Engaging the human senses and reactions is crucial to stay in tune with what is happening around us. Understanding how to address each of five senses is the way to connect your mental health, stimulate soothing, bring calm to your mind and body. Equally important are the sights, the smells, the sounds - and yes, flavors and touch. Our treatments and environment is rife with opportunities to both stimulate and soothe guests’ senses.
Let’s take a look at each of our five senses and see how mood is affected by each and how each is affected by mood.
Sight
Sight is the first sense we learn to understand. Colors, sizes, everything else that we process visually and emotion are connected because certain environments or images are connected with past emotional responses and are stored in our minds.
Over the centuries, many cultures have attributed healing powers to light and colour. They can influence the release of neurotransmitters in our brain, such as serotonin and dopamine, which are related to our mood and well-being. Lights generate a complete visible spectrum, with each color emitting a specific vibrational frequency that’s intended to help alleviate different physical symptoms, helping the body to reestablish its natural balance.
By using the right colours and lights in different areas and prioritizing natural light, we are able to impact the human brain to reduce stress, find a state of tranquillity, stimulate mind, improve concentration and boost creativity. Best decision for the relaxation locations have a color palette of warm, natural tones, and a curved, flowing floor plan devoid of sharp lines or angles. Dark aesthetic also important as dark rooms tend to be soothing as well due to the sensory deprivation effect. People say they feel calmer in darker spaces as there’s less for them to do with their eyes. This all serves to create a more organic, serene environment.
Best colours to address warmth, comfort, relaxation and rejuvenation lie within nature. Wood, stone, fire, earth – all details in DUBANYA interior represent natural elements.
Smell
Aromatherapy works by stimulating smell receptors in the nose, which then send messages to the limbic system, or the part of the brain that controls emotions. Whether you are a believer in aromatherapy or not, scents and smells can help us to relax and have a positive effect on our mood and stress levels.
Scent is deeply tied to emotion and memory, and studies have demonstrated that specific ones, such as lavender and citrus, vanilla, and bergamot are among the scents that have been linked to stress reduction, can help address anxiety and sleep problems, as well as ease depression, premenstrual emotional symptoms and more.
Aromatherapy is ubiquitous at Banya. The air inside steam chambers is filled with the soothing aroma of natural herbs, veniks and wood – eucalyptus, sage, pine, oak, birch, mint, chamomile, thyme and much more. Each herb is different and is used for a specific purpose. For example, eucalyptus aromatherapy facilitates easy breathing, enhances feelings of relaxation, creates a refreshing feeling. We also use natural herbal body scrubs from salt and honey.
We also worked with a master botanist to develop signature custom line of natural handmade DUBANYA soaps: Birch & Sage, Mint & Chamomile and Eucalyptus & Lavender. These aromas symphony supports the respiratory system and soothes physical discomforts. Guests are invited to select from one of these options, which is then incorporated into their foam wash treatmants. Smelling ritual at the beginning and end of the Steam room treatment, during which therapists have guests inhale a specific blend of natural herbs designed to calm the mind and body.
Sound
Sounds are vibrations that affect us on a neurological, physiological, and biochemical levels. It’s simple: music can make us feel good. Music stimulates the production of dopamine, or the “feel good” hormone in the body. Music therapy has become a very popular and effective form of treatment for those with depression, anxiety, and stress.
The healing benefits of sound and music therapy have been well established. In multiple medicine studies test subjects reported significantly less tension, anger, fatigue and depressed mood following sound meditation with Tibetan singing bowls. Meanwhile, a meta-analysis of 400 studies found that music improves the body’s immune system function and lowers stress, and that it’s more effective than prescription drugs in reducing anxiety prior to surgery. No wonder relaxing music, as well as the soothing sounds of waterfalls, rain, chimes and gongs, tend to be mainstays at most spas.
In our relaxation areas we use sound therapy knowledge to trigger emotions, brainwaves and elements of the nervous system, to stimulate relaxation and mental clarity. Only carefully selected tones, rhythms, low-frequency and ambient sounds are used to induce relaxation and enhance physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The rhythmic strokes of the banya veniks, gentle crackling of the heated stove complete a calming ambiance.
Taste
While turning to food for comfort is not something that should be done all the time, there is something to be said for its effects on mood. Hunger can certainly lead to irritability, which can impact stress levels. Rather than turning to your favorite junk food for comfort, try sipping a cup of herbal tea or warm soup.
Food and drink possess formidable healing properties - but according to some ancient forms of medicine, such as Ayurveda, actually tasting our food is critical to maintaining a healthy mind, body and spirit. For optimum balance, Ayurveda suggests that each meal should be comprised of six tastes: sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent.
Throughout the banya ritual we serve herbal teas, cold refreshments, natural honey, traditional Russian sushkis, as well as other small bites and snacks. We approach the menu by taking dishes that everyone is familiar with and giving them a healthy spin. I want guests to enjoy the food without feeling guilty afterwards. It is crucial to maintain water balance and keep your body hydrated, allowing your body to rest between the steam sessions. It is also not recommended to do the banya ritual on an empty stomach, which is why the guests are offered all the essential elements for a safe and effective journey. The combination of saltiness of the nuts, sweetness of the natural honey, the contrast of cold water and freshly made teas all add to the overall experience the guests are immersed in at DUBANYA.
Touch
Finally, еhe power of touch cannot be underestimated. The skin is the largest organ in your body, and it is extremely sensitive to external stimulus. These characteristics make it a powerful tool in your ability to relax and find relief from stress you might be feeling. Soaking in a warm bath, going for a swim, sitting in the warmth of the sun, changing into your most comfortable clothes, getting a massage, or taking a few moments to stretch your muscles may help you find some stress relief.
Touch is the most exposed of all the other senses during the banya and massages ritual. The body feels the gentle touch and rhythmic strokes of banya veniks, the enveloping heat of the steam, the coldness of snow and icy water in the plunge pools. As well as the nourishing and rich texture of our slat & honey body scrub, the fluffiness of the bathrobe, and much more. The contrast and rapid change in these stimuli make the brain focus on the physical sensations, letting go of all the worries and stresses of the day-to-day life, spawning the lightness in the body and relieving one’s mental state.
Stimulating all five senses helps as to create a unique experience and make it more memorable for our guests. It also triggers the emotions they felt exclusively at DUBANYA.