Water Therapy
by Tash Hughes

We live in busy times and many of us are dealing with stress and pressure. Many of us also find it hard to relax and release any of the stress, or to find the time for relaxing anyway.

I find one of the easiest and most refreshing methods of relaxing is what I call water therapy. It may not be a formal therapy system like aromatherapy, physiotherapy or psychotherapy, but it is effective and affordable. And it amazes me every time I try it and gain benefit from it.

So next time you are after a quick break from your life, try some water therapy. I have listed various water therapy options below, but maybe you can find your own water therapy technique that will work for you.

• Showers – not the everyday shower that we forget about, but having a shower for the pleasure of the water hitting your skin can be a relaxing end of a hectic day. Take the phone off the hook and have a special shower – if you’ve never done it before, try having a shower in the dark or by candlelight for some peace and harmony!
   
• Soak in a bath – with or without bubbles, a bath is perfect for relaxing in the privacy of your own home. In a bath, you can enjoy quiet, darkness, a book, essential oils and even some selective company as you wish
   
• Sit in a spa – whether you have your own, visit a friend or a local pool, a spa is the height of water therapy immersion. You simply sit in the warm water, relax and enjoy the bubbles moving the water around you – and potentially massaging you at the same time. A spa is one form of water therapy you can share with a stranger or with someone special – try having a meaningful or difficult conversation with a friend in a spa for a satisfying result.
   
• Go for a swim – apart from the exercise benefits of a swim, you can gain some stress release simply by being in the water and submerging yourself.
   
• Sit by some water – even a 5 minute rest beside a river or on the beach can refresh you and recharge your energy. Obviously, the longer you stay beside the water the greater the potential benefits but even a short time can give surprising benefits. As you sit by the water, you can clear your mind or ponder on an issue or even the meaning of life. As much as I believe in water’s power to relax us, it still amazes me how good I feel after sitting alone beside a river or the ocean for a while.
   
• Drinking water – you may not notice this effect in the same way as other forms of water therapy, but keeping your body hydrated is an important part of coping with stress and relaxing. Try having some fresh water every time you feel stressed, tired or hungry and see how it helps your general wellbeing.
   
• Foot bath – for those of us feeling too busy to actually take time out to care for ourselves, try a foot bath under your desk or while your write an article on a laptop (or is that just me?) Use water as hot as your feet can deal with and consider adding some commercial foot soaks, essential oils, rock salt or simply stick to plain water. The relief for tired feet can be an immediate pick up for your entire body and psyche.

Water is a precious commodity we too often take for granted. Not only should we appreciate water for our survival, but we should take more opportunities to experience water and its beneficial values.

Tash Hughes is a Mum of two in Melbourne. She is also a writer and owner of Word Constructions. Tash is available to write articles and profiles for any business, as well as doing other business documentation projects. You can see her site and services at www.wordconstructions.com.au