Buyagift

Spa WarS The most relaxing spa
treatments for a busy mum

Can't remember the last time you had a full night's sleep? Or when you last managed to finish a hot drink? One word pretty much sums it up: "motherhood". It's a wonderful and rewarding adventure being a mum, but wow – sometimes a bit of peace and quiet is needed.

But how stressful is your life as a mum? Give our quiz a go, and we'll give you a stress score so you can share it with anyone who needs a not-so-subtle hint this Mother's Day.

How stressful is your life as a mum? Give our quiz a go, and we'll give you a stress score so you can share it with anyone who needs a not-so-subtle hint this Mother's Day.

How stressed are
you as a mum?

Take our quiz and find out

Start
Restart

1 / 10 How many children do you have?

None - this quiz isn't for me!
1 child
2 children
3 children
4 children
5 or more children
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2 / 10 How much sleep do you get on an average night?

9 or more hours
7-8 hours
5-6 hours
3-4 hours
1-2 hours
Less than 1 hour
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3 / 10 How often do your kids end up in your bed?

Never
Only when they're poorly
Once a month
Once a week
A couple nights each week
Every night
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4 / 10 What are family mealtimes like at home?

All food gets eaten
Most food gets eaten
Some food gets eaten
A little bit of food gets eaten
Only pudding gets eaten
No food gets eaten
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5 / 10 What do you do when you have 30 minutes to yourself?

A relaxing bath
Read a book or watch TV
Have a hot drink
Reply to emails and messages
Chores around the house
I don't get 30 minutes to myself
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6 / 10 What do you do on the weekend?

Have a bit of 'me' time
Go for a leisurely family day out
Play in the garden or the park
Watch cartoons or children's films
Food shopping
Chores around the house
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7 / 10 When did you last wash your hair?

Today
Yesterday
A few days ago
Last week
I use a lot of dry shampoo
I can't remember
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8 / 10 When is the last time you had a pamper day?

I regularly visit the salon or spa
In the last 6 months
6-12 months ago
1-2 years ago
Over 2 years ago
Never
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9 / 10 How often do you put on a load of laundry?

Never
Once a week
Twice a week
A few times a week
Daily
More than once a day
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10 / 10 What are you expecting to get this Mother's Day?

A day off
A thoughtful gift
Something homemade
Chocolates or flowers
A card if I'm lucky
Nothing
Restart

You scored out of 100 points!

You don't have to wait for your mum stress to build up in order to take care of yourself. You might get enough sleep and have mealtimes that go to plan, but make sure you get an opportunity to have a pamper treat now and then! Pop out for a relaxing pedicure and you'll be able to put your best foot forward at home.

For the most part, your mummy stress levels are under control, but think about how you'll choose to relax during those more testing times ahead. We think a hot stone massage could be your perfect spa treatment. A treat is always welcome anyway!

As a parent you experience some stressful days, even when you've got things under control most of the time. When your stress levels are peaking, it's time to find a reliable way to relax. We recommend spending some quiet time at your local spa; even the steam room or sauna can help you to unwind.

Let all of your mum stress fade away with an Indian head massage. Time to relax and unwind is important as a parent, especially when you've had a run of sleepless nights or difficult family mealtimes.

You might not often get a day off from mummy duty, or even manage to finish a hot drink before it goes cold, but you're doing an amazing job. When you do have a few moments to yourself, why not do something incredibly relaxing and experience a Swedish full body massage?

If you haven't had time for a pamper day lately, you're not alone! With everything else going on at home, it can be hard to fit in anything more than looking after yourself and your family. But we all need a bit of ‘me time' now and then, and a deep tissue massage could be the perfect remedy for the mummy stress you're currently battling.

Your hair may have been up in a ponytail since you last managed to wash it, but think about all the amazing mum moments you've had since then. A bit of pamper time is always nice to feel more like you again though, so maybe a quick manicure could be the perfect way for you to relax.

What is it about having a wash, cut and blow dry that makes you feel ready to take on the world? With a hectic home life, and not a lot of time to enjoy a hot cup of tea anymore, the lure of the salon will be strong for you. Get an appointment in the diary, and make sure you get a nice hot drink whilst you sink into the hairdresser's chair.

With at least a couple of kids under your roof, and potentially in your bed at some point during the week, you're definitely owed some alone time. Take a few hours off mum duty, and let someone else do the hard work for a change. Take the opportunity to book yourself a revitalising facial so you can be properly pampered.

You're all too familiar with sleep deprivation and family mealtimes that don't go quite to plan. There's no doubt about it, you're not just a mum, you're a super hero! Even heroes need to recharge now and then, so you might as well do it in style. How does a relaxing neck and shoulder massage sound? Fabulous!

Want to share your result? Tag someone who needs a not-so-subtle gift hint... Share Result
Or share Spa Wars on Facebook...

Home life vs. spa life

When we found out that two-thirds of mums in the UK are sleep deprived, and 77% miss having time to relax, we knew we needed to do something about it¹. That's why we asked a group of mums to help us see how stressful everyday ‘mum moments' are, and then to see how well they recovered from that stress by experiencing one of the nation's ten favourite spa treatments.

Our #SpaWars squad of mummy bloggers have been measuring their stress levels through a leading heart rate variability app, whilst doing everything from "helping" with homework to sitting in a sauna. From home life to spa life, we've crunched the numbers, and found which treatments are truly the most relaxing for mum...

Time for mummy time out?

If you don't have time to visit a spa this week, try some of these tips for a quick time out. (And remember, many of our spa vouchers can be used at a later date, something worth mentioning to your family!)

  • A walk in the fresh air can banish those feelings of cabin fever you get after watching CBeebies for what feels like eight hours straight
  • All the advice is to nap when baby naps, and we think this applies to toddlers and young children too
  • A hot bath full of bubbles can feel like a little slice of luxury, especially if you bring a book and a cup of tea with you
  • Essential oils are used in aromatherapy massages but you can use them at home too; we think lavender is one of the best
  • When you're feeling stressed, why not write it down? Starting a journal or a blog can feel almost therapeutic as you unbottle your thoughts

Top 10 most relaxing treatments for mum

In the battle of spa treatments, which ones are truly the most relaxing? We've put them to the test so you can make Mother's Day extra special this year:

  • Neck and shoulder massage
  • Wash, cut and blow dry
  • Deep tissue massage
  • Steam and sauna
  • Swedish full body massage
  • Pedicure
  • Facial
  • Hot stone massage
  • Indian head massage
  • Manicure

The science behind the top 10

¹Buyagift.co.uk surveyed 2,000 UK mums in February 2019, to learn more about modern life as a mother. 77% of respondents claimed they miss relaxation and pamper time, and nearly two thirds claimed they get at least one hour less than the recommended 7 hours sleep on an average night. Three quarters of mums claim to want a relaxing spa day or experience for Mother's Day, yet 4 in 5 also think their families are likely to be put off getting them one. Most mums believe this is because their families don't know their availability, the treatment names or because there's too much choice.

Buyagift have simplified the choice of options ahead of Mother's Day, by using a scientific test to rank spa treatments by the amount they reduce stress levels. HRV4Training is the first validated app able to measure heart rate and heart rate variability reliably; this app was used by a group of our #SpaWars mums during stressful moments at home, as well as immediately after a spa treatment they tested. Our top 10 most relaxing treatments were ordered based on the analysis of these stress readings.

Our #SpaWars team

Lyndsay from fizzypeaches.com

Emma from crazywithtwins.com

Beth from twinderelmo.co.uk

Caro from thetwinklediaries.co.uk

Sarah from letthembesmall.com

Charli from charlib.co.uk

Polly from ourseasidebaby.com

Sabina from deepinmummymatters.com

Tina from mothergeek.co.uk

Rebecca from aaublog.com