Getting good sleep is an integral part of maintaining both physical and mental wellness. We may take a good night’s rest for granted, but even a single interrupted or fitful night can make us realise how important restful sleep really is.

Losing sleep for any reason, including insomnia, can impact every aspect of our lives. Tiredness can mean making more mistakes at work, being short tempered with loved ones or simply having a harder time being motivated and enjoying life. At the end of the day, no one enjoys tossing and turning in bed watching the clock tick by, so here are some useful tips to help you get a good night’s sleep. They will range from easy, small changes to your environment to antistress spa day treatments, so you are sure to find something that fits into your lifestyle.

Sleeping in a room that’s quiet, dark and cool will naturally help you get to sleep easier. If your room is facing a street light or you perhaps prefer to sleep during the day, blackout curtains can help simulate a dark environment.

Removing distractions like computers, T.V’s & work items can also help you get into the right mindset. Having these items around can weaken the natural association you have with your bedroom as a place of rest. Some people also find the light aroma of essential oils like lavender can help them get to sleep, but make sure not to apply undiluted essential oils directly to the skin, as they can cause irritation.

​Your body naturally associates daylight with being awake, so exposing yourself to too much artificial light, especially before bed, confuses your natural rhythms. Bright light, especially blue light typical of phones and computers should be avoided. If this is not possible, look into setting a blue light filter on your device to reduce its disrupting effect. Being in a dark environment will encourage the production of the hormone melatonin, which promotes sleep.

You can help your body and mind transition from day to night by relaxing for an hour before bed. You can take a bath, enjoy a hobby or perform exercises like yoga, but make sure to avoid too much time using technology, as explained above.

​It is also important to sleep and wake at around the same time if possible. If you need to change the time you are going to sleep, try and adjust your routine gradually instead of all at once, so that your body’s rhythms have time to adapt.

It may seem obvious to avoid drinking coffee before bed, but what about nicotine and alcohol? Many people enjoy a glass of wine or a smoke before bed, but surprisingly these may be contributing to insomnia like caffeine would.

Studies have shown that consuming these substances may also increase anxiety, which will make it harder to get to sleep and feel well rested when you wake up. A 2015 study showed that caffeine can even make your mood worse if you are already sleep deprived. Instead, consider drinking cherry juice, herbal teas or warm milk to help you drift off.

​If you are going through a stressful time, especially an unpredictable year like 2020, it may be hard to get a good night’s rest. Trying a soothing massage can help ease some tension and refresh your outlook. Carisma Spa’s dedicated antistress massage is designed to ease tension, while massages like the Hot Stone Massage or the Ayurvedic Massage can help with exhaustion and anxiety.

In conclusion, your body naturally knows when it is time to rest, but the anxiety and complications of daily life can confuse it. By establishing a sleeping routine that simulates a cool, dark night and relaxes your body, you can help promote regular restful sleep.

A spa day at home can be as simple as having a soothing soak to ease tension from your muscles after a very stressful week. We all need time for self-care to unwind and relax from our everyday life and one way to do that is with a relaxing spa treatment. There is nothing as great as a time-out to clear your head, and reduce stress.

At Carisma spa, we help you reach your full potential through our famous journey of relaxation and rejuvenation either with our spa experience or beyond the spa. This is why we will be sharing tips on how you can create a perfect spa day at home; from the basic preparations for your pamper day to the 17 steps for the perfect home spa treatment.

Before you can have a spa day, you need to ensure the necessary preparations have been put in place to start the day off on the right foot. No matter how busy you are, you need to treat yourself on special days to refresh and re-energize your body.

The basic preparation before your pamper day includes:

1. Cleaning up your home a day before: Take at least 15 mins to tidy up your home and make sure everything is in order when you wake and prepare for your spa day. This makes you feel more calm and relaxed. Also, get rid of any sign of work from the room you will be staying in, empty your dishwasher, water your plants, and do any household chores.
2. Preparing for phone and email free day: Your spa day is all about you, so you have to clear out your schedule. Ensure that you do not have tasks piled up from work, and you have informed everyone in the house about what you will be doing to avoid unwanted interruptions.
3. Gathering all the items you need for the perfect spa day: Take time to ensure you have a few things ready so you can start your spa day the moment you wake up. 
4. Not pressuring yourself to do things: Do what you feel like doing. A spa day is generally for you to relax and take care of your body, so don't feel pressured to stick to any schedule when you wake up. Remember, spa day essentials are all about relaxing in the best way possible.
5. Sleeping In: Sleeping in will make you feel instantly refreshed. Try to avoid hitting the snooze button too many times and make sure you get between 7-9 hours of sleep to wake up feeling well-rested. This way, you start the day off on the right foot; feeling refreshed instead of groggy.

Your home spa environment is a place for you to recharge and revitalize. So you have to ensure you create the right atmosphere that is conducive to self-care, rest, and relaxation.

If you seem to have a little trouble answering the question: “What do you need for a spa day?”, you can find a checklist based on the Feng Shui principles below to help you create a harmonious spa day atmosphere in and around the home :

• Candles: Preferably  natural beeswax candles as they are non-toxic and non-polluting
•  Fresh, clean cotton towel and face cloths
•  Scented sheets and pillows with aromatic mist: Ensure your bread spread has a gentle and simple pattern
•  Plants or fresh flowers: Real, not artificial
•  Heater: Ensure it is in a safe place away from water and fabrics
• Incense
•  Premium quality essential oil
•  Fragrance-free body oil 
•  Music: Choose a subtle soundtrack. You can play the same song in every room in perfect sync.
•  Refreshments

Now that you have what you need for a spa day, it's time to nurture and care for yourself.

​You can escape from your usual routine with spa day treatments like Massage, spa & sauna, facials, body care, manicures and so on. There are so many different home spa treatments you can give yourself. 

Here is a simple DIY routine you can use to give yourself a rejuvenating self-care treat whenever you please:

Body Care
1. Draw a Hot Bath:  Fill your bathtub with water of the right temperature. While filling your tub, dim the lights and light some candles. Help yourself relax by:

• Pouring yourself a glass of wine, juice or some infused water
•  Playing Chill music
•  Lighting some incense
•  Set out a fluffy towel or bathrobe

2. Add essential oil and other ingredients to your baths: This enhances your bath and gives you the benefits of aromatherapy. Feel free to add anything that can help you relax like; bubble bath, bath oils, and bath bombs, among others.

3. Try a skin mask: Apply a skin mask, let it sit on your skin for a few minutes and rinse it off. It leaves your skin feeling refreshed and smooth.

4. Massage your sore muscles as you soak: Take time to knead your muscles with your fingers to loosen yourself up from the sore muscle you have acquired from work stress.

5. Exfoliate your skin: Use an exfoliant and body scrub that you love and apply. Exfoliating after a soak is a great way to diminish blackheads and peel off dead skin. Exfoliating leaves your skin feeling soft, smooth and healthy.

6. Dry your skin and apply a nourishing lotion: After your restorative bath, pat your skin dry and apply a moisturizing lotion to your arms, legs and torso to seal the moisture in. After that, put on your bathrobe and give your skin time to absorb moisture.

Face Care

7. Exfoliate your face gently: Use warm water and a washcloth or a facial brush to scrub the dead skin off your face. Ensure to use your washcloth or facial brush in a gentle circular motion as the skin is sensitive and could stretch and wrinkle if handled roughly.

8. Facial steam: This helps relax you and open your pores. You can add a few drops of essential oil or any kind of herbs that appeals to you. Then place a towel over your head for 10 minutes to trap steam and breathe in deeply through your nose.

9. Apply a face mask: A face mask can be relaxing. It can also make your skin feel lovely. The most natural solution is to use a reviving mask with clay from a store. You can, however, create a simple facemask at home with a few ingredients.

10. Moisturize your face: Use a soothing day cream from a store or facial oil on your face to trap in the moisture from your facial treatment.

Mani and Pedi

11. Remove your old polish: Use an acetone-free nail polish remover if possible to remove old nail polish from your toe and fingernails.

12. Soak your fingers in warm water: Soak your fingers in a bowl of warm water for five minutes with your nails immersed. This softens your nails and cuticles to make them easier to shape.

13. Trim and file your nails: Use fingernail clippers or scissors to shape your nails to a crescent shape and round off the edges so your nails look professionally trimmed.

14. Push back your cuticles: Gently push back your cuticles with a cuticle pusher or an orange stick. Be very gentle to protect your fingers from infection. 

15. Apply your nail polish: Make sure your nails dry completely between coats to prevent smudging. A good manicure has at least three coats: a base coat, a coat and a topcoat. The best method for painting your nails neatly is to paint one stroke on either side, then fill in the middle.

16. Soak and exfoliate your feet: Soak your feet for some minutes in a tub or a bowl filled with warm water. Use a callus shaver or any other instrument to remove dry skin

17. Trim and polish your toenails: Shape your toenails with clippers. Make sure you round off the edges to prevent ingrown toenails then do a three-coat pedicure.

At many points in our life we may experience something that causes us a great deal of stress & anxiety, and given how hectic life can be these feelings can often last for a long amount of time. The turbulent nature of 2020 has been especially stressful for many of us, so it has become even more important to be able to prevent and cope with these feelings.

Here at Carisma Spa, we want to ensure that people experience both physical and mental wellness, so this article will take you through some ways to manage these negative emotions and to help prevent them from taking hold in the first place.

Anxiety can have physical, mental, and emotional effects on you. When you experience anxiety, you can feel scared or apprehensive, you can have negative emotions and you can even experience intense reactions like sweating, shaking or shortness of breath.

​Anxiety and Stress are often the result of something that has already happened, or something that you are worried will happen, so tackling these feelings can start from approaching these events in a different way.

If future events are causing you anxiety, it can be very helpful to plant for them in advance. Knowing that you already have ways to cope with this event, if it were to happen, can take a great deal of weight off your shoulders.

This can be as simple as writing down your daily routine in advance, listing your short term and long term goals, or writing down some ways to cope with an event that you fear will happen. Consider talking about these worries with people you are close to, as they may have perspectives that you are not seeing at the moment or solutions that you are not aware of. Often the act of simply talking with someone can relieve some anxiety.

Many of our goals in life require a great deal of time and effort; getting a good job, buying a house or succeeding in education, for example, can all require years of work. As a result, we can lose motivation and feel like our goals are too far out of reach, so it’s important to list small goals and reward yourself for them. Exercised or ate a healthy meal today? Reward yourself with some moments of relaxation. 

Even small achievements have their value, and it’s important not to forget this! Focus on what you can change right now.

Experiencing a moment of high anxiety or stress can be overwhelming, so it’s important to know what to do beforehand. When you feel overwhelmed, try to sit down and take a second to clear your mind. Close your eyes and focus only on your breathing. These calming breathing techniques are surprisingly effective, relieving intense emotions in a matter of minutes.

When we focus on our negative thoughts, we can give them a great deal of power and make them feel worse than they actually are. When you experience negative emotions, take their power away by listing them either on a piece of paper or in your mind. Ask yourself what is bothering you, why it is bothering you and whether you can do anything about it. 

If the problem is something you can change, try and list what you can do to solve it. If you can’t figure out a solution, ask others for advice or even see if you can get some useful information from the internet.

Often, this process can relieve your anxiety even before you actually start doing anything to fix your problem, since it grounds you in the present and makes your feelings tangible. Once you understand something, you can deal with it more easily.

Creating a relaxing environment can help with anxiety and stress, and aromatherapy is a useful tool in your arsenal. By burning incense, using a scented oil or a warmer, you can diffuse a relaxing scent around the room to ground you and relax you. 
​
Specific scents like lavender, jasmine, chamomile, rose, frankincense, and patchouli have historically been used to relieve anxiety, depression, and stress.

If you feel like you would prefer a more hands-on approach to tackling your tension, you can choose treatments designed to relieve these negative emotions. A facial, for example, can relieve tension and allow you to step away from life’s worries for a while. 
​
Meanwhile, a massage that targets anxiety like the Hot Stone Massage or the Antistress Massage is designed to relieve the symptoms of stress in your body to refresh your physical and mental energy.

Keeping up with meditation and exercise can also be a useful tool to relieve negative emotions. They lower the body’s levels of stress hormones, improve your sleep and make you feel more confident in yourself. In addition, they can be a great distraction that allows you to focus on something other than the way you are feeling.

​In conclusion, there are many approaches you can take to manage your feelings in these stressful times. You may choose to try one or more of these techniques or even all of them, so we hope that they will be of help and lead to your mental wellness.

Improving your health and wellness, both physical and mental, may seem like a daunting task. We associate improving our health with major lifestyle changes, inconvenient exercise routines or complicated dieting plans, but this doesn’t have to be the case!

There are some surprisingly simple ways to feel and look better that can slot right into your current lifestyle, making them easier to adapt to and maintain. You can’t always find the time to pop into the spa for a massage to break your routine or get advice from our therapists, so this blog will outline possible additions or minor changes to your diet, lifestyle and the products you use in your own home. Not all of them may be perfect for you, but that’s ok! You can adopt as many tips as you like, or use them as a first step into making bigger changes.

Your diet doesn’t only affect your skin and body, but your mental wellness as well. Eating well helps you feel and look better, but we often try to change our diet dramatically; cutting out the foods we love and eating only carefully meal-planned dishes. This can make diets hard to maintain, and demotivate you quickly.

Instead you should start with smaller diet changes first, that can benefit you a great deal on their own, or help transition you into more major changes. For example:

Herbs and Spices
Herbs and Spices don’t just make your food taste amazing, they also have some major health benefits:

• Sage: True to its name, sage is a medicinal herb that’s great at boosting your brain function and memory. It’s also great at fortifying your immune system since it contains antioxidants and is suggested to help reduce blood sugar levels. Sage retains its flavour when dried, so fresh or dried sage can be incorporated into pasta sauces or in meat dishes to give an earthy flavour.

Side Dishes & Fermented Foods
Adding a side dish or small addition to your existing food favourites can also be a great way to boost your diet. I’ve focused on sides that require very little preparation, to have as little of an effect on your routine as possible.

Western Diets are lacking in foods that support your gut health. Fermented Foods contain beneficial bacteria that help with digestion, immunity, weight and mental health, so including them in your diet is a great idea. But what are these probiotic boosting foods? Kimchi, for example, is a popular Korean dish that goes well as a side dish or with dishes that are a little bland. It’s usually made from fermented cabbage, garlic, ginger, spring onions and seasonings. It can be found in any Asian food store in containers of various sizes, so it’s easy to pick up a small packet if you’re not sure if you’ll like it. 

Yoghurt is definitely a familiar food, but it has many benefits you may not be aware of. It can reduce your risk of heart disease, contains a great deal of nutrients and like kimchi, boosts your gut health. Adding Yoghurt to baked goods or breakfast dishes is a great option if you prefer not to eat yoghurt on its own.

Kefir is another fermented drink that’s great for you. It’s common in Eastern Europe and Russia, but you can even make it at home by adding grains to a glass of milk and letting it sit for 24 hours. The grains will prevent it from spoiling and ferment the milk, leaving you with a smooth drinkable yoghurt smoothie! You can strain out the grains before drinking, and they remain healthy and ready to make more Kefir!

Adding or making little changes to your routine can dramatically help your physical and mental health. In this section we will take a look at a few simple tips you can adapt to your lifestyle:

• Epsom Salts: Epsom salts are readily available (and low cost) from pharmacies. By adding them to your bath, they can break down and be absorbed into your skin. The health benefits are endless; reducing swelling, bruising and sprains, helping with insomnia, reducing muscle soreness and chemotherapy discomfort and soothing pain from sunburn.
  
  
• Getting a Regular Amount of Sleep: Sleep can make or break your health, and can really bring your mental wellness down. Setting aside at least 8 hours of sleep at the same time each day is especially important. Many people tend to stay up later on their days off, and this can throw off your body’s natural rhythms. Of course getting to sleep may be easier said than done if you have sleeping problems like insomnia, so you may want to consider our blog post on getting good, restful sleep.

Planning Your Meals: Planning your meals in advance can save you last minute stress or problems with missing ingredients. You may want to set a little time aside each week to plan a few meals, or even make meals in advance if the food can be stored in the fridge or frozen. This also helps you avoid eating takeout or unhealthy snacks when you are too tired to cook at the end of the day.

Set and Track Your Goals: Staying motivated is hard sometimes, so track your progress and reward yourself! You can write down your goals and milestones, and set rewards when you achieve them. Achieved your daily goals? Reward yourself with some self-care time like watching a movie or taking a long bath instead of a shower. Achieved a major goal? Treat yourself to a trip to your favourite restaurant, or a relaxing afternoon at the spa on your day off. Rewards can be as large or as small as you want, but remember that it’s healthy to keep your motivation up.

Many people use skincare and body care products that are popular, or recommended to them by others, without first ensuring that the products are suited to their unique needs. It is important to use products suited for your skin type, otherwise these products can do more harm than good.

Identifying Your Skin Type
Determining your skin type is straightforward if you know what characteristics to look for. First, wash your face with a cleanser and dry your skin. Take note of any of these features that may occur after 30 minutes:

• Dry Skin: You may have dry skin if your skin feels tight and parched. Throughout the day, people with dry skin may also notice a little flaking. Moisturising soon after washing your face, with an intensely hydrating moisturiser, is therefore very important for this skin type.
  
  
• Oily Skin: If you wait an extra 30 minutes and you can observe a slight shine all over your face, your skin may be oily. Identifying oil is easier if you have sheets of skin blotting paper that you can use to test for oil. It is still important to nourish your skin with products, so you may want to use products that are not greasy or oily. Exfoliants or peels will also help get rid of any clogged pores that oily skin is susceptible to causing.
  
  
• Combination Skin: If you only observe shine on your nose, chin and/or forehead, you may have combination skin. Your cheeks, on the other hand, may feel a little dry. To meet the needs of all areas of the face, you may therefore prefer to use gel products, so as not to dry out dry areas and over-hydrate oily ones. It is still important to moisturise after you strip your natural oils away when washing your skin.

​Improving your health doesn’t require a complete change to your lifestyle. It’s better to take small steps, and build upon them, than take a giant leap and struggle to maintain it. But at the end of the day, making small changes for yourself can lead to better physical and mental wellness.

​Are you planning a pool day and want to make sure it’s not just relaxing, but an extra special experience? We’re here to help you with a guide of our top tips to make your pool day in Malta perfect. There are numerous activities and experiences to make your day a memorable and magical one. So sit back, relax and take your pick of where to go, what to do - you’ll be craving a day by the pool in no time.

Before you get to your pool, you need to ensure you’ve packed all the essentials. To help you out, we’ve put together our top list of what to pack so you’re organized and ready!
​

• Water : First and foremost, make sure you have a good amount of water. You can never carry too much! Remember to stay hydrated with a big bottle by the pool as you don’t want to feel drained.
• Shades: If you’re going to be spending your summer getting lots of sun exposure, shades with a larger, rounder lens are better for your eyes - they keep the sun out, protecting your eyes and preventing eye wrinkles from constant squinting.
• Games: If you’re heading to the pool with friends, then there’s always the need for a deck of cards. Make sure to buy them in a waterproof covering, or take them in a plastic case, to not ruin them after your first visit.
• Book or Magazine: You can never have too many books with you whilst you lounge by the pool. Take a selection of books and magazines so you can pick and choose, depending on your mood. It’s the perfect time to catch up on some reading.
• Sun Lotion: We’ve saved the best for last! If there’s one thing you have to take with you on your pool day, then this is an essential. Here at Carisma Spa, we have some of the best sun care products available. Make sure to have some on you without fail, to protect your skin and your health.

​Once you are pool day ready, with all essentials packed, the next thing is to pick the perfect pool. Carisma Spa is located in some of the island’s finest hotels, boasting some of the best pools in Malta. So take your pick from some of our favorite hotspots. 

​Experience a pool day of luxury here at the Intercontinental St. Julian’s where you can have the pick of three perfect pool spots. 

At Intercontinental St. Julian’s, you will also have the Mediterranean sea at your feet in their beach club and lagoon outdoor pool. Or for those looking to be out of the sun, the inside pool is a pretty good alternative.

For pool days with a view, head on up to its SKYBEACH infinity pool where you can enjoy one of the most luxurious pools. With panoramic views of Malta, this is an ideal spot for a picturesque pool day and a place to go from day to night. 

If you prefer not to have lots of children running around you whilst you’re relaxing in the sun on your day by the pool, then Seashell’s Resort in Malta is an ideal spot.

Here you will find the adults-only Luzzu Lido pool; a great place for a romantic pool day or for those looking for some quiet time - without children splashing around. 

To feel even more chilled, pop into the seawater outdoor pool, which will let you slip into relaxation mode right away.

Soak up the sun and spend your pool day at Qawra Palace Hotel, next to its magnificent saltwater pool, with a water cascade that looks down over Qawra Bay.

An ideal location, the pool sun deck even has sunbeds and parasols provided; for when things get too hot.

If you also like to enjoy a pool day that’s not too far from the deep blue water of the sea, then this is your location. The rocky beach just beneath drops straight into the ocean. 

​Here at Ramla Bay Resort, there are too many pools to keep track of, making it one of our preferred pool locations.

Offering three outdoor seawater pools, a private sandy beach, and two freshwater indoor pools (that are heated in winter), you have ample choice for your day by the pool.

To top it all off, the open views of the Mediterranean Sea are outstanding, whilst the hotel offers an incredible range of on-site services, offering pool day perfection all-round.

​If the weather is not quite right or you would like to take your relaxation to another level, then why not turn your day by the pool into a spa day?

Carisma Spa is located within waterfront properties, with stunning outdoor pools; but that is only the beginning of your relaxing day! Inside our spas, you can enjoy a relaxing break all year-round; with heated indoor pools and luxurious facilities.

There are numerous offerings to help you soothe and unwind. Including ​our Traditional Turkish Hammam, as well as our salt and regular saunas, steams room, and finally - for those who are brave enough! - ice fountains and showers.

So if your day by the pool needs cranking up a level, then head inside and turn it into a spa day by the pool.

As the sun sets, this does not mean your pool day has to end! Keep the party going strong with some of Malta’s best pool bars and of course, cocktails. Follow your day up with a delicious dinner in one of the hotel's stunning restaurants.

If you’re looking to make your pool day in Malta even more extravagant, then book yourself in for an overnight stay in one of these luxury hotels and wake up in the morning to experience it all over again. 

Interested in a luxurious Spa Day? Find out more about our Spa Day packages here.