I’ve never been a big fan of massages, simply because they’re unbearably painful. Even though I’ve been told over and over that the pain is “good for me” (no pain, no gain… right?), I always avoid them at all costs. You’ll never catch me getting a “relaxing massage” on the weekend – that stuff is just traumatising.
So… I decided to go in a different direction.
The Hydrovita treatment recently caught my eye – it’s literally a water massage bed that uses warm jets of water to massage your body. It feels like you’re sitting in a jacuzzi, but you’re fully clothed. And no, you don’t get wet.
It’s also a full body experience that involves all your senses; you hop into the chamber (clothes on, shoes off), lie on the soft water-bed, and a lid is lowered so it’s real close to your face. Ionised oxygen is pumped around the chamber, red light therapy is switched on to work on your skin’s appearance (it’s almost like a baby Omnilux treatment), while relaxing music is played in the background.
“The Hydrovita treatment is a cocoon of relaxation,” says Daniel Owers, director of Espavita. “The combination of water, warmth and energy penetrates deep into the tissue layers, stimulates your metabolism and circulation, relaxes the muscles and releases tension.”
“It also increases blood flow around your body, firms your connective tissues, alleviates joint pain, strengthens the immune system, and improves energy all over.”
The sensation is seriously unreal – like you’re gently being hosed by two streams of water up and down your body. I couldn’t believe I was having so much fun in a treatment; it was such a novelty bobbing around on this soft bed like I was in an episode of Futurama. The worst part of the treatment was when it was all over in 15 minutes.
“15 minutes on our Hydrovita bed provides similar benefits to that of a power nap,” continues Owers. “It’s well-documented that power naps are beneficial, increasing productivity. Naps may protect brain circuits from overuse and help you consolidate newly learned information, according to Robert Stickgold, PhD and director of Harvard’s Center for Sleep and Cognition.”
This short treatment is more than ideal for people that want to pop in and hit refresh after a big work meeting or crazy-busy weekend. There’s only one Hydrovita in Australia though – so pop down to Espavita in Broadway (NSW) to get your fix.
Want to try Hydrovita for yourself? Click here for a free trial, valid until the 30th of November.
