Spa clients are often so relaxed at the end of a treatment, they fall asleep, so why not incorporate that ultimate indulgence into the treatment, says Wdson Brum, director of spa at Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace in St. Petersburg.

In an exclusive Thought Leader column for Spa Opportunities, Brum details how his spa has successfully incorporated a 20-minute nap into one of its treatments.

Time to sleep…in the spa! by Wdson Brum

Have you thought how regenerated and relaxed you feel after a massage? Have you also noticed how quickly you can fall asleep while in the ambiance of a treatment room?

Thinking about both of those things, I have decided to extend our massage experience at the Luceo Spa in the Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace St. Petersburg a bit longer, and create something that we all dreamed about.

A busy lifestyle may keep us away from napping. While naps do not necessarily make up for inadequate or poor quality nighttime sleep, a short nap of 20 to 30 minutes can help to improve mood, alertness and performance.

A study at NASA on sleepy military pilots and astronauts found that a 40-minute nap improved performance by 34 per cent and alertness 100 per cent. Napping has psychological benefits as well; it’s like a mini-vacation for your mind. It’s an easy way to get some relaxation and rejuvenation!

In the spa, after the massage, we create a restful environment to lie down and nap.

The chemistry of sleep is relevant in relation to the massage, because it directly influences the body’s production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter related to well-being and happiness, which is essential for the production of melatonin – the hormone which helps to control your sleep and wake cycles.

At Luceo Spa we offer a massage called Sleep Time; this treatment is a massage, followed by a 20-minute nap in the quiet, relaxing atmosphere of the spa.

The experience begins with guests drinking a chamomile tea before their treatment to start the relaxation process. The massage is performed with Santa Maria Novella’s Autumn Oil, which contains a mixture of lavender, blue chamomile, patchouli and sweet orange.

Using Chinese techniques in the scalp, guests are left to sleep for 20 to 30 minutes right after their massage, on a cozy environment with a feather pillow and warm blankets. An old fashioned alarm clock will go on after 20 minutes, and the therapist will greet them with a pre-ordered cappuccino or espresso!

Nappers are in good company: Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy, Napoleon, Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison are known to have valued an afternoon nap.

Why not offer a 10 to 15 minute nap after a massage so guests can try the power of a good nap?