With the burdens of modern life, more and more of us are looking for ways to decompress. “Mindfulness” retreats have become a fad, allowing us to take our minds off the hustle and bustle for a day or a weekend. Health spas have always been popular, going back to their origins in Roman times, but they seem to have taken on a new spiritual importance, offering not only therapy of the body but also therapy of the mind.
Although voguish, for the most part wellness retreats remain the playground of the rich and famous. Most regular working people have neither the vacation time nor the cash to drop everything for an extended period of time. What is there to do?
One option is the massage, another remedy that dates back to antiquity. Professional masseurs and masseuses can relieve tension in the back, neck and pretty much anywhere else in concise 30-minute increments. But how many of us have actually done the research into getting a massage?
Turns out, professional massages are not cheap. According to the University of Minnesota, the U.S. national average is approximately $60 per hour. In cities like New York, it can often exceed $100. It may feel totally worth it when you exit the massage parlor, but after a week back in the office, you’ll find yourself wondering where that money went.
An even more cost-effective treatment for 21st century life is to buy an at-home massager yourself. Shoulder massagers such as the ones made by NAIPO go for less than $60 and have several added benefits. For one, innovative technology and design allow you to take care of any part of your body with just one device, from your neck all the way down your legs. You can use them on your own time, without worrying about fitting an appointment into your (and their) schedule. After just two uses, it will cover the cost of a professional, and newer models such as the oCuddle™ feature removable fabric that can be washed, enabling multi-person use. With the exception of the couples’ massage, you’d be hard-pressed to find a service that could help ease the pain of more than one individual for just one fee.
Furthermore, unless you have the funds to pay for home visits, you usually have to go out of your way to an unfamiliar location to enjoy the benefits of a massage. NAIPO’s at-home massagers, meanwhile, are portable; the oCuddle™ , for example, can be taken and used in the office or even in-transit via car or plane. Last we checked, most airlines were cutting back on amenities and therefore aren’t likely to offer in-flight massages anytime soon.
The takeaway here is that for our own self-care, we need to be doing something or risk burning out. It’s easy to find excuses for not making that something a professional massage — be it time, money, inconvenience, or some combination of the three. Using at-home massagers, such as NAIPO’s eliminates these problems one by one.
