When the weather turns frosty what could be better than a hot stone massage? Though you certainly can give this indulgent treatment to someone on your list, it also makes a wonderful gift to yourself! After all the holiday stress of shopping, hosting gatherings, and finishing up year-end projects; you deserve some self-care.
When the weather turns frosty what could be better than a hot stone massage? Though you certainly can give this indulgent treatment to someone on your list, it also makes a wonderful gift to yourself! After all the holiday stress of shopping, hosting gatherings, and finishing up year-end projects; you deserve some self-care. A hot stone massage will have you saying “Ho-Ho-Oh!” as it melts away your tension.
As you may have guessed, a hot stone massage incorporates heated stones into the therapy techniques. The stones used are often round and flat; often called River rocks. They are made of a natural substance, like basalt, that retains heat for long periods. The rocks are professionally heated to around 110°F to 145°F.
Once they are warmed to a pleasing temperature, the massage therapist will place them on specific parts of your body to reduce tension and soothe muscles. Along the spine, on your stomach, and across the soles of your feet are common spots on which hot stones are used.
Sometimes the massage therapist may use soothing rhythms and relaxing strokes while holding the hot stones. The heat from the stones can help the massage therapist work deeper into your muscles without causing discomfort.
Whether these relaxing rocks are stationary or in motion, a hot stone massage has many benefits.
Reduces Tension and Pain. Are your shoulders in knots after hosting a holiday dinner with your family? Or maybe your legs ache from all that shopping! A hot stone massage is an excellent way to help your muscles relax as it reduces tension, increases blood flow, and melts away aches and pains.
Promotes a Good Night’s Rest. Maybe it’s because it helps you to relax. Or, it could possibly be because it gets your blood and lymphatic systems moving to help flush out toxins and restore balance. It isn’t fully understood why massage promotes restorative sleep, but studies have shown its many positive effects on sound slumber.
Decrease Stress and Increase Immunity. Stress and our immune systems go hand in hand. When our stress increases the strength of our immune system often decreases. A hot stone massage may have positive effects on both! Massage has been shown to lower stress and decrease anxiety; which is a good thing for our immune systems. Massage has also been found to increase white blood cell production, which strengthens your immunity. So you can say “so long” to those winter colds!
If you’re looking to relax and unwind then a hot stone massage is the perfect way to treat yourself. Start the New Year off right with a bit of self-care after the holidays. It can help you manage your stress, decrease tension and pain, get some much-needed rest, and even give your immunity a boost to fight those winter colds!
What are you waiting for? Book your hot stone massage today and make relaxation a part of your holiday ritual.
