The Franklin Institute Resources for Science says that stress not only affects a person’s mood, but can also increase the risk of stroke, hamper learning, suppress one’s growing network of brain neurons and weaken the protective blood-brain barrier. Therefore, it is all the more critical that you provide your guests a spa environment that goes beyond pampering, but one that truly allows them to completely relieve tension and stress.
According to the article entitled “The Senses at Play: Learning to Dial Down Stress” (August 2013 issue of Pulse magazine), the following are powerful tools that you can use to create a relaxing spa experience for your guests.
Color. Yelo Spa, based in New York City, offers chromatherapy or the use of colors to help treat anxieties, stress or depression.
“Blue will stimulate the production of melatonin and will make us sleepy. Yellow, on the other hand, will have the opposite effect,” says Yelo Spa founder and CEO Nicolas Ronco. “At Yelo Spa, we use maroon, yellow and orange all across. These colors have been used by Tibetan Buddhist monks for thousands of years in their garments and correspond to specific chakras, such as orange relating to emotions, yellow to vitality and maroon to enlightenment.”
Scent. According to Caldrea Director of Research and Development Pam Helms, the aroma from essential oils helps to encourage deep breathing; in the process, calms the mind and body. “A clear mind is a calm mind; specific essential oils within the blends bring clarity,” she says. Helms also pointed out that scents are an important spa tool because they are so personally evocative and closely tied to memory.
Touch. Perhaps one of the most powerful spa tools, the power of touch is a key ingredient to helping guests relax and de-stress. But why is touch so powerful? According to Simon Marxer, spa director at Miraval Resort & Spa in Tucson, Arizona, touch makes the skin and muscles receptive to the techniques and products used during a treatment. “Since stress-reduction is often one of spa-goers’ primary reasons for visiting the spa, touch becomes essential,” he says.
Consider reviewing the tools you are using in your own spa to create a stress-free environment. By thoughtfully combining these essential tools, you’ll be able to create a spa experience that allows guests to completely let go of their worries, anxieties and stress.
Bio and Contact Details
Allie Hembree is the public relations manager at the International SPA Association (ISPA), working with global media outlets as she promotes the visions and messages of the spa industry. She is a frequent contributor to Pulse magazine, the official trade publication of ISPA. To read Pulse, visit pulse.experienceispa.com.
Hembree can be reached at 1.859.425.5072 or [email protected].