The snooze class
Imagine slotting in some sleep time during your lunch hour, writes an elated Meera Murugesan
IT is a sweltering hot Wednesday afternoon. A group of us have shown up at Babel in Menara Ken, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, to experience a new health class. I had been told beforehand that no exercise gear would be required.
“Just come as you are” was the response when I asked whether I needed to change in the office before heading there.
Once I arrived and joined the group, we were led into a dimly-lit room with soothing music playing in the background. There was some aromatherapy action going on as well.
There were mattresses neatly arranged in rows on the floor. We were told to pick one and lie down because we were going to be asleep soon.
Sleep? As in shut-eye and good night?” I ask, looking baffled.
“Yes, this is a snooze class,” responds Tony Robson, the cool and collected “sleep guru” standing in a corner of the room.
Ok, he’s actually a fitness coach at Babel and also the resident yoga teacher.
But guided sleep? Sounds strange, right? I mean, have we reached a point where we now have to pay people to teach us how to sleep? What’s so complex about it, you may ask? Go to bed and it happens naturally.
COUNT THE SHEEP
But now there’s Snooze by Babel. As appealing as it sounds to take a nap during my lunch hour, I have never tried it (certainly not in a roomful of strangers) and I can’t imagine slotting a sleep class into my daily workday schedule.
But, as Robson points out later, after the one-hour class, most of us don’t get enough sleep these days, given our very busy lifestyles.
The snooze class is actually a way for you to use one hour of your time to get your body to relax, focus on your breathing, slow down and if necessary, get some much needed shut-eye.
It’s almost like slotting in a session of meditation into your daily schedule but here, dozing off is not a crime. In fact, give yourself an “A” if you actually do nod off.
I have to admit, I’m not one of those people who can doze off anywhere — you know how some people do it on planes, trains, buses and everywhere else, including your shoulder!
But during the class, Robson gently guided us into a state of relaxation, talking us through a step-by-step process that helped us relax our limbs, soothe the mind and “switch off” from our hectic work schedules.
This, coupled with the inviting atmosphere in the room and the very comfy beds (thanks to mattress brand Getha), made sleep so easy.
At the beginning of the class, we did some light yoga stretches to relax the body and ultimately, make the whole snooze experience much easier.
I did doze off during the class (just for a short while) and when I opened my eyes, I found some people in deep slumber. Even when the class ended, they were still counting sheep.
“Lots of people today suffer from sleep disorders because of stress and the things that go on in their daily lives,” says Robson.
He adds that it’s difficult sometimes for us to fall asleep at any time of the day. People come home late, rise very early to beat traffic and as a result, they become very tired, especially during lunchtime.
He explains that if we don’t get enough sleep at night, we will become lethargic around lunchtime the next day, especially after we have eaten.
“This class is timed to follow that natural cycle that occurs around lunchtime when we feel like we are running out of steam or energy. You come here, relax, get refreshed and go back.”
He says a lot of research today is showing that workplaces that allow their staff a little snooze during lunchtime (around 20-30 minutes) will enjoy better productivity.
But sometimes, people can’t do it themselves. Their minds are still focused on the day’s needs and tasks and classes such as these help guide them to a state of relaxation, calmness and rest.
By taking slow deep breaths (six seconds inhale and six seconds exhale) and focusing on one’s breathing patterns, the body starts to slow down and unwind.
The technique is called coherence breathing, which basically means slowing down our breathing to a pace like when we are asleep and this allows brain activities to change.
The specially selected music that accompanies the class is also at a frequency that is in sync with this breathing technique and further promotes calmness and relaxation.
Basically, through the snooze class, an optimum environment for relaxation is created so participants can truly unwind during the class.
GET ENOUGH
Robson says lack of sleep has a huge impact on the body so it’s crucial that we address it.
“When the body doesn’t receive enough sleep, we become anxious and stressed
and this in turn prevents further sleep. It’s like a vicious cycle. We want to offer people an opportunity to break that cycle and get some rest during the day.”
The goal is to learn how to let go, focus on yourself and the present and give your mind and body the rest it requires.
Robson says people often think that if they don’t get enough sleep during the week they can make up for it over the weekend.
But “binge sleeping” as he describes it actually makes a person more tired. The goal should always be to have good, solid, sleep on a regular basis.
“When we sleep, the body is able to repair and recover itself. If we don’t get that rest, all we’re doing is continuously stressing the body until it breaks down. Sleep is necessary for both physical and mental wellbeing.”
Good sleep, he adds, is a crucial component to healthy living, just like diet and exercise. We can’t have one without the other.
And at Babel, the approach is to look at healthy living in a comprehensive manner, not just in terms of fitness but also with healthy food and adequate rest for the body and mind.
“We are looking at a complete approach to good health at our centre.”