What is a Sand Bath Therapy?
A sand bath is a kind of spa treatment where a person’s body is buried in hot sand for an average duration of 10- 30 minutes.
How does this therapy work?
About 1 foot deep, a hole is dug in the early morning to accommodate the patient’s body. The hole is left open for some time so that the sand can absorb more heat for the therapy. The patient is usually buried from the chest to their toes in the sand. In some cases, the patient is buried till the sand covers their neck.
When the patient is first buried in the sand, it is normal for the temperature to seem too high. It takes the human body some time to adjust to the heat absorbed in the sand and relax into it.
During the entire duration of the sand bath, an assistant is always nearby to keep an attentive eye on the patient. These assistants help the patient stay hydrated by providing drinks to sip on through a straw. They also stay nearby if the heat becomes unbearable for the patients, and the patients need to be dug out of the hot sand.
Once the duration of the therapy is up, the patient is dug out of the sand and instantly wrapped in a warm blanket. The blanket prevents the patient’s body from cooling too fast. A sudden drop in temperature is usually risky for people who have cold-related problems. It can cause their eyes, mucus membrane, or skin to dry out too quickly, leading to muscle spasms or infections in the respiratory system or eyes.
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As the patient relaxes and lets their body gradually adjust to the change in temperature, they drink herbal tea to ensure they are not dehydrated. A thalassotherapy effect is achieved as they continue to sweat, which mixes with the sand stuck to their body to create mud.
Patients can take a shower to freshen up about an hour or so after they get out of the sand bath. This ensures that their body has slowly adapted to the change in temperature and does not negatively affect the change.
The Benefits of a Sand Bath Therapy
There are a lot of benefits of sand bath therapy. Some of these are listed below.
- The pores open up due to the temperature of the sand, which allows the patient to sweat more. The body gets detoxified as all of the sweating gets rid of the toxins in one’s body.
- It relieves people suffering from arthritis and rheumatism.
- It loosens muscle knots as the hot sand presses down on the muscles firmly.
- It is known to heal skin conditions like psoriasis and acne.
- It works to soothe the patient’s skin without causing burns due to the temperature of the sand.
- The grain of sand works as an exfoliant for the skin.
Since sand bath therapies are usually like heat treatment, it is best to get this therapy during the scorching heat of summer. However, do be mindful that excess heat can be harmful to you too. Make sure you choose the right place and the right time for the treatment.