Acupressure Massage Pillows: Neck Pain Relief, Sleep Aid, Amazing Health Benefits

Bed Of Nails Acupressure Pillows are available online and at Urban Sanctuary.

A new take on the ancient healing art of acupressure, Bed Of Nails massage pillows are wonderfully effective for pain and stress relief. They are newly available at Urban Sanctuary and we have clients and staff who are very happy about the extraordinary results from their short term use of the pillow. we are really excited to share! Head ache relief, greatly improved sleep and relief from chronic neck and back pain.

 The way it works is similar to acupuncture. Your body's natural happiness boosters, pain killers and calming agents are able to be released into your system as your skin and soft tissue make contact with the rounded acupressure nails on the surface of the pillow. Endorphins, oxytocin and circulation flows, creating a sense of joy, energy and pain relief as well as inducing a state of calm. All the good stuff...

Everybody reacts differently to massage, acupressure and healing agents. However the effects vary from person to person, the results are generally very positive. The acupressure pillow can be a great agent for healing by stimulating the body's own innate ability to heal, detoxify and regenerate itself. Possible benefits include:

• relief from chronic neck and back pain
• lower stress and anxiety levels
• headache relief
• improved sleep/insomnia relief
• better circulation
• improved digestion
• eased depression
• balanced moods
• enhanced vitality

New Fall Teas, Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice

Exquisite Vienna Cinnamon Tea is available online and at Urban Sanctuary in Athens, Georgia

Fall is here. Windy sunny afternoons,chilly mornings and chilly nights are upon us. It is the season for pumpkin soup, zucchini bread, warm baths and hot teas. We have some very fine teas for fall, just in from Tea Forte. Along with a warm neck pillow and some lovely music, we recommend unwinding at night with one or more of the following blends available in our store all fall season.

• Pumpkin Spice -Black Tea with Pumpkin, Cardamom, Cinnamon and Clove, a great blend to ease aches and pains and warm the body
• Vienna Cinnamon -Loose Leaf Black Tea and Cinnamon, Cinnamon is good for circulation and great for easing hypertension
• Warming Joy- A sampler box of Harvest Apple Spice, Ginger Plum, Rum Raisin Biscotti and several other warming tea blends 

Sunscreen And Suncare Do's And Don'ts

 

At Urban Sanctuary our skincare experts have advice on sun protection fitting to your complexion and lifestyle.

Can we just forego the sunscreen toward summer’s end and in the fall? Which is more important, UVB or UVA protection? Do those of us with darker skin really need to bother with sun protection? We’ll provide answers to commonly asked questions here and recommend best practices.

The cooler temperatures of late summer and fall make sun protection seem less important. However, protecting our skin against the harsh and damaging rays of the sun is important all year round.Summer, fall Winter and Spring sun can cause sun burn, sun damage, sun spots, pre mature aging and risk of skin Cancer.

Below we list some sunscreen and sun protection DO’S and DON’TS:

• DON’T--- skimp on sunscreen or sun protection once the temperature falls below 80 degrees.    Protection from the sun’s damaging rays is important all year round.
•  DO--- choose a broad spectrum sunscreen. Broad spectrum protects you from all of the harsh rays of the sun, both UVA and UVB. The bottle should say if the sunscreen you are considering has UVA protection. The SPF (sun protection factor) only applies to it's protection of UVB rays.
•  DON’T--- use less than SPF 15. Dermatologists recommend that you use at least an SPF 15.
• DO--- protect yourself from the sun, even if you have a darker complexion and love that sun-kissed look. Protecting yourself against the damaging effects of the sun is vital for each one of us. 
•  DON’T--- wait until you are in the sun already to apply. Applying your sunscreen 15-30 minutes before exposure ensures the lotion has had enough time to bind to your skin for effectiveness.
• DO--- make sure to re-apply your sunscreen every two hours or more depending on your activity. Hiking or running around and getting sweaty? Apply more often! Swimming or jumping through the sprinkler with your kids? Apply more often.
• DON’T--- be confused by water-resistant vs. waterproof. These two terms are often used interchangeably, but their differences are important! Water-resistant sunscreens maintain their SPF levels following 40 minutes of water exposure, whereas waterproof guarantees it's SPF level for 80!
•  DO--- use enough. Are you using enough? Dermatologists urge that you use at least 1 oz of lotion to cover your whole body. Not sure how much that is? It is roughly enough to fill a shot glass.
• DON’T--- use expired sunscreen and sunblock. Found an old bottle in the back of a drawer?  Toss it! The shelf life of a sunscreen is less than three years. It's safe to say if you can't remember when you bought it it's time to buy a replacement.

Here are some other precautions you should be taking. Avoid tanning beds. Avoid being in the sun during the hours of 10 am - 2pm when the sun is at it's peak. Don't forget to wear a hat outdoors. Go out and buy yourself a fabulous wide brimmed hat for extra face protection. Tennis visors and baseball caps are great for when you are moving around. Consider investing in clothing that contains SPF, especially if you are spending time on the water where the sun reflects and sand or pavement hits you from multiple angles. 

Invest in a good pair of sunglasses! Our eyes are extremely sensitive. Look for glasses that wrap the face to protect the eyes all around. Also, glasses should say if they are polarized which protects against UVA, UVB, and reflected rays. Get out there and enjoy the last few weeks of summer! Let Urban Sanctuary provide your before and after sun skincare. We were voted Athens' Best Day Spa and have been providing massages, facials, nails and waxing services for over 10 years.

Cowritten for Urban Sanctuary by Megan McLaughlin and Candice Courcy

8 Benefits of Scalp massage

Scalp massage is deeply relaxing and has great over all well being benefits. Healthy hair, scalp and skin are the obvious benefits. However, scalp massage can have a surprising impact on the over all nervous system and the body's other systems.

Your scalp is covered in nerve endings. Those nerve endings, when stimulated or relaxed send a message to your brain that can impact your entire body.

Your scalp will easily absorb what is applied to it.  This makes scalp massage a great way to treat yourself to highly effective aromatherapy and relaxation therapy.



Scalp Massage benefits include:

• insomnia relief and improved quality of sleep
• head ache and neck ache relief
• slowing down a racing mind or gathering a scattered brain
• improved circulation for healthy scalp, hair and hair growth
• settling nerves or anxiety
• sinus opening
• immune system boosting
• deep relaxation

6 Cooling Aromatherapy Oils For Summer

Urban Sanctuary offers many aromatherapy products and services.

Aromatherapy can help to keep your body cool and calm during the hot months of summer. Cool aromatherapy compresses, body mists, foot soaks, scalp massage and cool mist room diffusers can recover your body from heat and overexertion. There are many different ways to use aromatherapy and incorporate essentials oils into your daily routine for stress reduction, health, well being and staying cool.

These 6 essential oils are particularly good for keeping cool and cooling down:

• Peppermint
• Spearmint
• Geranium
• Chamomile
• Eucalyptus
• Lavender

Eat Garlic For Anti-Aging and Good Health

Garlic is one of nature's best anti-aging agents. It is a powerful immune system booster, blood purifier, anti-inflammatory agent, antioxidant and the list goes on. Studies have shown measurable health benefits to eating fresh garlic daily. Approximately one clove of fresh garlic a day can help keep the doctor away. Eating a clove a day can:

• improve brain health and agility
• reduce the chances of catching a cold by up to 63%
• boost the immune system in general 
• strengthen your bones
• improve stamina
• decrease hypertension
• increase circulation
• boost heart health
• detox the body of heavy metals
• act as a natural pain remedy
• heal allergies
  
  
  
  
  Steaming, sauteing or roasting garlic will mellow the flavor and odor, if that is a concern. Raw garlic chopped, pureed or sliced is very, very good for the body, however, it can create stomach upset for some. One clove a day can easily be worked into salads, soups, main dishes, smoothies and side dishes. Challenge yourself to eat a clove a day for one month and notice the impact on your allergies, your circulation or any aches and pains you regularly put up with.
  
  

 Urban Sanctuary has been serving the Athens, Georgia community for over 10 years. We source two blogs that share information on foods that heal, massage, stress remedies and skincare.

Men and Massage

Many men are turning to massage to manage stress and to enhance their overall health and well being. Massage has become increasingly popular with men over the last two decades in both spas and clinics. The number of men booking monthly, bi-weekly and weekly massage sessions is at an all time high and growing steadily.

Generally speaking, men are seeking the same results from their massages as women. Men are especially interested in the pain relief properties and enhanced athletic performance that therapeutic massage can create.

For men over 30 in particular, the health benefits of massage are a draw, as well as the stress relief and anti-aging benefits of massage.

Benefits most often reported by men from their massages include:

• relief from chronic pain
• relief from old injuries
• increased range of motion 
• neck and shoulder tension relief
• recovery from work related stress
• recovery from travel fatigue 
• decreased recovery time from sports injuries and pain 
• improved performance at the gym
• headache relief 
• improved sleep
• overall relaxation

Men are more likely than women to stick to a regular massage time slot. Our male clients are highly likely to get a massage series to save money on individual sessions. Massages favored by men include:

• scalp massage
• sports massage
• deep tissue massage
• myofascial massage
• foot massage
• our deep therapeutic foot massage
• hot stones
• our signature massage
• the massage and scrub combo

Urban Sanctuary is a man-friendly spa. We had men in mind when we designed our space and our service offerings. Spas are not just for women anymore. Times have changed. Everyone benefits from a good self care and stress prevention regime.

We like to say, "be kind and unwind"...