Many spa experiences provide mental and emotional relaxation. Ambient elements that contribute to mental well-being, like soothing music, pleasant scents, and comfortable temperatures, can all impact one’s level of serenity.
Massage Therapy
A therapeutic massage’s calming touch triggers the body’s relaxation response, lowering cortisol levels, blood pressure, and heart rate. It also helps alleviate stress and muscle tension and has been shown to reduce the symptoms of cancer-related pain by releasing natural painkillers, including endorphins.
A recent study found that getting a massage for an hour several times a week helped more with neck pain and problems in patients with breast cancer than regular medical care. Additional research is needed to develop a more specific tool that captures the experience of serenity and links it to health outcomes.
Hot Tub Therapy
Soaking in a hot tub helps relieve pain caused by chronically tight muscles, improves sleep quality, and reduces stress levels. In addition, the buoyancy of a hot tub increases blood flow to your heart and joints while loosening stiff muscles. The hot water also simulates the beneficial effects of exercise, helping to strengthen your body.
A daily soak in your home spa is a great way to unplug from the busy world and focus on self-care. The soothing sounds and gentle heat help you focus on the moment, combatting the tendency to dwell on the past or future.
Furthermore, sleeping in the hot tub can facilitate an earlier sleep and a more rested wake-up. Studies have found that soaking in your hot tub before bed can help prevent insomnia! It is thought that this is because a warm soak lowers your stress and anxiety levels, making it easier to fall asleep.
Self-Care
Incorporating spa services into your health routine effectively fights stress, relaxes, and prioritizes self-care. Self-care is characterized by actions promoting a healthy lifestyle and long-term wellness. Self-indulgence, conversely, is characterized by short-term gratification of personal desires that can negatively impact your health and well-being. Many spa treatments Norfolk VA, promise many benefits, from anti-aging seaweed wraps and lymphatic drainage massages to detoxifying whirlpool baths and body rubs that attack cellulite. But before signing up for these exotic offerings, do your homework.
Meditation
Various meditation and breathing exercises can increase mindfulness and reduce stress, contributing to better health. Meditation helps to release feel-good hormones such as endorphins and serotonin, promoting positive moods and emotional well-being. Spirituality is a core aspect of holistic nursing care, and nurses are increasingly called upon to attend to patients’ minds and bodies. However, few validated instruments measure spiritual well-being or serenity, and those that do have varying constructs and operationalization.
The brief Serenity Scale has promising psychometric properties. Three unique elements—acceptance, inner haven, and trust—linked to the quality of life were found through exploratory factor analysis of the 22 items. In addition, the scale correlates positively with positive affect and mindful awareness and inversely with negative affect, perceived stressors, depression, and transplant-related stress. It is thus a promising tool for future nursing research on spiritual care.
