How are you guys doing? So … really? Usually, we do not honestly respond to this question—and it is often asked out of courtesy rather than out of genuine interest. Let’s start this blog with some facts and figures about mental health:

• Almost one in three people will suffer from a mental illness requiring treatment during their lives. 
• Approximately ten percent of absenteeism among working people is due to mental illness. 
• Depression, alcohol disorders, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are among the most common illnesses worldwide. 
• Mental illnesses have also accounted for an increasing proportion of the diagnosis and therapy range in Germany over the last ten years. Reasons for this are complex and are intensively discussed by epidemiologists at present.

These figures have risen considerably, particularly as a result of the pandemic: The cases of depression and panic attacks have increased by more than a quarter worldwide in the first Corona year. That means 52 million more people worldwide are suffering from a serious depression disorder than they would have been if there had been no pandemic.

Of course, vacations can’t cure depression—though they can ease it. Specific retreats and classes can help bring your stress levels back down. Many studies are showing that yoga and meditation can be effective in alleviating the symptoms of mental illness.

Escaping the hustle and bustle of everyday life: Relais del Maro

Our Green Pearls® Partners provide sustainable retreats for you to get a break from your daily routine and find peace of mind. “ One of the reasons our guests choose Relais del Maro is to get away from the hustle and bustle of their lives,” says Elena Scalambrin, Relais del Maro owner. Here you can get in touch with various holistic disciplines. The mindfulness services at Italy’s Albergo Diffuso have been designed together with wellness experts, and the focus is on meditation and mindfulness. 

You can get in touch with different holistic disciplines here and thus not only relax during your stay, but actively do something for your emotional well-being.

Mediation and Mindfulness Retreats at CERVO, Zermatt

CERVO Mountain Resort has many yoga classes which can help minimize your stress. There is also guided morning meditation and other forms of meditation to increase awareness and inner peace. One exceptional type of meditation is the fire meditation for inner strength and determination. In this kind of meditation, you should release your fears and tension. Several activities like writing, singing, and the fire ceremony contribute to this.

Each month, CERVO hosts three to five-day mindfulness retreats to help you restore balance to your body, mind, and spirit. You can also borrow an iPod and headphones for free at the spa and practice a guided meditation of choice on your own. Each iPod is equipped with a corresponding meditation app.

Holistic Concept at HUBERTUS Mountain Refugio

The HUBERTUS Mountain Refugio also focuses on mindfulness. It is part of the holistic concept of the hotel, together with yoga and mediation.

Yoga sessions are part of the free daily active program in the mornings and evenings. These sessions are held in the yoga and meditation rooms Weitblick and Seeblick and in a separate small yoga room – EinBlick – which can be used exclusively and free of charge. If the weather is good, you can do yoga and meditate outside as well, special outdoor platforms are available for you.

Immune cure and sound messages: Okelmann’s Warpe

The Okelmann’s  in Warpe, Lower Saxony, also has a wide range to offer in terms of retreats. Here, the focus is on different aspects: An immunity cure with a yoga program or specific mindfulness yoga: you are sure to find a program that fits you.

Sonic massages complement the offer: Through the vibrations of the bowl, your tensions will be released and your self-healing abilities activated. There is also a sauna and a hot tub available, so you can fully relax during your stay at Okelmann’s.

OCÉANO Health &SPA: Focus on Health

A special vacation focusing uniquely on your health is available at the OCÉANO Health Spa Hotel in Tenerife. The Spanish hotel is not a wellness hotel, but rather a health hotel and therefore offers individual programs with different focuses. This includes nutrition and weight control, pain medicine and therapy, as well as a special program for stress management and burnout prevention. 

Food prepared especially for you, customized treatment plans and advice on how to strengthen your immune system in the long term are all part of this treatment approach. An international team of doctors is available to accompany you during your stay.

The programs of OCÉANO are carried out under the auspices of F. X. Mayr Medicine. This is fasting medicine with an emphasis on the intestines. After careful diagnosis, you are treated and guided individually in accordance with the six pillars of therapy.

The six pillars are: Protecting your intestines through the individually prescribed diet as a basis for recovery of body, mind, and soul. Cleaning of your intestines through saline sprinkling in the form of physiologically dosed Epsom salts. Education in eating habits through enjoyable chewing and stimulation of intestinal activity through manual abdominal treatment by a doctor regularly. Substituting minerals in your diet for a well-balanced acid-base balance. Exercising in moderation to stimulate your metabolism and cell renewal. Self-reflection, so you can gain new inspiration for the challenges of your everyday life.

SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA: Mindfulness-based stress Reduction

Das SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA, Bad Herrenalb provides special courses to help you cope better with stress. MBSR (Mindfulness-based stress Reduction) is the basis for this. It is a simple and highly effective training program that helps you to get inner distance from your thought patterns. 

Rather than getting lost in thoughts, evaluations, worries or fears, you will increasingly gain the freedom to act appropriately and calmly even in difficult situations, instead of just reacting and overtaxing yourself.

Resilience training, coaching, and offers of meditation supplement the range of services at the German hotel. And the comprehensive wellness offer makes sure that you can relax even further after the courses. 

Hopefully, this text has motivated you to take more care of yourself and indulge yourself once in a while. Enjoy yourselves!

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