Stress is something we all face. Whether it is work, family, finances, relationships, or health — everyone feels the impact of stress. Stress can make us also feel worried, anxious, and overwhelmed. So what is the antidote?
There are many things we can do to take care of ourselves when we are stressed. The National Institute of Health recommends eating well, exercising, and connecting with friends and family. But sometimes we need to take an extra step to treat ourselves to something special.
A visit to a spa is one of life's little pleasures that can help you feel recharged and rejuvenated. It is the opportunity to focus only on yourself and to set aside troubles and concerns.
The Paseo Club has its own spa on-site, so you can enjoy all of the benefits of receiving a spa treatment (or many spa treatments) without leaving your favorite social club. The spa is open to non-members as well.
In this article, we will cover how spa treatments benefit you. We will include scientifically-backed studies so that the next time your spouse looks at the credit card bill, you will have all of the ammo you need to justify your expenditures.
8 benefits of spa treatments
Spa treatments have both physical and mental benefits. There are many types of spa options available that allow you to select the service(s) you want. Depending on the treatment, the benefits do vary.
1. Relieves stress
Stress often creates a physiologic response in our bodies. Who hasn’t felt the tightness in their neck and shoulders, the thrumming in their temples, and the overall exhaustion in their body?
Massage is a fundamental part of the spa experience, and its benefits for reducing stress have been well-founded.
The Mayo Clinic corroborates what we already know — massage makes us feel less stressed and more relaxed.
When people receive a spa treatment, they feel cared for, comforted, and connected — which addresses the mental aspect of stress.
Our bodies feel less pain and tension during and after massage — which targets the physical symptoms associated with stress.
2. Reduces anxiety
Anxiety is defined as having “intense, excessive, and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations.” People with anxiety often have ongoing negative thoughts that affect their lives, including their relationships, work, and sleep.
Anxiety and stress are common problems affecting adults in the US and are a leading reason for using complementary and alternative medical (CAM) therapies.
Massage is a CAM therapy and has been found to reduce anxiety, making it a safe, non-pharmaceutical option.
3. Reduces pain
When you get a massage you know it makes you feel “good.” But what is the science behind it?
Harvard has an explanation about why massage reduces pain:
Therapeutic massage may relieve pain by way of several mechanisms, including relaxing painful muscles, tendons, and joints; relieving stress and anxiety; and possibly helping to “close the pain gate” by stimulating competing nerve fibers and impeding pain messages to and from the brain.
Massage and other forms of bodywork can be a critical piece in helping many people suffering from pain:
- Healing from an injury
- Recovering from surgery
- Living with chronic pain conditions
- Lyme’s disease
- Fibromyalgia
- Arthritis
- Cancer
- IBS
- Endometriosis
- Ulcers
- Headaches
4. Improves immune function
Massage increases lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that is a critical part of immune function. Cytokine levels, which are responsible for inflammation, decrease. The benefits of the massage persisted for several days or a week.
This research indicates that not only is massage effective in preventing illness during cold and flu season but it is also one of the most enjoyable ways to do so.
5. Improves sleep quality
A good night's sleep has become an elusive dream for many of us. It is hard to quiet our brains, get comfortable, and get off our devices to unwind and access deep rest.
Facials and full body massages are wonderful ways to relax and calm our minds.
There is a physiologic response that happens as well. When you receive a massage or facial your body releases serotonin, a chemical that increases feelings of well-being.
The secretion of serotonin then increases the production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep.
In effect, a relaxing massage boosts melatonin levels in the body, which leads to better sleep quality and helps to eliminate insomnia.
6. Improves skin health and integrity
There are many spa treatments available that address skin health.
- LED light therapy
- Facials
- Microdermabrasion
- Chemical peel
- HydraFacial
- Dermaplaning
- Microneedling
These procedures use different approaches to rejuvenate and brighten skin, minimize fine lines, minimize facial redness, exfoliate, reduce acne, boost collagen production, and increase circulation.
7. Improves fitness results and recovery
If you have ever watched the Tour de France, you know that at the end of the day they are not just sitting around eating platefuls of pasta, carbing up for the next day’s race.
In fact, they are on the table getting a massage.
High-performance athletes need frequent bodywork to decrease onset soreness, stiffness, and fatigue and to increase range of motion and mobility.
Just because you are not biking six hours a day doesn’t mean that massage can’t help you with your fitness plan and recovery.
According to the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), massage does act to improve athletic performance. It also prevents injury and shortens recovery time. This is something anyone involved in physical activity can benefit from.
8. Improves cardiovascular health
Our bodies and minds are connected. Medical professionals are now seeing that stress is not only a mental health issue but also a physical issue too.
The medical journal, The Lancet published a study that linked stress with increased cardiovascular disease. Symptoms can include:
- Increased or decreased heart rate,
- Elevated blood pressure,
- Coronary vasoconstriction (the narrowing of the diameter of the vessels that go to the heart)
- Increased risk of myocardial infarction, aka a heart attack
A study on Swedish massage (the most recognized and frequently used massage therapy) and cardiovascular health found that massage reduced blood pressure and heart rate in hypertensive individuals.
This means that massage not only is a preventative for cardiovascular disease but is also curative.
Final thoughts on the benefits of spa treatments
Stress, anxiety, and health issues have a strong impact on how we feel, and although it is important to maintain a healthy self-care regimen, there are times we need the support of others to look and feel our best.
Spa treatments are an incredible resource in communities far and wide that provide the services that aid in enhancing the physical and mental well-being of their clients.
The Paseo Club is a social club in the Santa Clarita Valley that provides members with awesome fitness options as well as a cafe and spa. Our spa is staffed by two massage therapists, Tarra Clements and Haruko Hayashi, and one esthetician, Angie George.
To learn about what types of services are available at a spa, check out what are the top 12 spa treatments for complete relaxation.
Are you interested in recovering from a workout by using hydrotherapy? Read up on the differences and similarities between steam rooms and saunas.
Have you not yet seen our tennis and pickleball courts? What about the indoor and outdoor fitness facilities? Schedule a tour of the Paseo Club today and see what the club has to offer you.