Sleep Spas
Posted on | July 19, 2009 | No Comments
According to a 2007 report by the Millennium Research Group, spas are quickly waking up to the marketing potential of sleep. “On some level, people anticipate that a spa will address more than a single dimension of their lives,” says Karen Koffler, MD, medical director of Canyon Ranch, in Miami, Florida.
Sleep spas provide a tranquil setting, give people a break from their usual routines and help them identify the unconscious patterns that contribute to troubled sleep. “We help people see the benefits of living with not getting things done, or with delegating more, or cutting out what’s not essential so they can add more sleep,” says Koffler.
As you would expect, a sleep spa experience feels more like a retreat at a swanky hotel than a typical doctor’s visit. At Canyon Ranch, for example, you can order a sleep enhancement/insomnia relief package; a snoring/sleep apnea evaluation; or an all-night polysomnography (a formal overnight study to assess problems such as multiple awakenings, snoring, sleep apnea, and daytime sleepiness). For anywhere from $140 to $2,275, a staff of sleep professionals will attempt to decipher your every dozing dilemma.
Cosmetic and toiletry brands have gotten in on the act too, launching an array of products to lull you into lullaby land. Although few of these have been tested for effectiveness, many contain lavender (Lavandula augustifolia), a proven treatment for insomnia, according to recent studies.
“These products are for busy people who want to pamper themselves to sleep but don’t necessarily want to spend too much money or go to a lot of trouble,” says Jill Phipps, co-owner of Joy of Sleep (www.joyofsleep.com) in Portland, Oregon. Phipps says her husband Martin founded the web-based company several years ago when he realized he wasn’t the only insomniac surfing for sleep support. Whether or not sleep products actually work, the marketing trend seems to be growing, says Phipps.
Catching enough z’s may not be easy, but it’s one of the best-and cheapest-ways to enhance your health and, consequently, your appearance. “You can almost think of sleep as an alternative form of medicine,” says Emsellem. No matter what strategy you choose, make time to nurture yourself with a good night’s sleep.
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