Basics On A Spa Experience

We all know the relaxing effect light hearted movies have on us. If only watching movies could provide us with a quick solution to knotted joints in the back or fatigue muscles in the feet! Thankfully, for complete rejuvenation, modern therapists have now developed a special pampering spa for all tired souls, minds and bodies. Today the tired and fatigued don’t just include corporate executives, exhausted working women and housewives, but the student fraternity too, who are frequent visitors at spa.

Basics about spa: Most people, however, do not even know what a spa is. No matter what you make of this three letter Greek word, it simply translates into ‘healing by hot water’. Ancient Greek spas used medicinal herbs in hot water to treat localized body aches and pains. Today healing treatment at a Roman spa would include rolling over a bed of ice followed by a hot shower. This proves to be quite therapeutic in treating stiff joints. Advances in the field of medicine have introduced us to the culture of body wraps, exfoliating scrubs and expensive polishes. Thus, nowadays, spas are ideal zones for complete wellness.

Spa awareness: Before you book into a spa, make sure you know these dos don’ts:
• Make sure that the spa has trained masseurs, who know their job well.
• You could check the spa out for yourself before you register.
• While on a spa survey, ask about the brand of products they use; check for the hygiene factor and make sure the range of treatments offered suit your needs. Often spa managers will encourage you to try a whole range of treatments but you can avoid being bamboozled by knowing your body’s needs. Always give priority to your aches and pains, and choose a treatment that focuses on these areas.
• After having chosen the treatment, do mention about any particular allergy or symptoms from which you suffer. It could be a sports injury or persistent pain.
• Do not hesitate to talk with your masseur, let her know of the desirable hand pressure, room temperature, music volume etc.
• Never go for a spa massage after a heavy meal. Ideally there should be gap of two hours before or after a spa treatment.
• Try relaxing after a spa treatment. Generally one falls asleep during a spa treatment, a slumber that is disturbed when one has to return home. Make sure that you get ample sleep as soon as you get home.
• Drink one or two glasses of water after the spa treatment. This replenishes the water lost especially after a sauna.
• Pregnant women should inform the masseur of the pregnancy in advance and avail of tailor made treatments focusing on the limbs and back only.

How to make your own spa? If you can’t leave the house take some time off to relax at home. Here are few tips to convert your very ordinary bathroom into a luxurious spa:
• Paint your bathroom walls in meditative colors like deep cream, light brown, grey or shades of orange.
• Collect some spa element like colored pebbles and stones, shells, Zen paintings, aroma oils, colorful aromatic candles, flowers and petals and arrange them in a presentable fashion all over.
• Have clean bottles filled with colorful bath salts and cleansers.
• Don’t ever let your spa smell foul. Use bathroom deodorants, perfumed oils, fragrance sprays and aroma sticks. Get some good wraps and scrubs and enjoy your spa.