Weavers’ House Spa Director Alex Hurt connects with us as she explores touch and why we need it
Touch when you have it is underrated. When you don’t, it’s the human connection we crave. With a hold out on hugs over the last six months wrapping your arms around your fellow humans has become frowned upon unless you are ‘bubbling’. It seems typical that when you are told you can’t have something, you want it more and that’s certainly the case for many of our spa days and stays at Weavers’. Many of you have been either craving some alone time or to have what we like to call a ‘holistic hug’, the comfort of massage and touch.
Touch is the primary language of compassion, also the only means there is to spread compassion too! A basic warm touch calms cardiovascular stress by activating the body’s vagus nerve. A simple touch can trigger a release of oxytocin -the love hormone.
Is it any wonder that we love to be massaged? So, not only is massage great for physical stress release, pummelling those muscles and squeezing out the tension, but it’s the soother to your mental wellness too.
In the first month we opened, we experienced many people almost seeking permission to spa. With mixed feelings and a myriad of questions our clients were apprehensive about receiving a treatment. Why? Well, it seems that many people hadn’t explored outside of their new norm, and most definitely were not sure about being touched by someone else. When you book, our team will spend time going through the steps we take to keep you safe. The feedback on our measures has been excellent. Your spa experience feels exclusive, safe and far far away from a clinical journey.
Touch is necessary for connection. The more tactile we are, the better we communicate with each other. Research shows that 55% is body language, 38% is tone and only 7% is what you actually say. A touch can communicate things to someone without saying a word. A calming touch to someone with Alzheimer’s disease can seriously soothe and help them to relax, make connections with others and reduce symptoms of depression. Massage can reduce the pain in pregnancy and help alleviate pre-natal depression. A simple reassuring touch of an arm or a shoulder from a leader can increase performance.
Nonverbal communication is where it’s at. That’s why we ask you all the questions at the beginning and leave you to relax. When receiving a treatment, it takes time for the mind to slow down, and the body to relax.
Switching off is key, and a way to do this is to allow your thoughts to float by, wash through your mind, without focus. Should something be reoccurring imagine leaves on a tree gently blowing in the wind and take some deep breaths.
By simply distracting your thought process with something natural allows for peace. Aromatherapy oils will also calm the senses and take you to a dream like state, along with long, slow strokes of massage, comforting nerve endings, giving you the TLC you need.
Do you need a hug? Our Weavers’ House Hug (£140) is now firmly back on our spa menu.
So, if you are a Weavers’ connoisseur, you’ll know this two-hour luxury face and body treatment is the most requested day package we have. To book your spa hug call us on 01787 246 246 or email weavers@theswanatlavenham.co.uk.