Incorporating spa days and breaks into regular self-care
As we age, our minds, bodies, (and souls?) go through natural changes, and what many of us find is that the stresses of everyday life, which we thought we were handling, can accumulate and start showing up. When we think about ageing well, the idea of integrating intentional self-care into each day becomes something that’s less about indulgence and more about protecting our ability to enjoy life - enhancing comfort, resilience, sleep quality and emotional wellbeing.
In the words of the famously youthful Dick Van Dyke, as he approached his hundredth birthday: “At 30, I used to exercise to look good. At the age of 50 to be fit At 70 not to be padded in a bed. At 80 to be able to live without assistance. Now at 99 I do it out of pure defiance.”
Spas are a powerful way to explore, embrace, and enjoy wellbeing from nutrition to fitness, touch therapies to time out. Whether you’re well-acquainted with spa culture or curious about how spa experiences can support wellbeing as you get older, here we explore some of the ways you can embrace holistic wellness to help you age with confidence.
As we get older, our bodies often become less forgiving of stress and physical strain:
Research on older adults and self-care highlights that effective wellbeing routines include physical, emotional, social and leisure activities, spanning everything from exercise to relaxation therapies. As such, deliberate self-care practices play a key role in maintaining independence and life satisfaction as we age.
One of our beliefs at Spabreaks.com is that by being connected to our bodies through touch therapies and wellbeing, and understanding what our baseline for feeling good is, we also have a greater sense of when something isn’t quite right. Taking care of ourselves doesn't mean we won’t ever be unwell or have problems, but it helps us to identify them early, and recover better.
With that in mind, modern science shows us that the holistic wellbeing experiences we find in spas aren’t just about luxury, but can offer real physiological and psychological benefits as well. For example:
Spa therapies such as massage, hydrotherapy and aromatherapy help activate the parasympathetic nervous system (the body’s ‘rest and digest’ mode). This calming response is linked with lower cortisol, enhanced serotonin and dopamine, and reduced anxiety and depressive symptoms.
Warm water immersion, soothing massage techniques and calming oils (like lavender or chamomile) help you to feel relaxed, supporting you to fall asleep faster and enjoy better quality of sleep.
Heat, hydrotherapy and massage can help ease tight muscles and stiffness as well as improve circulation, which helps with mobility and everyday comfort, especially for those with conditions like arthritis or chronic tension.
Time in a spa often includes mindfulness elements as well as touch therapies and facilities. That ming mean focusing on breathwork, sensations, sounds and scents, all of which research links to better emotional regulation and mental clarity.
Wellbeing isn’t about doing one thing or another - more than anything it’s about consistency. Incorporating spa experiences into your self-care routine doesn’t need to be overwhelming or unduly expensive, but creating a pattern is a wonderful way to incorporate holistic wellbeing into your lifestyle and optimise the benefits. You could, for example, work with the seasons, or the months:
Between spa visits, simple at-home practices like warm baths, gentle stretching and aromatherapy can help sustain the wellbeing benefits of touch therapies, boost your sense of self-care, and make treatments even more effective.
Spas are places that want you to feel cared for, and where you can access wellbeing at the level you want to find it. Think of the fluffy robe and slippers as a symbol of the spa experience and everything it offers - this is where you can take off the proverbial armour and let someone else take care of you. With that in mind, choosing the right spa experience is an important part of the process, both in terms of meeting your wants as well as your needs. On a practical note, if mobility, comfort or safety are priorities:
Today’s spa experiences aren’t just one-off breaks; they’re increasingly part of longevity wellness trends, such as sleep-focused retreats and low-stimulus relaxing spaces designed to reset circadian rhythms and support long-term health.
Many travellers find that spa trips become joyful rituals and not just escapes from the daily grind. When scheduled regularly, they offer structure, enjoyment and measurable improvements in mood, movement, sleep and overall life quality.
For adults over 60 seeking a grounded, reassuring path to wellbeing, spa and wellness routines can be much more than a treat; they’re an investment in comfort, resilience, sleep and emotional balance. By building spa days and breaks into your self-care rhythm, you can support a lifetime of health, connection and calm.
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