Wellness practitioners, massage therapists, spa technicians and counselors often use white noise as a way to create a greater sense of privacy and comfort in the treatment room. It can help to mask sounds coming from adjacent rooms, unexpected commotions in the hallway or to drown out street traffic.
Usually two or three items will suffice in a room without becoming a distraction themselves. These can be multi-use items such as fans or water fountains, or can be for the sole purpose of drowning out noise or creating a relaxing sound.
White Noise Machines for the Treatment Room
This type of electronic is created to emit a lulling white noise sound. Most commonly seen outside the door of a psychotherapist’s room, it is a small gadget about the size of an outstretched hand. Uninterrupted sound is emitted from the white noise machine and can be adjusted for volume.
Holistic practitioners can look for a white noise machine in massage and spa catalogs or at stores that cater to the profession. White noise machines are also sold for sleeping problems and may be located in retail stores for the home or children.
Nature Sounds Machines in the Spa Room
Similar to the white noise machine, these are compact electronic devices with speakers. The greatest difference is the variety of sounds this machine offers compared to the white noise machine. Choices may include ocean and beach recordings, waterfall or stream, bird calls, forest sounds and more.
Look in specialty electronic boutique stores or in home décor shopping catalogs for a nature sounds machine. Some styles are battery operated and can be placed virtually anywhere in the room independent of a power cord.
Using Fans to Mask Noises
The gentle whirring of a good fan can be very useful in the treatment room. A fan is a dual purpose object as it improves the room’s circulation it also helps to drown out noise. Massage therapists and bodyworkers will want to consider placing their fan away from the client so as not to cause a chill in colder months.
Ceiling fans are usually not a good fit in the massage or spa room as they can move the air too much for the client on the massage table. One or two small fans can be placed on the floor, out of the way from foot traffic, or high up on a linen cabinet or shelf.
Water Fountains in the Massage Room
There is some debate about the benefits of using a fountain in a massage room. Some massage therapists are concerned that the sound of running water will trigger a client’s urge to use the toilet. A trial use of a small and portable fountain could help the practitioner determine if this is a good fit for her room or not.
Water fountains in the waiting room or hallway may be a good compromise for the timid therapist. Naturally creating its own melodic sounds, the water fountain will bubble and gurgle here without distracting the client.
Playing Music in the Wellness Room
Most holistic practitioners and spa technicians play music during a session. Massage music may range from New Age to classical and other genres thought to induce relaxation. If outside noise is consistently making its way into the massage room, the therapist will want to choose soundtracks that are consistent. Breaks in the music or changes in the volume will let the unwanted sounds filter into the room and be a distraction.
Creating a White Noise Symphony
The spa manager or massage therapist can pull together multiple elements for the treatment rooms from these items. In a single room there can be two or more white noise tools that give a sense of peace to the space.
One may need to experiment with different combinations to find a balance that works for the room and the customer. Try adding a small fan first to the space and work it into an area of the room that doesn’t chill the client and isn’t too close to their head. Then add other elements until the room has a white noise symphony – relaxing and melodious in itself.
References:
- The author's personal experience with wellness rooms and natural health clinics since 2004 as a bodywork practitioner.
Amy Kreydin - Amy Kreydin, NBCRT, CCAP, BD is a Board Certified Reflexologist and Clinical Aromatherapist.
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