How to create the perfect sleep treatment for your spa menu
Sleep is no longer something we simply do without thinking; the wellness movement has turned it into a practice to be analysed, aided and, ultimately, improved.
Recent figures from analyst The NPD Group showed a 74% year-on-year increase in sales of night-only skincare in the 12 months to the end of September 2018, driven by “self-care” trends, as consumers purposefully carve out time to address their wellbeing.
As well as retailing products specifically designed to support clients’ skin while they sleep, salons and spas can offer the perfect environment to help customers on their way to healthier rest. A few adjustments should be made to treatment rooms before carrying out sleep treatments. “The optimal room temperature for a good night’s sleep is 16ºC so we aim to keep it around this temperature,” says Andrea Polly, senior therapist at Slieve Donard Resort and Spa in County Down, winner of PB’s Northern Ireland Spa of the Year 2018. “We also give clients a choice of lighting colours and music to aid with relaxation and adjust the bed to suit their comfort.”
Sleep treatments are approached in a slightly different way at PB-Award-winning The Spa Hotel at Ribby Hall Village, Lancashire, where Neom’s Sleep Treatment is on the menu. “The therapist shows the client how to prepare for a great night’s sleep with progressive relaxation techniques like mindfulness meditation,” says spa duty supervisor Emma Nutter. Variations on meditation, such as breathing and visualisation techniques, can also be incredibly effective in helping clients relax.
Sleep spa treatments
“In our Sleep Ritual, we use a technique called polarity balance to ground the therapist and client before the treatment, allowing physical and emotional stress to leave the body,” says Polly.
When choosing products and scents, aromatherapy lends itself perfectly to sleep treatments. Get clients to choose from a selection of calming and soothing aromatherapy oils, letting the body guide them to what it needs – “usually oils that contain frankincense, myrrh, lavender, sandalwood or rose geranium”, advises Polly.
She uses long, stroking movements “such as linears and effleurage” during sleep treatments, and recommends hot stones to help the muscles relax quicker and swiftly bring about a feeling of serenity in the body. Post-treatment, give clients practical advice about how their experience can have a lasting effect. “We advise clients to incorporate the following into their bedtime routines,” says Nutter. “Remove electrical items from your bedroom including clocks and televisions and avoid high-intensity exercise two hours prior to bedtime.”