Benefits of Having a Massage in Autumn and Winter

It feels like autumn is almost over and the cold of winter is approaching us faster than we would like. However, with the winter months come a few good things: open fireplaces, bright and frosty mornings, cuddling in woollen jumpers, and a desire to pamper yourself!

You may be embracing party season with hair, make up and some sparkling manicures, but having a massage can actually help you truly enjoy the winter with a wide range of benefits you may not have initially known about.

From improving your mood to increasing blood flow, the power of a massage should not be underestimated! Here, we’ll count down our favourite benefits and why they are perfect in the run up to the festive season. 

Massages Improve Your Blood Circulation

Although there’s nothing quite like a brisk walk on a wintry morning, the cold weather seriously affects your blood flow. Lower temperatures actually make your blood vessels thinner which means less blood and oxygen is reaching your heart. This means that your blood pressure and heart rate could increase and, whilst this isn’t particularly dangerous on its own, it could compound issues for people who suffer with circulatory problems anyway.

A massage can help a great deal in moving blood through the areas where it is becoming congested. In fact, massages will also help your lymphatic system flush out all the waste fluid, so your blood can run more freely, thereby reducing your blood pressure, helping you feel a bit more excited for those winter walks!

Massages Can Help Keep Your Skin Soft

Cold weather and harsh winds can take huge amounts of moisture from your skin. Even if you wrap up in multiple layers, you may find yourself with dry skin as a result of both the lower humidity of winter, and the introduction of new materials to your skin (have you got your woolly jumpers out of the cupboard yet?).

Massages are known to soften the skin by promoting elasticity through the use of essential oils. The natural ingredients in some massage oils will soak into your skin leaving it feel hydrated, smooth, and winter-ready!

Massages Could Boost Your Winter Immunity

We all know what its like when the weather changes and the whole office suddenly contracts what feels like the plague. Combine illness with dark evenings and chilly air and you’ve got the recipe for a pretty miserable season. The last thing you want to resemble is Rudolph with a red and chapped nose.

Although massages can’t take the place of some good old-fashioned medicine, they can help boost your immunity by giving your lymph flow a bit of help. As we mentioned before, the lymphatic system helps push blood around your body, but it also houses white blood cells which are there to fight off infection. A massage can keep all the elements moving so that, if you do catch that dreaded office plague, you can help fight it off with a bit of pampering.

Massages Will Make You Feel Better!

Winter can be a very stressful season. Christmas and the new year bring about a wide range of issues that can overtake the festive feeling sometimes. From family gatherings, to busy shopping trips, to school holidays, everyone feels the pressure at some point.

Although it could be tempting to jet off somewhere warm and leave all your troubles behind, you’d probably miss some of the special things that make cold winter enjoyable. So, if the stress is starting to get too much, why not take a little break to your local spa and enjoy a relaxing massage. Your therapist is likely to have beauty therapist insurance in place which will also give you peace of mind that you can enjoy a range of treatments this winter without worrying.

Did you know that headaches can become common through the winter months?  This if often due to lingering congestion after a head cold, sinusitis or central heating.   If you suffer from recurring headaches Indian head massage or holistic face massage or aromatherapy essential oils such as Peppermint could certainly benefit you here. Of course, if you have persistent headaches, it is best to visit your GP for a check up. You may even need a new glasses prescription so visit your optician too and if you visit website pages you’ll see there are countless ones to choose from.

A massage will not just help relieve aching, tired muscles, but it will release serotonin and endorphins that will improve mood and give you a sense of wellbeing – at least until the in-laws show up!

by Katie B - Guest Post

With the summer well and truly behind us and the cooler autumn weather becoming a daily occurrence, it’s time to think about winter. Now, we love the cosy nights in front of the fire and the excuse to enjoy some tasty warming food – but what we don’t love is the effect the cold winter weather has on our skin.

Your winter beauty regime probably consists of desperately trying to stop your skin from getting relentlessly dry. From chapped lips to dry hands, the cold air can play havoc on your skin. Maybe it’s time to take a closer look at some treatments that can promote a healthier and happier you over the next season.

Let’s take a look at some of the best treatments to enjoy for winter.

Body Treatments

Your body is your temple and if the bricks are starting to crumble away because of the cold weather, it’s time to embrace a few treatments to help combat the effects. The main issue with winter weather is the huge change in temperature. Sometimes you can go from a toasty office to a freezing cold train platform and the difference in the warm and cold air causes your skin to turn flaky and sometimes very painful.

Not just that, but we often want to crank up the heat of our showers to give us that extra warmth in the morning, but this will actually strip away the moisture that you work so hard to keep in.

A back or chest facial works to cleanse and tone your skin, whilst also exfoliating. With a mixture of steam treatment and a mask, it is perfect for dehydrated skin that has been sapped of its moisture. 

For people who want to opt for something deliciously luxurious, how about a chocolate body wrap? No, you can’t eat it, but you can enjoy its moisturising effects. Not only will it keep the skin smooth and hydrated, it also helps to stimulate fat metabolism and evens skin tone.

Facial Treatments

You can wrap your body up in lots of layers, but your face is on the front line and it’s hard to keep it safe from freezing temperatures. Runny noses can give way to scabby nostrils, and icy breezes can often lead to chapped and bleeding lips.

Even if you have gallons of lip balm, your cheeks, chin and forehead (including your t-zone) are all likely to feel the freeze set in. Even your regular beauty and skincare products may not be quite up to scratch with you increased needs, so it’s probably time to let your beauty therapist use their professional knowledge to help you out.

A good quality facial will restore some of the skin’s natural moisture, whilst also cleansing and exfoliating the various impurities that you are faced with on a daily basis. Also, opting for back, neck and shoulder massage to accompany your facial will help relieve stress so you can embrace the winter season!

If you’re worried about trying out any new treatments, don’t be! Your beauty therapist will be highly knowledgeable about not just the condition of your skin, but also the various ingredients that can make it happier throughout the winter. Also, they will have beauty insurance, so you can have full peace of mind when you’re getting a treatment.

Other Useful Tips for Healthier Winter Skin

There are some steps you can take to help your skin deal with winter weather. Keeping yourself hydrated is very important so don’t scrimp on water and make sure you drink up! This will help your body overall, but it will also encourage your skin to retain its own natural moisture.

Your diet also influences your winter vibes. If you opt for meals that contain anti-oxidant ingredients and vitamins, you can help fight off illness and promote a healthy body inside and out. Fish, nuts, fruit and healthy fats will bring out your skin’s natural glow and moisture, giving you the glow you dream of.

As we mentioned earlier, your hot shower could be having a negative effect on your skin! Keeping showers and baths short and the water warm rather than very hot can help reduce the loss of moisture – and don’t forget to moisturise head to toe afterwards.

Dark mornings and evenings, freezing winds and most probably a barrage of rainstorms – winters in the UK can leave a lot to be desired, however beautiful they may also be. Take the stress out of winter skincare so you can enjoy the positives of the season – your beauty therapist can help!

Guest Post