Low-Key Wellness in East Nashville: Simple Practices You Can Take Anywhere

Nashville’s reputation as a vibrant, one-of-a-kind city precedes it. If you’ll be visiting us soon, you’re in for something special. Filled with music, history, art, and a magnificent culinary scene, Nashville’s vibe invites you to dive right in. But after a lengthy flight (or drive), you may need a moment to recalibrate. Noa Nashville is here to help you do just that.

Even in a city known for its revelry, there’s space for quiet and tranquility. Something as simple as a few minutes of breathwork, an afternoon walk to reset your internal clock, or a few minutes of face yoga to stimulate circulation and spark a healthy glow. Small, portable wellness rituals such as these keep you grounded between days out exploring and nights out on the town. If you’ve come prepared with intentional wellness hacks, you’ll prevent a somatic overload, keeping you calm and at your best so you can make the most of your Nashville experience.

Booking your stay at Noa Nashville is also a great way of integrating wellness while traveling. An exclusive boutique resort just minutes from Five Points, Noa invites you to begin each day with healthy intention. Enjoy a relaxed morning swim and wind down at night with a restorative sauna. The property’s fire pit fosters total relaxation, and the on-site workout facilities provide a mental anchor to keep you energized.

To help you stay centered and maintain your personal rhythm in a city where the music spills into the streets, we’ve gathered a collection of easy wellness habits for travel that you can practice at any time.

Beginning Your Day With Intention

Serenity and calm; it’s how things unfold at Noa.

Greet the Sun

Reestablish your internal clock if you’ve traveled across time zones by taking in the morning sun. Known as a traveler’s panacea, the sun’s low-angle rays at this time of day act as a natural “reset button,” synchronizing your circadian rhythm with the 24-hour solar cycle.

Breathe With Intention

Use this moment to practice intentional breathing. Inhale for four seconds, hold for four, and exhale for four. Then relax into the “5-4-3-2-1” technique: five things you see, four things you feel, three things you hear, two things you smell, and one thing you taste. Stay present, visualize the day ahead, and welcome all that’s in store.

Break the Fast

Put the coffee or tea on, open the patio doors, and relax over a rich beverage. If you’d requested that the Noa team stock your fridge before your arrival, now’s the time to prepare a nutritious breakfast that will carry you through to the afternoon. Take the morning slowly, revel in the gardens and tree-lined streets around you, and set aside a few minutes to fit in some face yoga.

Loosen Up With Face Yoga 

It may feel odd at first, but the benefits of face yoga are undeniable. They provide relaxation and can also strengthen specific muscle groups. It is suggested that face yoga can support facial muscle function and promote esthetic appearances as we age. 

Begin with the neck-and-jaw stretch, tilting your head back and bringing your chin out. Place both hands on your collarbones to stretch and tone your neck. Then move into the cheek lifter. Open your mouth wide, forming an “O.” Fold your upper lip over your teeth and lift your cheeks. Hold for 10-30 seconds and repeat five to ten times. Through a series of repetitive exercises, massages, and poses, these low-key wellness practices stimulate and tone your complexion while relaxing the 57 muscles (yes, that many) in your face and neck. You’ll be ready to take on the world.

Activate and Explore

If coffee and a good breakfast are all you really need to start the day, a brisk walk is a powerful tool for maintaining wellness. As an easy, accessible, low-impact form of exercise, a morning walk promotes mental relaxation and boosts both your energy and your mood. And since you’re minutes from Five Points, this is an ideal time to take note of all the little cafes, restaurants, boutiques, and bars that make up the area. You’ll want to visit often; Five Points has something for everyone.

Gear Up for Wellness

Once home and ready to embark on your day, prepare a personalized “calm kit.” Pack a small bag with your headphones or earbuds, a large water bottle to keep you hydrated, sunscreen to protect your skin, and other comforting items. You might bring a notebook or sketchpad to jot down any stray thoughts or doodles.

You can also set up a small aromatherapy station on your bedside table to help you sleep better and wake up feeling calm, happy, and restored each morning. Soak cotton balls in calming essential oils such as lavender, clary sage, or citrus, and leave them in a tiny bowl. If you’ve packed your own diffuser and oils, place them in the living room to keep your quarters suffused with the fresh fragrance you particularly love, and to keep your system at ease.

To make things extra convenient for you, our team at Noa can set up a custom aromatherapy station in your accommodations. Simply reach out with your request, and we’ll put that into action. 

East Nashville Destinations: Calming Spaces for Wellness

If you’re staying with us at Noa, you don’t need to venture far for a full wellness retreat. Our vacation homes surround a courtyard of amenities including a fitness center, pool, sauna, cold plunge, fire pit, and green space. So, whatever your plans or pace, you can always count on Noa as a home base for a reset and recharge.

And while the most effective portable wellness practices are the ones you can call on when your body signals a necessary reset, East Nashville is full of thoughtfully designed wellness-forward spaces that encourage centeredness and calm.

If heat therapy and hydrotherapy resonate with you and you’d like to experience one of the local spas, Holiday Salon & Bathhouse provides a transportive escape. Situated in a beautifully renovated century-old factory building, it’s a space where natural light pours through industrial windows for the ultimate yin and yang sensation. Its Finnish-inspired spa includes a sauna, steam room, hot tub, cold plunge, and soaking experiences that help regulate the nervous system and encourage full-body relaxation. Uniquely immersive, Holiday Salon & Bathhouse has received notable press from Rolling Stone, Goop, Blueprint, and Nashville Scene.

Another spa option that’s an easy walk from Noa is O.liv Body Bar. Their menu includes facials, peels, massages, waxing, and so much more. They also offer seasonal package specials, private parties, and unique experiences, such as an infrared sauna, Mud Lounge, and a meditative Salt Sanctuary that prioritizes relaxation through quiet, music, and salt therapy.

Later in the afternoon, enjoy time in nature at Centennial Park, one of Nashville’s premier urban spaces. A 15-minute drive from East Nashville, the park spans 132 acres and offers tranquil water views, tree-lined paths, and even an imposing full-scale Parthenon replica built in 1897 for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition.

A few more miles down the road, you’ll find the spectacular 55-acre Cheekwood Estate. With terraced gardens, meticulously manicured lawns, and a glassy reflection pool, the property is anchored by a 1920s Georgian-style mansion and world-class art gallery. Wander through captivating exhibits and then out through path upon path across the historic botanical garden and arboretum. You’ll feel absolutely uplifted, restored, and ready for anything.

If you’d rather spend your outdoor time a bit closer to Noa, there’s always Shelby Bottom Nature Center, just a short drive from Noa, replete with gorgeous scenery across five miles of primitive hiking trails and paved ADA accessible trails.

The Healing Power of Music: A Nashville Natural

No matter your mood, the right song can lift your spirits. This might mean popping in your earbuds and rocking your favorite playlist, or simply humming a tune on a nature walk. Of course, Nashville is known as “Music City,” so we can’t ignore the wonderful healing power of live music, either. Whatever your genre of choice, the city has you covered.

Plan a night at the Nashville Symphony for a thrilling orchestral performance. Its complex harmonies, dynamic ranges, and percussive vibrations will register deep in your bones creating an immersive, meditative experience that reduces stress, boosts your mood, and fosters a sense of connection.

For something uniquely Nashville, visit The Bluebird Café. This legendary 90-seat listening room hosts singer-songwriter performances in 3- or 4-round sets. Quiet, intimate, and casual, the venue is designed specifically for listening to the stories behind the lyrics to a variety of original songs.

To complete the evening, visit the chic and sophisticated Fox Bar & Cocktail Club, located just minutes from Noa. This dimly lit haunt was named one of the US’s Top 10 Bars by Food and Wine magazine and is known for its bespoke cocktail options. A converted 1930s pharmacy, the bar retains many of the era's architectural features, including its original wood floor. Prioritizing seasonality and sustainability, the menu changes almost monthly. The Fox is singularly acclaimed for its house Old Fashioned, which is blended with single-barrel whiskey or a bourbon base (once the barrels run out), and Amaro Montenegro to strike a mellow, zesty citrus note.

In addition to its lengthy list of proprietary cocktails, the Fox Bar offers “gourmet bites” such as warmed mixed Spanish olives, smoked goat cheese with baguette toast rounds, Fox fries with lemon aioli and malt vinegar atomizer, and other unfathomably cool appie options.

Wellness Without a Schedule

When you’ve booked your East Nashville getaway at Noa Nashville, you’re vacationing in the lap of luxury. In addition to a crystal blue pool, central courtyard and gardens, fitness facilities, and a cozy fire pit, our cold plunge tub invites a morning’s instant wake-up, and the on-site sauna offers an adventurous day’s wind-down.

Your quarters are replete with soft, sumptuous furnishings and cozy yet uncompromising detailing. And with Five Points a few minutes’ stroll down South 10th, the energy and vibe East Nashville is known for are always at your beck and call. This is where the heart of Music City meets the soul of a tranquil, calming boutique resort.

Check availability at Noa Nashville now and begin planning a restorative getaway like no other.