How Spa Visits Improve Mental Health

Many people know that spas are a really good way to relax and unwind and give your body a healthy pampering. But did you know it can also be extremely beneficial for your mind?

We explore the different ways in which spa visits can boost your mental health and improve the way you feel about yourself on a day-to-day basis.

Without further ado, here are even more reasons to go and enjoy a spa day:

Fight Depression

While spas aren’t magic and they aren’t a replacement for therapy, they are a wonderful form of relaxation and a great way to fight depression and low mood.

In fact, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative HealthTrusted Source, massage therapy may not only help relieve depression, but may also be a helpful addition to your overall treatment plan to enhance wellness.

Taking a day out of the rat race and the daily routines you have built for yourself can be a way for you to break the cycle of depression.

On top of that, a spa day can help you to switch off and to have time to reflect.

Improve Self-Image and Confidence

If you are feeling low about your appearance, or depressed because of body aches and pains, a spa day can tackle these issues and help you feel much better about yourself.

For example, if your low mood is triggered or worsened by skin flare-ups, the effective skin treatments at spas can help to tackle this issue and boost your self-confidence.

Body treatments at spas may include sauna, mud bath, seaweed body wraps, clay or herbal body masks, whirlpool, jet bath, steam room, massage, reflexology, and waxing.

Spa days usually also offer nail services like manicures, pedicures and paraffin treatments that improve your looks and give you a beautiful “glow,” not to mention other benefits like toning your body.

Those treatments will help you feel more beautiful, confident, and overall better about yourself, improving your mental health.  

Relax and Relieve the Mind of Stress

There is something almost meditative about a lot of the treatments on offer at a spa day. Many people talk about “self-care” but what does this really mean?

Well, a spa day is a perfect example of self-care. It’s taking time for yourself, and giving yourself the opportunity to unwind and relieve stress.

Spas are designed to calm your mind and slow down the pace of life, even if it is just for the time you are there. Many of the treatments there, such as massage are an amazing way to relax, increase blood flow, and make you feel calmer afterward.

Other treatments at spas can take away your physical ailments and relieve pain you might have. It’s hard to relax and be happy when you experience aches and pains, so the knock-on effect of getting rid of pain can make you feel more positive and mentally at ease.

Introduce Mood-Boosting Vitamins

It’s unfortunate that many people still don’t get a balanced diet with plenty of vitamins. Spa visits can help you to introduce helpful vitamin shots into your body and skin through facial washes, scrubs, and various other skin treatments offered there.

Studies have shown that vitamins and supplements can have a positive and direct impact on your mental health. If introduced as part of your spa treatments, then they can help to not only improve your skin health, but also regulate your mood and state of mind.

For example, vitamin B12 can combine with folate and help you to produce more dopamine, as well as allow your system to improve production of serotonin. These are the body’s “happy” substances released in the brain that regulate and boost your mood.

Bring Better Sleep

We live in an age where getting quality sleep is not always easy and is at it's lowest ever, thanks to the hectic pace of modern life.

All of the devices we obsessively use on a daily basis, and the fact that a lot of people spend a lot of their time working, combined with the fact that there are so many stressors in our personal lives also make getting good sleep a huge problem for many us.

However, if you’ve ever been to a spa day and had some of the treatments offered there like whirlpool, jet baths, massages, and facial treatments, you will know that it can be hard to even stay awake while you’re there.

The relaxation that you feel at spas can go with you home, and you’ll notice that you’ll have a much better night’s sleep and feel more refreshed and relaxed after a spa day.

Poor-quality sleep is a big catalyst for mental health problems. Insomnia and poor sleep will make your mood and temperament even worse.

However, with a spa visit and day of self-care, you can break the cycle and finally get back to enjoying a good and restful night’s sleep.

All of those spa benefits make for a much happier, healthier, and mentally and emotionally stable person.