A while ago, as I was getting a rare facial treatment at a local spa, the aesthetician told me that spas across the city were experiencing a slump in business. When things get “tough”, people see something like going to the spa as an extra, inessential splurge. Than, the other day, during a television interview, I was asked to provide on-air “ammunition” for wives who want to convince their husbands that they still need to go to the spa.
What I discovered surprised me – in addition to helping you convince your significant other, this should convince you that taking care of yourself in this way is truly essential to your health and success!
Five health benefits of going to the spa (in this case, for a massage):
1) It reduces stress hormone levels
Several studies have shown that massage reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which among many other benefits helps slow your heart rate, and brings your blood pressure down.
2) It boosts your immunity
By reducing stress and stress hormones, massage boosts the levels of “natural killer cells” in your body, which are your first defense against invaders. Massage has been shown to even boost immunity in people with severely decreased immune systems, such as patients with breast cancer.
3) It’s a great pain reliever
Whether you’ve got muscular pain, chronic headaches or a migraine, or even labor pains (!), massage has been shown to significantly decrease and relieve pain. I once had a headache three days in a row, a sign that I was trying to do too much in too little time. A one hour massage cured the headaches completely!
4) It boosts your mood
As if a wonderful, healing, relaxing visit to a spa wasn’t enough (I already feel better, just walking in the door), treatments such as massage increase your brain’s level of feel-good hormones like dopamine and serotonin.
5) It relieves PMS symptoms!
A small study of a group of women with severe PMS found that massage reduced a variety of symptoms such as pain, water retention, and mood swings. Now there’s some ammunition that might seriously convince your husband or partner of the necessity of your spa visit – maybe you can even get them to pay for it! Imagine how much happier a place this world would be, if all women were treated to a spa visit a minimum of once a month?
Now, I know I’ve been talking mostly about the benefits of massage, but just think about it – a pedicure usually comes with an brief massage, as does a facial, and even some manicures come with mini hand and arm massages. In fact, when they’re doing the massage part of your pedicure, you could say: “you know, I’m feeling like I might be coming down with something, and need to boost my natural killer cells – could you do that a little bit longer?” Who would say no?
As an ex massage therapist and current life coach, I fully agree!
To me it boils down to self love. Taking care of our minds, bodies, health should be # 1 in our lives.
Cos when we are the best we can be, that’s when we give our best and make the world around us a better place! When things get tough, it’s time to love ourselves even more.
Thanks for the article:) Tia
Coach T.I.A – Coaching You to Take Inspired Action
Thank you Susan!!
I totally agree….what better way to look after yourself. I always encourage my clients to remember to refill their glass, so that they can continue to give back & be their best!
Another good reason is that its cheaper to have a “Spa -cation” than an long extended vacation.
Do yourself a favour & call your local spa & book yourself in for a treat!
Thanks, this is great justification. I am going to book myself an appointment at my spa in del mar, ca today!
Very good writings as well as comments about spa, however it is nowhere clarified as to how many visits to spa are ideally suitable for good health. Kindly elaborate.
I had no idea that going to the spa boosts your immunity. After reading this, it makes sense why lowering your stress would help you avoid getting sick. I have always been told that a couple of the main reasons we get sick is because lack of sleep and stress. I’ll definitely have to talk with my wife about having a spa day. It may even be a little romantic…
Going to the spa seems like a great idea. I haven’t been to the spa in years, but I remember how nice those trips were. And now I know that it can also boost my immune system!
I noticed my wife has been really stressed lately, so I’ve been trying to figure out what I can do to help her out. According to the article, studies show massages at a spa reduce cortisol which causes stress. How effective are other spa treatments and helping to reduce cortisol and stress levels?
Going to the spa does sound like a great idea. I love the fact that it can boost our immune systems, thus making us healthier. Getting sick is the worst, and I can’t afford it with my job. I guess that means I need to go to the spa more often!
I had no idea that going to the spa was such a great pain reliever! Recently, I have been having a lot of muscle pain, and have been trying to figure out ways that I could help it. After learning about all of the many benefits of going to the spa, I will definitely consider going to help my muscle pain.
I like how the article explains that a spa treatment is a good pain reliever as it helps to get rid of muscular pain through massages. I have been having a lot of muscle pain in my shoulders recently. Maybe I will look into going to a spa soon.
I didn’t realize that massages are able to help you reduce stress levels. It seems like my wife’s new job has caused her to experience a lot of headaches as a result of the daily stress that she deals with. Perhaps visiting a spa would allow her to relieve all of the stress that has built up from her daily obligations.