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'My shoulders have been tense all week, my back is as stiff as a board and turning my head is a misery'.
Does this sound familiar?
For anyone who has studied for long hours on end, or spends the majority of the day at a desk will attest to the all too familiar 'writer's posture', where it has now evolved from bending the head over books and papers to looking straight ahead at a monitor screen.
In my career and academic life so far, I have often been guilty of falling into that familiar trap of not sitting up straight enough, allowing my back muscles to tense which can then lead to discomfort sleeping at night.
Thankfully, it has not led to anything too drastic in terms of chiropractor visits so far and instead I take advantage of a relaxing massage or a soak in the bath with Epsom salts (a good tip for anyone who has back pain either from work or from sports.)
This afternoon, I took a trip to the Oasis Day Spa in Smithfield, which is just a short walk from my own apartment, for some well-deserved pampering.
I have been a customer of the spa for over a year since moving to Dublin and have really enjoyed their treatments, from facials to waxing to massage. The staff are extremely helpful and give you the best experience with any treatment that you choose.
Today I booked in for a back, shoulder and facial massage, as I could feel the old tension creeping back in from those longer days spent researching online or preparing for classes in Blackhall.
The therapist asked me about any problem areas before we started and the massage was a calming, relaxing experience, where she did not apply too much pressure to my shoulders, which are often a focal point of pain and I could feel that tension just melting away as gentle, soothing music played over the internal radio system.
For anyone who suffers from headaches and needs relief that is not medicated, I would definitely recommend this massage as it also focuses on the forehead and temple area that can be pressure points for stress, as students can surely agree!
Quite often, we do not realise just how much tension we are carrying, whether it is in the tensing of the shoulders or even the clenching of the jaw, so it can be quite revealing to see just how tense our bodies are and how important it is to align the posture correctly and have that tension released.
After leaving the spa, the song lyrics 'Believe it or not I am walking on air' immediately came to mind as well as feeling like a new woman, walking that bit taller.
I would definitely recommend checking out the spa if you are in the Smithfield area or if you fancy a quiet retreat for a short while from the busy lifestyle.
You can find out more about the Oasis Day Spa at their website with the range of treatments available through their online booking system.
The spa also offers Christmas skincare packages, gift vouchers and daily discounts for their treatments. There is also a loyalty cashback scheme that you can ask about at their reception.
Website: http://www.oasisbeauty.ie/
Email: info@oasisbeauty.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oasisbeauty.ie
Instagram: https://instagram.com/oasisbeauty.ie/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/OasisBeauty_ie