Thermal Wellness Rooms – So many options…
Hazel Butterfield takes you through some of the various thermal experience options available in the wellbeing sector today
Do you know your Halotherapy from your Chromatherapy? Your Tepidarium from your Laconium?
Wellness is now worth up to £2.8 trillion worldwide, according to the Global Wellness Institute and the sector is growing rapidly. By 2022, British consumers are forecast to spend £487 per head annually on “wellness”, according to analytics firm GlobalData. The last year has really shone a light on our health and the topic of how we can boost our wellbeing. We have reorganised our priorities – how our time and money is spent. Maximising our chances when faced with the concept of potentially another pandemic.
We are excited to get back to the gyms and start visiting Spa Hotels again. Focusing on our wellbeing. Here at Dröm UK we have seen the demand in our Thermal Room services both in the commercial and residential sectors increase. The traditional Steam Room & Sauna’s are still incredibly popular, however our clients are getting even more clued up as to the benefits of the additional/alternative options that are available.
It is increasingly rare to encounter a Spa Hotel now that limits its offering to just the traditional steam room, sauna and plunge pool. So let’s have a look at what alternatives you may come across…
Thermal rooms are traditionally clad in stone, mosaic, ceramic or porcelain tiles or polished plaster. Benches, loungers and massage tables are usually tiled or marble topped and often ergonomically shaped.
The Drench Bucket is an invigorating hydrotherapy experience designed to cool the body instantly. By pulling a cord, the overhead bucket releases a downpour of cold water over your body. Your pores close in the sudden change of temperature thereby improving skin tone.
An Ice Fountain or ice chute provides ice flakes to rub over your body after sauna or steam bathing. The ice stimulates circulation and oxygen intake. It also gently exfoliates the skin helping to eliminate toxins.
A Laconium is a warm, dry heat treatment room where the body is allowed to warm up gently. It is usually a tiled room where the warmth is generated by heated walls, loungers, benches and floors. Relax on the loungers or benches for as long as you feel comfortable and the body will slowly start to sweat as it warms up, with the heat penetrating deep into the muscles. Most Laconiums have a kneipp hose where you can cool off and stimulate circulation, before relaxing back onto the loungers to enjoy the thermal experience again. For a more personal bathing experience play soothing or uplifting music and introduce fragrances to help you unwind via a humidifier.
A Tepidarium usually has heated floors, walls and loungers giving a pleasant feeling of constant radiant warmth. The loungers can be set to different temperatures according to preference and the air temperature can be up to 15°C below the temperature of the walls and the seating. Relax on the lounger and let the radiant heat encourage increased blood flow and circulation. This room is often used before, during and after other spa treatments and is designed to restore the body to its normal temperature of 37°C.
Salt therapy (or Halotherapy) is believed to aid in relieving respiratory ailments. It is a 100% natural therapy and is safe for children. Comfortable clothing can be worn but no shoes, (white socks are usually given out in spas). Relax on a lounger for around 45 minutes breathing in the salt particles whilst reading or sleeping. This therapy is also referred to as Speleotherapy, when bathing takes place in naturally formed underground caves found in salt mines.
Aromatherapy V Chromotherapy
Aromatherapy is the use of aromatic plant extracts and essential oils to promote physical and psychological wellbeing. It is believed that the inhalation of essential oils stimulates the part of the brain connected to smell which in turn sends a signal to the section of the brain that controls emotions and retrieves memories. This causes the release of chemicals which can relax or invigorate you.
Colour and light have been proven to have a positive effect on your mood and wellbeing and chromotherapy lighting provides the benefits of this in your sauna, steam room or wellbeing area.
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