We have some news we've been holding close, and we're delighted to share it at last: We are official spa partners of Ananda in the Himalayas, one of the world's most respected destination wellness spas.
Why Ananda, and why now?
Ayurveda has never been a trend for us. Mauli began as a love letter to our family's healing heritage, and our belief has always been that wellbeing is about prevention rather than cure.
Ananda lives that philosophy every day. Set in the foothills of the Himalayas, its doctors, therapists and teachers bring Ayurveda, yoga and mindful living together in one place. When we looked for a partner who shares our respect for tradition, and our commitment to making it genuinely useful, Ananda was the natural choice.
Introducing Mauli x Ananda: a new wellbeing series
We understand you may not be able to visit Ananda in person, so we are bringing their wealth of knowledge and Ayurvedic expertise directly to you. In a new content series, Ananda's in-house doctors and experts will share their advice on the wellbeing topics that matter most, from sleep and stress to digestion and seasonal living.
And as we move into the autumn and the season of Vata, where better to begin than sleep?
Why sleep comes first
Ananda's Dr Sreelal Sankar says "sleep is often the first area to unravel when stress builds up. Once it becomes disturbed for months, its effects reach the mind, digestion, energy and emotional balance." Tired, we reach for caffeine. Wired, we scroll. The cycle feeds itself.
Ananda's team sees this pattern often, and one guest's story shows it clearly.
A real story: years of broken sleep, rebuilt in one stay
According to Ananda's account, a guest arrived after years of sleeping just one or two fragmented hours a night. He also had acidity, poor digestion and low daytime energy.
His programme began with data. A wearable called the Belun Ring tracked his sleep stages, breathing and oxygen levels. The results showed fragmented sleep, repeated breathing pauses and dips in oxygen overnight.
Over the course of his stay, nightly reports showed steadier oxygen levels, fewer breathing disturbances and longer, more continuous sleep. He woke feeling clearer and lighter.
This is one person's journey rather than a clinical trial, but the lesson is a powerful one. As Dr Sankar puts it, sleep "cannot be repaired in isolation". It is tied to breath, digestion, emotions and the rhythm of your day.
So, we've organised these learnings into three layers: breath, balance and rhythm.
Layer one: Breath
Ananda's programme emphasised lengthening the exhalation to ease inner agitation. A longer out-breath is a gentle signal to the nervous system that it's safe to slow down.
Try this tonight: lying in bed, breathe in through your nose for a count of four, then out slowly for a count of six. Repeat for five minutes.
Layer two: Balance
In Ayurveda, restless nights often point to two doshas out of balance. Vata is linked to restlessness, dryness and irregular digestion. Pitta is linked to internal heat. The guest at Ananda showed signs of both, so his programme combined a grounding, pitta-balancing diet with warm oil therapies chosen to soothe the nervous system.
You can bring that spirit home with a few easy habits:
- Choose warm, grounding foods in the evening, such as soups, stews, kitchari or dals
- Cut back on very spicy, sour or fried food late in the day, particularly if you often feel hot or acidic at night
- Massage warm oil into your feet and shoulders before bed. This is a mini version of the abhyanga massage Ananda uses. Our Vata Body Oil is blended for exactly this kind of evening ritual
Layer three: Rhythm
The final layer of the guest's programme was the simplest. Evening routines were simplified to limit stimulation, and meals were timed so digestion could settle before bed. His mattress and pillows were also adjusted for comfort and posture.
Your own version might look like this:
- Finish dinner two to three hours before bed so your body can focus on rest, not digestion (our suggestion)
- Keep a consistent bedtime, even at weekends, so your body learns when to wind down
- Dim the lights and put screens away an hour before sleep
- Check your pillow and mattress. If you wake with a stiff neck, your sleep posture may be the culprit
Your 10-minute Mauli wind-down ritual
Put the three layers together and you have a simple evening ritual:
- Dim the lights and switch off screens
- Warm a little oil between your palms and massage your feet and shoulders
- Breathe, in for four and out for six, for a few minutes
- Mist your pillow with our award-winning Sleep Dharma Pillow Mist to cue your body that the day is done
- Go to bed at the same time as often as you can
What's next in the series
This is just the beginning of Mauli x Ananda. In the coming months, Ananda's doctors and experts will share their guidance on more of the topics you tell us you care about.
Is there a wellbeing question you'd love them to answer? Let us know at socialbutterfly@maulirituals.com.
To learn more about the programme behind this story, visit Ananda's wellbeing blog.
This article is for general wellbeing information and is not a substitute for medical advice. If you have ongoing sleep problems, please speak to your GP or a healthcare professional.
