SASKATOON -- Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa has seen an uptick in business over the last year.
“We've been busier than we were before the pandemic,” said manager Andrew Chandna.
He points to higher overall stress levels, which can manifest in physical ailments.
“That affects more sympathetic activation in your brain,” he said. “More headaches, tension headaches to more jaw clenching, to just people sitting at home rather than being in the office. More lower back pain or tightness.”
Working from home rather than being in an office or workplace has become part of many people’s everyday lives.
“Being static, it's just tough on the human body in general,” said Chandna.
“Whether you're able to exercise or stretch or go for massage therapy — I think movement for your body is healthy, on both your joints and your muscular muscular skeletal system.”
“They work in there for five or eight or 10 hours a day, by the end of that day they're pretty fatigued — if it's not set up properly,” said Source Office Furniture account executive Dave Metz of many people’s home office situations.
Metz says their sales on items like chairs, standup desks and monitor arms increased last year and have yet to slow down, as people prepare to continue working from home even after the pandemic ends.
“It's just the way of the future,” he said. “Things have changed, COVID has changed us.”
Many people are changing up their mattresses, battling stress and anxiety with the restorative power of a good night’s sleep.
“I would say business has probably doubled since last year,” said Wiseguys Mattresses owner Mark Stevens.
“The better you sleep, the healthier you're going to be, and that's what it boils down to,” he said. “You don't have to spend a ton of money, you just want to find something that's comfortable and something that's going to last.”
Stevens says items like security blankets are popular because of their de-stressing and calming capabilities.
“It's like a security blanket for adults basically and it works,” he said.
In order to keep your body working properly, Chandna says regular maintenance can stop physical ailments before they start.
“I think one of the best benefits of massage therapy is preventing issues from arising if you're doing it on a regular routine.”
