#SelfCare with Eve Thomas & Brie Code

 

#SelfCare, an interactive app that combines game theory and wellness, has our attention – commendable, given the plethora of wellness apps in the running today. Its creators, Eve Thomas and Brie Code, while mindful of the dangers of infinite scroll addiction, are confident of its promise: rest, recharge and realignment.

Brie is the developer, and founder of Tru Luv – a Toronto-based tech design studio, while Eve’s marketing background prepared her to write all content, ensuring that with every interaction, users truly feel a sense of care. Their collective insights make #SelfCare well worth a download, alongside gorgeous artwork, serene background music and an ad-free experience:

 

In Bed With… Elton J Fernandez

 Between running India’s first YouTube beauty channel and a profession as hair / makeup artist for high profile clientele, Elton J Fernandez gets his fair share of sleep and sunlight – two essentials for survival in his line of work. His cozy Mumbai apartment is his refuge, especially at night when he unwinds by filing his nails or preparing for sleep.

Below, he talks bed boundaries, objects on his bedside table (Kailas Jeevan multipurpose Ayurvedic cream, for one) and midnight karaoke:

Sleep – an essential or indulgence?
An absolute essential. I can’t function, and get cranky without sleep and food.

Minimum number of hours to feel rested?
I prefer 10 hours but only get six if I’m working and eight if I’m not.

Most mornings begin at…
11.30am when I’m not working, 10.30am if I am. I don’t like being disturbed till I wake up to my alarm or the doorbell.

Your mood on most mornings?
Fairly sprightly and positive.

Sounds of Himêya – Volume I An original soundtrack: to sleep, live and be better. Listen/Buy Spotify Apple M...

In Bed With… Kiran Rao

Kiran Rao is admirable for many reasons. As an independent filmmaker, producer and storyteller, she questions the status quo; in her personal life, she embraces her role as mother to Azad and wife to Aamir Khan. Our fascination, not in the least, is with how she makes it all seem effortless.

As she lazes about in her Bandra home, cast in its gentle light and beauty, Kiran is candid with us about the pleasures of rest, motherhood, and bedtime reading…

Your version of counting sheep?
Making mental to-do lists of all the jobs that need to be done!

Objects on your bedside table
Water, phone charger, homeopathic medicines, ear plugs.

Objects on husband Aamir and son Azad’s bedside table:
Aamir has water and a book. Azad has homeopathic medicines and water.

Azad’s favourite bedtime stories
Azad brings books back from the library, and bedtime stories are an important time together. Our favourites are Asterix and Obelix and Tintin, but we like to read all kinds of stuff.

 

A Lived-in Bed: Comfortable & No Fuss

Statistically, humans spend a third of their lives in bed. On average, that is nearly 26 years of one’s life. Naturally, the bedroom plays a big role in how we prioritise rest and sleep. Research and personal experience shows that when one wakes up refreshed and relaxed after a good night’s sleep, the day is already off to a great start. With rising stress levels, mental health difficulties and screens taking over our lives, it’s easy to identify the subsequent rise of sleep disorders and rampant sleep deprivation across age groups. At the same time, there is growing awareness about the benefits of making sleep a priority, and at the forefront of the pursuit for better sleep is the bedroom – your sanctuary after a long and tiring day.

Hot baths across the world

For centuries, water has been seen as the elixir of life, and used in numerous therapies to rid the body and mind of ailments. References to the primordial connection between water and spirituality have existed since time itself.

Across the world, the belief in holy water and sacred springs continues to hold sway. Reasons to take a dip vary from washing away sins to simply feeling rejuvenated and happy to be alive!

While the concept of public baths has largely shifted over to private spas and saunas, the lure of ancient bathing rituals and nature’s therapeutic powers persist. Below, some of the best baths across cultures to bookmark as you plan your next holiday: