Though things have certainly been different this year for everyone, we’ve all been doing the best we can. As soon as things reopen to the degree that parents can come into the office, there are some meaningful benefits to our relaxation room. We’d like to share some of them here.
When we first conceived of the relaxation room the thought was to create a quiet space for parents to de-stress during their kids’ appointments.
Not only would that pass the time in a more fulfilling way, but it would also address a growing need we’d noticed. Children react positively to the dental experience when the parents do likewise. Studies show that without a doubt a child’s response to dental visits depends heavily on the response of the parents. In giving the parents a positive place to relax, the children follow suit! The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!
Positive Effects of Relaxation on Health
According to a number of studies done over the years, including one shared by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, various forms of relaxation are crucial in the reduction of anxiety, joint health, and even sleep quality. (Among other benefits.)
Lowering one’s overall amount of stress and anxiety can create lasting benefits far beyond simply feeling more at ease in that given moment.
In fact, the NIH piece mentions that ongoing feelings of anxiety play a role in other common ailments people experience, such as inflammatory bowel syndrome and even heart disease.
Did you know that taking shallow breaths can even contribute to anxiety? According to a Harvard article, the typical shallow breathing most of us do can subconsciously cause the body to feel ill at ease — the opposite of what deliberate, deep breathing does.
Our relaxation room is a quiet environment for exactly this kind of setting. The leather massage chairs aid with this, with the hope being parents can get comfortable and disappear into the experience for an hour.
To further these benefits, we urge parents to make time at home for relaxed sitting and deep breathing, even for 10-15 minutes. Doing this can help with:
- Lowering blood pressure
- Improving digestion
- Improving concentration
- Better sleep quality