Update

[28/07, 8:23 pm] Jeniriya: Hot Stone Massage Hot stone massage is a deep massage that uses soothing oils, warm basalt and sometimes cold marble stones to relax your muscles. What is hot stone massage good for? Hot stone treatments alternate warmth and cold -- a technique which has proven beneficial to soothe an aching body. There's a method behind the madness of leaping from a toasty sauna into an icy pool, and hot stone massage uses the same principle. Hot stone massage combines relaxing warmth and refreshing coolness to encourage the body to detox and heal. This also increases lymph flow and helps to flush out waste. Heat relaxes your body in a short space of time, so your therapist can focus on a deep working of the tissues using both hot stones and hand strokes. Hot stones also increase your sense of relaxation and calm. They are coated in fragrant oil which is smoothed gently onto your body, and each stone in turn is worked by your therapist's hands. Hot stone massage can: boost your circulation release stored tension recharge your energy levels relax you Hot stone massage is said to have health benefits for people with: muscular pain poor circulation rheumatic and arthritic conditions fibromyalgia back pain stress insomnia depression. As with all spa therapies, never underestimate the feel-good factor. Hot stone massage will help you feel nurtured, pampered and special. Hot stone massage What to expect from hot stone massage Hot stone massage begins with placing warm, oiled stones on multiple acupressure points around your body, perhaps even tiny ones between your toes. You may drift off into a dreamy state and lose track of where the hot stones are arranged. Hot stone massage employs a variety of strokes and techniques using the stones and hands, working over kinks in your muscles. You are unlikely to feel the intensity, since your muscles will be relaxed by the heat of the stones. Your therapist may alternate between hot basalt stones and much colder, marble stones. As your body sinks further into a state of relaxation, you may even stop noticing the extreme changes in temperature. Hot stone massage should trigger a deeply relaxed, blissed-out and meditative state. Some people have reported closing their eyes and seeing bright colours. Enjoy the afterglow -- float slowly back to the real world and re-hydrate your body by sipping plenty of water. Different kinds of hot stone massage LaStone is a branded form of hot stone massage and one you are likely to encounter in UK spas. Hot stones are sometimes described as "advanced" versions of regular treatments in a spa's promotional material, and feature in more traditional massage treatments, such as Lomi Lomi. Alternative names for hot stone massage include river rock massage, lava stone massage, or warm stone massage. LavaShells massage was developed in 2009 and offers the same effects by using recycled Tiger Clam Shells that self-heat. Hot Stone Massage Hot Stone tips! Hot stone massage is a treat, so indulge as much as you can. Arrive early so you have time enough to relax and absorb your surroundings. It's not a good idea to eat a heavy meal or drink alcohol in the hours beforehand. Your hot stones treatment is likely to last about an hour; plenty of time for melting away all your knots, aches and worries. Always tell your therapist about any medical conditions you have. They will take your medical history into account when choosing the right stones and techniques for your body. For similar reasons, tell your therapist if you are, or think you might be, pregnant. Don't be afraid to tell your therapist if the stones are too warm for you. You'll relax much more quickly and start enjoying that delicious feeling of total well-being if you're comfortable. We recommend you should book hot stone treatments on a day when you won't have to rush out somewhere afterwards. You'll feel so relaxed and soothed after your treatment, jumping in the car and tackling the rush hour traffic might seem sacrilegious. [28/07, 8:29 pm] Jeniriya: Treatments to de-stress Stress is what happens when you react to an emergency situation and your body releases cortisol (and other hormones, such as adrenaline) into your bloodstream. These hormones make your heart beat faster and prepare your body to respond to danger. Sometimes, a little stress is good: it makes us achieve what we want, meet deadlines, and work the occasional miracle. A life with no stress at all would be a little insipid. But too much stress, for too long, is damaging to our health. Stress raises our blood pressure, causes us to lose sleep at night, and can bring us out in rashes while we're nibbling our fingernails to the quick. At times like that, a little spa de-stress never comes amiss. How stress affects our body The stress hormones produce instant changes: your heart rate increases the blood flowing to your brain and your muscles speeds up your digestion process stops so your body can maximise your energy your muscles tense your breathing speeds up to enable an increase in oxygen. With that kind of pressure on your body, it's easy to see why some studies say that 80% of illnesses are stress-related, from issues with digestion to aches, pains and muscle problems. Stress hormones give our bodies an effective "fight or flight" response. This is great when you're on the run from a sabre-toothed tiger, not so helpful when your boss is shouting, you're overdrawn at the bank or the child-minder just called in sick. So what are the best treatments or therapies to help reduce stress? Massage: the calming effect of the human touch Massage Many studies confirm that the human touch releases the hormone oxytocin, which helps to counteract the stress hormones. Oxytocin is a hormone which increases feelings of trust and enables bonding. One magical stress-buster is massage. A study showed that adults who received a weekly chair massage for five weeks had lower stress at the end of the trial than the control group, who simply sat relaxing for the same amount of time.(1) There are endless varieties of massage on offer, from deep-tissue to Thai massage. The important thing is that you're relaxed and de-stressed at the end. Find out what your local spa offers and decide what you want; massage is such a personal treatment, it has to be your choice. Single Spy always books Indian head massage. Student Spy prefers Swedish. A good option could be a straightforward full-body massage; you can decide how much pressure your tense muscles can bear. Our recommendation would be a lava shell or hot-stone massage -- a massage which uses heated stones or shells to soothe stressed bodies. The combination of touch and heat mixes two of the best de-stressers. Thermotherapy: easing aches and anxieties with heat Sauna Stressed muscles and tense bodies respond well to being warmed. So, to aid your de-stress, try to incorporate heat into your spa experience. Visit a spa that offers thermal experiences, such as steam rooms or a sauna. When your body temperature rises, which it does when you experience heat, this fools your body into thinking it has a fever. Your body therefore increases the production of white blood cells, and these help boost your immune system. Steam rooms have also been found to be good for your mental health, too, as they reduce your levels of adrenaline and increase endorphins -- nature's "happy" hormones. Take at least half an hour to warm up before having a massage to enjoy extra relaxing benefits. You could also try a rhassoul treatment, which combines thermal mud with beneficial scented steam for a relaxing treat. Traditional holistic therapies: balancing body, mind and spirit Ayurvedic massage Therapies such as shiatsu, ayurvedic massage, acupuncture and reflexology are rooted in ancient traditions. Healing therapies from Asia take a holistic approach to healing; that is, they aim to treat the whole person – their body, mind and spirit -- not just treat an individual symptom. If you're looking for a long-term approach to managing stress, trying a traditional therapy is a positive step in the right direction. If you've never tried abhyanga, an ayurvedic treatment that involves massage of the body with large amounts of warm oil (thus involving touch, heat and ancient wisdom), this is the treatment we recommend you try out. Tell us how your stress levels are after melting... Hot tip! Combine your treatment with aromatherapy to maximise your de-stress potential. Studies have shown that the scents of lavender and rosemary can decrease the stress hormone, cortisol (2