In
The spa industry will continue to lead innovation in skincare with new technologies and programs that recognize that beauty is much more than skin deep. Consumers will become more aware of anti-aging foods rich in antioxidants - such as berries, dark green leafy vegetables, salmon, and nuts - as well as a new generation of clinically enhanced skincare products.

10) Spa Fusion
Look for more combined modalities that are even more beneficial than the sum of their parts, such as Thai massage (a fusion of yoga stretches and massage), Watsu (water and shiatsu), wellness (well-being and fitness) and yogalates (yoga and pilates).