How to get the most from your spa experience

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So you’re finally on holiday…. and finally away from the stresses and time pressures of modern life. 

With a holiday comes the chance to relax both body and mind, and a spa treatment or three is the perfect way to target stress and tension that has been accumulating in your body for months.

Whether you’re a spa aficionado or newbie, Constance Spa Manager Dr Chase Webber reveals his tips for making your spa experience the best for your body, one where true healing and rejuvenation can begin.

1. Give yourself enough time

The tension and stress has been building up in your body for many weeks, months, years even – so really give your body the time to let go. Plan for the longer massages especially for your first massage.

If you have a good long massage of 90min your therapist has time to really get to know all your muscles, find the tension areas and work on them. Your body also has time to really relax and allow your therapist to work deeper gradually. It is always better to work deeper gradually to clear tension than try to force the muscles which will only feel painful.

Even before you arrive for your massage I recommend that you take some extra time to have a warm shower, or spend 5 to 10 minutes in the steam or sauna facilities to begin the relaxation and prepare your body for treatment. Then after the treatment spend some more time just relaxing as much as possible.

2. Talk to your therapist before the massage begins

Take the time to tell your therapist about any particular areas of tension, or an area of sensitivity or where you prefer no massage. If your therapist understands your needs they can better customise the massage and spend extra time on important zones. If during the massage you need more pressure, or less if it is too tender, ask your therapist to adjust. At Constance our therapists are trained to note your preferences and check if you are comfortable but they often need your feedback to adjust if necessary.

3. Allow yourself to relax and get absorbed in the treatment

Touch is one of the most important senses to communicate with the brain and nervous system. The touch and pressure signals activate the brain and nerves to update the body tissues. More and more research is starting to show the benefits of regular massage on all parts of the body and not just muscle tension. Blood Pressure improves, digestion improves, general circulation improves. So allow your awareness to scan the body to see where there is an area of high tension. These areas may need follow up massage to fully improve them which leads to my last point.

4. Always book a follow up massage

It is virtually impossible to clear all the tension and stress from the body in one massage, normally the muscles that have been really tight may even be a little more tender the day after a massage and it is at this time that a follow up massage is most beneficial to bring more fresh circulation into these areas and continue the deep relaxation. I always recommend to plan for at least 3 massages during a week, this way the first massage starts the process and clears most of the superficial tension, the second massage works to clear out any deeper tension and then in the third massage you are completely checking the entire body and integrating the new body awareness.

Next time I’ll be writing on how to exercise to get the best results and latest scientific findings for spa and fitness.

Yours in health
Chase

Spa at Constance Hotels & Resorts

At our hotels and resorts in the Indian Ocean, we offer a range of spa treatments. Our Spa More Smile More package is designed so you can enjoy multiple treatments at a discount, and our Welcome Offer is a 90 minute massage so you get the most from your first treatment.

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