A brief recap: Since arriving at Ocean Villas Luz in August 2020, resident writer David Lugg has been experiencing all aspects of Luz Life. This is his June 2023 review:
When I welcome new arrivals at Ocean Villas Luz, it’s not uncommon to encounter the occasional tired head or weary eye. Sometimes, this is down to an early flight or perhaps a long day of travel, but more often than not I can sense that the main reason for a Praia da Luz holiday is to recharge the internal batteries. Regardless of my welcoming zest and zeal, the only Z’s that some of our guests need are a few nights of good deep sleep.
Naps, siestas, slumber, beauty sleep – call it what you will – a holiday in Praia da Luz offers the kind of serenity that few other destinations can match. There are a number of reasons for this – there is no mass market tourism, no major bus route, it’s not on the train line – but Praia da Luz has another, far more effective secret up its somniferous sleeve and it derives from the most basic level – our five senses.
Waking up to the sound of the sea and the birds is always a wonderful start to any day. But step out onto your balcony at Ocean Villas Luz and you are greeted by gardens, flowers and the cerulean Atlantic Ocean. You can smell and taste the salt in the air and, what’s more, everything is within touching distance. It’s a marvellous sensory combination, tried and tested by scores of very happy guests.
Most of us will say that we eat well and we exercise and drink plenty of water, but there are undoubtedly times in our lives where we do not get enough sleep. As a father to a one-year-old, I can vouch that sleep is something that I used to do – something from the past, like something from a book or a film. But I’m acutely aware that I’m not the only parent with young children to walk through the doors of Ocean Villas. Which is why, on arrival, I always point out the sunbeds at the bottom of our gardens – an ideal spot when you need to slip away and read half a page of a novel before drifting off into a dribbly doze.
There are plenty of other times in our busy lives where we arguably don’t get enough shut-eye. Long working weeks, anxiety, stress – the list is unfortunately long – but the benefits of a necessary nap are far-reaching and well-documented. It is said that good sleep improves our mood, our cardiac health, our cognitive thinking and regulates our blood sugar. It has also been proposed that sleep can repair the immune system which is important for people of all ages, especially the youngest and eldest members of the family.
Science aside for the moment, Praia da Luz offers the opportunity to simply switch off from the world. However long the list of holiday plans, it is vitally important to take a deep breath, step away from the work emails, turn off the phone and relax those shoulders. If you need a little help, we can even arrange massage and beauty treatments in your villa or apartment, thanks to Pamela, our fabulous Massage and Beauty Therapist. What’s more, we offer daily yoga in our oceanfront gardens open to all levels of experience.
To conclude, if like me, you find that you have not been running on all of life’s cylinders, book yourself a break at Ocean Villas Luz. Come to your senses so you can be in touch with all five of your basic senses. Enjoy a piece of the peace. All you need to do is send us an email to [email protected] and you’ll be all set for a snooze in Luzzzzzzzzzz.
More news next month.
David Lugg
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(All photo images owned by David Lugg)
Previous blogs can be viewed HERE