Bath and Spa Relaxation
Relaxation regarding bath, spa and meditation
Bath and meditation have been used as means to unwind since time immemorial. The word ‘spa’ is used colloquially to refer to either a ‘health spa’, which is an establishment dedicated to ways of improving health and fitness or a resort that houses a mineral spring or a whirlpool bath.
In addition to being a very efficient stress-buster, baths have been known to offer a multitude of health benefits. Bathing, be it in cold water or hot water, has its own set of therapeutic benefits. Recent research has shown that baths could be used to treat a host of problems, right from headaches to skin infections and insomnia.
Stress features as a major aggravating factor in almost every ailment of the fast-paced life of today. And to counteract this, several techniques have evolved. The act of bathing is no longer considered merely a necessity borne out of demands by medical hygiene. It has transformed into an indulgent experience, replete with bath salts, essential oils, herbs and a myriad of cosmetics. Substitutes for water may sometimes include milk or even champagne.
Spas, which until fairly recently were exclusive to an elite few have now become more commonplace, finding their way into the middle-class lifestyle. Types of spas include health spas, rehab spas and medical spas, among others. When it comes to spas, it’s the whole idea of being coddled that seems to appeal to most people. The intensive care coupled with rich collection of bathing gear is an experience worth every buck spent, to many.
Although both bath and the practice of meditation have been around forever, meditation was out of business briefly, at least in the western world. The idea of meditation has had a religious connotation for very long, but more recently the misconception has been dispelled and meditation has been incorporated into the realm of everyday life. Meditation is considered an art by many, few of who swear by it as the best way to beat stress. Regular practice of meditation is said to be a very efficient tool to ‘disconnect’ from the daily hustle and bustle. Also, it has been known to help get the mind off petty issues, which the human mind, sometimes tends to magnify.
Several forms of meditation are known. But the two most commonly practiced techniques are:
- Watching one’s own breath: The essential idea of this technique is to focus the mind’s energies on one activity. Besides improving concentration and thus lowering frustration, it has been known to regulate one’s blood pressure and lower the pulse rate.
- Emptying the mind: This technique involves clearing the mind of all thought process and is relatively harder to practice, but is said to induce a very efficient calming effect on the mind.
It is believed by some that group-meditation compounds the benefits, through an aggregation of energy. In addition to the obvious benefits, meditation also improves general well-being by lowering oxygen consumption, and promotes emotional stability and immunity to common infections, all such factors in turn playing a vital role in the lowering of stress levels.