Would you like to revitalize your treatment menu and stand out from the competition? Why not offer a series of treatments focusing on a strategic wellness issue in 2024: sleep? Here are a few simple tips to help you create a truly different offer.
Why is taking care of your sleep essential to preserving your physical and mental harmony?
We’ve long neglected our sleep – the time we go to bed, the time we get up, the routine associated with waking up, the routine associated with going to bed…. And yet taking care of your sleep should be THE first reflex for taking care of your body and mind.
Sleep is essential for :
1 – Physical regeneration: when we sleep, our bodies regenerate. Damaged tissues repair themselves and muscles develop. In particular, deep sleep promotes recovery after a day of intense physical activity or stress;
2 – The development of our cognitive functions: concentration, memory, decision-making capacity… all require sufficient rest to be optimal;
3 – Emotional regulation: insufficient sleep can lead to increased irritability, anxiety and susceptibility to stress;
4 – Proper functioning of the immune system: when we sleep, the body produces cytokines (proteins), which help fight infection and regulate the inflammatory response;
5 – the regulation of various hormones, including those that control appetite, metabolism and stress. We now know that a lack of sleep can disrupt hormonal balance, contributing to weight problems, metabolic disorders, the onset of diabetes…
Helping your customers regain quality sleep means helping them to (re)activate their vital energy!
7 treatment tips to improve your customers’ sleep
1 – Create a seasonall massage protocol with an evocative name (“happy dreams”, “Sleep well”, “Good night”…). The massage will be ultra-relaxing, with large, enveloping effleurage strokes, from light to heavy pressure. The use of forearms reinforces the cocooning dimension, giving the impression of sinking into a comforter.
2 – Create a 30-minute cranial massage incorporating different types of maneuvers: acupressure, effleurage, friction… If you don’t master enough techniques to “last” 30 minutes, train yourself in scalp massages recognized for their soothing virtues. Shirotchampi, for example, is an Indian head massage originally passed down from mother to daughter. It involves massaging the head, shoulders and neck to release all the tension and stress of the day…and help you get a better night’s sleep;
3 – Introduce a meditation mantra at the beginning of the massage, while the spa therapist makes contact with her client, and another at the end of the treatment. You’ll be inviting your client to “let go of everything that’s no longer serving him/her”, letting her know that she can let go. It’s the ideal way to induce restorative rest for the evening to come.
4 – Introduce a “light therapy” option into your treatments: get a professional lamp or glasses that promote the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone. Light therapy, which is now widely used by sleep centers, offers solutions for circadian rhythm disturbances and thus for biological clock misalignment.
5 – Another option, if you have a therapist, whether salaried or freelance, trained in this discipline: introduce the use of acupuncture in your massages. This Chinese medicine technique is reputed to be effective in treating sleep disorders such as insomnia by regulating hormones and promoting relaxation.
6 – Position one or two partial stretching postures (legs or arms) from Yin yoga
– at the beginning of the massage to help your clients relax
– and at the end to diffuse the energy of “rest” and relaxation produced by the massage throughout the body.
7 – Think aromatherapy: using essential oils with relaxing properties, such as lavender, chamomile or bergamot, can help promote sleep. You can diffuse them sparingly in your cabin, or mix them with your skin care oil to be applied to the skin during a massage. Always check with your client about her tastes and any contraindications.
Of course, each of these 7 “options” will be a paying supplement that you’ll price at its true value, either individually or in a bundle (3 “Sleep well” options for $X, for example….)
When you offer it to your customers, don’t forget to explain why having a good sleep is strategic for their health, so that you will not have to be too pushy to make sales.
Last but not least: in addition to this “sleep dedicated offer”, don’t hesitate to give your customers as many lifestyle tips as possible such as bedtime routines, last supper and evening sport best practices…. It’s THE way to remind her that you’re a true wellness expert!