What does the word wellness stand for? The range of its meaning is truly wide today. Primarily, wellness means finding harmony of body, mind and soul. In the modern sense, it includes alternative medicine, massages, saunas, whirlpools and much more. But it is still the process of finding mental and physical balance and well-being.
People used to fight illnesses and maintain their physical and mental health already in the past. If somebody thinks that wellness is a new term resulting from modern times, they are not that right. Deliberate attempts to create harmony between the physical and mental health date back to ancient times. Modern understanding includes alternative medicine, massages, saunas, whirlpools and much more. But it is still the process of finding mental and physical balance and well-being. Individual treatments/alternative medicine help reach this harmony.
If we went back in time, we would find out that wellness meant the opposite of the disease in the 17th century. In the past, it used to be associated with and understood in connection with physical health. The history of wellness dates back to ancient Greece and Rome. People would take care of their bodies and keep them beautiful and healthy. Maybe you remember the Greek term kalokagathia from school, which means the ideal harmonious unison and balance of the physical and mental aspect of us. Greeks paid great attention to exercise and baths were considered only an addition. And for Romans, on the contrary, bathing was the basic element of proper relaxation.
It was only in the mid-20th century, when the importance of mental well-being was added to the importance of physical health. The term wellness as such was created by American doctor Halbert Dunn in the 1950s to integrate two words: well-being and fitness. The meaning is thus: to feel well and fit. Like the international wellness institute says, wellness covers principles that boost and help physical and mental health of humans in 6 basic spheres of life:
- physical
- mental
- emotional
- spiritual
- social
- environmental
Who are wellness retreats suitable for?
If you are not sure whether a wellness retreat is what you need, don’t hesitate to answer with yes. If you are a rather active person, that doesn’t matter at all. You can still be active and do things that don’t require passivity. It’s important to realise that every person deserves to relax and enjoy some treatments from time to time to switch off their mind and the body too. Thanks to treatments such as massages, whirlpools, saunas and swimming in outdoor and indoor pools, you can unwind and recharge your batteries.
What does the term wellness include?
- physical activity
- healthy nutrition
- cosmetic treatments
- stress reduction
- relaxation
- massages
- sauna bathing
- alternative medicine
- and much more.
Health benefits of wellness retreats
Healing and relaxing wellness treatments such as saunas, pools, whirlpools and massages offer various physical as well as mental benefits. Each activity is unique, but if they are combined, they create a beautiful harmony for the body and mind. The main benefits include:
- blood pressure lowering
- blood circulation improving
- pain reduction and better healing of wounds
- sleep quality
- stress reduction
- detoxification
- headache reduction
- mental balance.
Massages, saunas and other treatments have provably beneficial effects on our health and mental well-being. This is why most hotels feature a smaller or a bigger wellness corner. It usually contains several pools, saunas, a whirlpool and an offer of massages and treatments. The aim is to relax, have a rest and regenerate. Both – the body and mind. So don’t hesitate to try something. It’s not rare today to stay at a hotel mainly to enjoy wellness relaxation. Lying at a pool or booking a massage is something you will manage even if you haven’t done it before.
Fotografie: © Marek Hajkovský QEP
