For many people, daily life rarely slows down, with work, school pickups, dinners, appointments and everything in between. As a result, more people are looking for ways to reset and relax.In a search for stress relief, WMUR’s Katherine Underwood tried several increasingly popular wellness treatments, from buccal therapy to assisted stretching and yoga nidra.At Beauty & the Body in Manchester, owner Gretchen Newman introduced us to buccal therapy, also known as intra-oral facial massage.Newman, a licensed massage therapist, said the treatment involves working inside the mouth to relieve facial pressure and tension and help people relax. She said she has practiced buccal therapy for nine years after training in it for jaw pain and temporomandibular joint disorders, or TMJ.”We don’t realize how much tension we have in our face,” Newman said.She said the treatment has recently grown in popularity not only for tension relief, but also for cosmetic reasons. Newman said clients may notice fewer fine lines and wrinkles, along with reduced puffiness because of lymphatic drainage. “Some of us can’t relax our facial muscles because they’re so tight from having years of emotional experience written on our face,” Newman said.That is why she says so many folks would benefit from having those muscles physically reset through massage.Newman said interest in buccal therapy is expanding as more people begin to see intra-oral massage as both normal and important.From there, we visited StretchLab in Bedford, where owner Jason Vaillancourt said the idea of paying for assisted stretching might have seemed unusual a decade ago.”But we really do stretch you more than you can stretch yourself in a good, healthy way,” Vaillancourt said.At StretchLab, certified flexologists look for tightness and imbalances, then work with clients to improve mobility and overall quality of life. Vaillancourt said many clients also leave feeling less stressed.After trying it out, it was clear how a full session could change someone’s outlook and leave them feeling ready to take on the day.Finally, we headed to Humble Warrior Power Yoga in Exeter, where owner Talitha Franggos introduced us to yoga nidra, a guided practice focused on deep rest.Franggos described it as “a huge gift for every human out there that has forgotten how to rest.”She said yoga nidra keeps people in the space just before sleep, where the body and mind can recharge. “We’re very good at plugging in the devices we hold in our hands every day, but we’ve forgotten that we need to plug ourselves back in, too,” Franggos said.During the session, Franggos guided participants with breathwork, body awareness and visualization. Whether it is facial massage, assisted stretching or guided rest, each treatment offers a different path to the same goal: relief from the stress of everyday life.
MANCHESTER, N.H. —
For many people, daily life rarely slows down, with work, school pickups, dinners, appointments and everything in between. As a result, more people are looking for ways to reset and relax.
In a search for stress relief, WMUR’s Katherine Underwood tried several increasingly popular wellness treatments, from buccal therapy to assisted stretching and yoga nidra.
At Beauty & the Body in Manchester, owner Gretchen Newman introduced us to buccal therapy, also known as intra-oral facial massage.
Newman, a licensed massage therapist, said the treatment involves working inside the mouth to relieve facial pressure and tension and help people relax. She said she has practiced buccal therapy for nine years after training in it for jaw pain and temporomandibular joint disorders, or TMJ.
“We don’t realize how much tension we have in our face,” Newman said.
She said the treatment has recently grown in popularity not only for tension relief, but also for cosmetic reasons. Newman said clients may notice fewer fine lines and wrinkles, along with reduced puffiness because of lymphatic drainage.
“Some of us can’t relax our facial muscles because they’re so tight from having years of emotional experience written on our face,” Newman said.
That is why she says so many folks would benefit from having those muscles physically reset through massage.
Newman said interest in buccal therapy is expanding as more people begin to see intra-oral massage as both normal and important.
From there, we visited StretchLab in Bedford, where owner Jason Vaillancourt said the idea of paying for assisted stretching might have seemed unusual a decade ago.
“But we really do stretch you more than you can stretch yourself in a good, healthy way,” Vaillancourt said.
At StretchLab, certified flexologists look for tightness and imbalances, then work with clients to improve mobility and overall quality of life. Vaillancourt said many clients also leave feeling less stressed.
After trying it out, it was clear how a full session could change someone’s outlook and leave them feeling ready to take on the day.
Finally, we headed to Humble Warrior Power Yoga in Exeter, where owner Talitha Franggos introduced us to yoga nidra, a guided practice focused on deep rest.
Franggos described it as “a huge gift for every human out there that has forgotten how to rest.”
She said yoga nidra keeps people in the space just before sleep, where the body and mind can recharge.
“We’re very good at plugging in the devices we hold in our hands every day, but we’ve forgotten that we need to plug ourselves back in, too,” Franggos said.
During the session, Franggos guided participants with breathwork, body awareness and visualization.
Whether it is facial massage, assisted stretching or guided rest, each treatment offers a different path to the same goal: relief from the stress of everyday life.