Good Vibrations: Vibroacoustic Therapy at 321 Spas

Can vibroacoustic therapy really heal you from the inside out? We take a look at this unique and trending “no-touch” therapy that, in 321 Spas, comes in the form of one very high-tech, very custom-designed bed.

What you see upon entering an Opal Spa treatment room is far from your average treatment table. Rather, these plush platforms pack some powerful healing in the physical furniture itself. Custom-designed for Opal Spas exclusively, the beds are embedded with a series of “transducers” that emit low-frequency vibrations that sync with soothing music or soundscapes (also played from the bed). And they can be found at almost all of 321 Collection’s 12 resort spa locations*, from The Samoset Resort in Midcoast Maine down to Sunset Key Cottages off the coast of Key West, Florida. 

Why vibration and music? Called vibroacoustic therapy (VAT), it’s an all-natural wellness practice that aims to synchronize the body and mind, while calming the nervous system. “People are looking for holistic wellness experiences now more than ever,” says Brooke Johnston, director of the Opal Spa at The Resort at Longboat Key Club in Longboat Key, Florida, a certified Wellness Property by WITT (Wellness in Travel & Tourism). “They want more out of a spa experience than just a massage. They want to bring their entire body and mind into balance.” 

The vibroacoustic beds are just one means to do that at Opal Spas – but a very important one. Because when you come in for a treatment – be it a HydraFacial, a body wrap, or Himalayan stone massage – you’re not just experiencing topical healing; these therapeutic frequencies are having a whole additional benefit on your inner mind-body state. In fact, it’s kind of like a symphony for your cells. All you have to do is sit back and get lost in the waves. 

WHAT IS VIBROACOUSTIC THERAPY?

Vibroacoustic therapy is the use of low-frequency sine waves and therapeutic music, delivered through a device – like a bed, a matt, or even a cushion. By coupling the vibrations with the music, you’re essentially hearing the same frequencies that you’re feeling. “The result is an immersive experience that calms the mind and really lulls your body into state of ease,” explains Johnston, a dual-license wellness therapist for the last 15 years. “Basically, it’s triggering your parasympathetic nervous system response – the network of nerves that calms your body down after periods of stress.” Essentially, it moves your body into a state of growth and repair – and that can have lasting effects, including improved sleep, digestion, circulation, and even pain relief.

HOW VIBROACOUSTIC THERAPY WORKS

The combination of low-frequency sound vibration and therapeutic music deliver two specific things: 

Stimulation on a Deep Cellular Level 

While you can’t hear the low-frequency waves (they range between 30–120 hertz), the vibrations still penetrate deep into the body tissues, essentially “massaging” cells from the inside out.  

Slow Downs Your Brain 

Our brains are always pulsing, emitting what’s known as brainwaves. At times of stress or deep concentration, our brain pulses faster, when we’re relaxed, it pulses less. What vibroacoustic therapy helps to do is sync your brainwaves to a state of relaxation and introspection.  

“Personally, for me, my mind does not shut off, even when I’m getting massage. I’m constantly thinking,” says Johnston. “But when I couple it with vibroacoustic therapy, my brain is able to actually relax as well. That’s why a treatment on this table is truly the ultimate level of relaxation.” 

THE BENEFITS OF VIBROACOUSTIC THERAPY 

“What I think makes vibroacoustic therapy so special is that it’s a no-touch service, which means it can be a powerful healing tool for people who may be uncomfortable with touch – people with autism, PTSD or other trauma, people with physical pain or injury,” says Johnston. And since the therapy boosts the body’s natural recovery process, it has shown to result in these key benefits: 

• Improved sleep 

• Reduced stress 

• Pain relief 

• Better mood/increased happiness  

• Improved circulation 

• Lowered blood pressure 

• Slower heart rate

• Improved mental clarity and focus  

THE VIBROACOUSTIC EXPERIENCE IN AN 321 SPA 

When guests come in for an appointment, the spa technicians provide an overview of the technology in the bed, then help guests select their soundscape. After, they step out, allowing guests to get comfortable on the bed. “We wait a few minutes to let the bed put them into that dreamlike relaxed state, then we’ll re-enter to start the treatment,” explains Johnston.  

As for guests who do not want a touch service, there are vibroacoustic loungers they can reserve to simply receive the healing benefits of the therapy alone. 

“I’ve been in this industry for 15 years, and these are, undoubtedly, the most luxurious tables I’ve ever worked with,” says Johnston. “The benefit that they have alone on your mind-body state is truly remarkable.”