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A team of researchers has looked at 23 studies relating to the health impacts of retreats. Jane Kitchen talks to lead researcher Professor Marc Cohen about the findings
By Jane Kitchen | Published in Spa Business 2018 issue 1
Retreats can lead to long-term health improvements / Syda Productions/shutterstock
Retreat experiences appear to have positive health benefits, including benefits for people with chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis, cancer, HIV/AIDS, heart conditions and mental health issues. This is according to research conducted by Professor Marc Cohen of RMIT University in Australia and a team of researchers who examined 23 studies relating to the health impacts of immersive residential retreat experiences. The findings were published in January in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
“The findings from the reviewed studies suggest there are many positive health benefits from retreat experiences, which include improvements in both subjective and objective measures,” says Cohen. “It’s likely that improvements in health are due to a combination of psychological and behavioural factors that lead to better coping mechanisms, lifestyle choices, and enhanced resilience to stress.”
The studies involved 2,592 participants from a wide range of geographical and demographic populations – everything from luxury resort guests to unemployed adults and even prison inmates.
Seven studies examined objective outcomes such as blood pressure or biological markers of disease, while 16 had subjective outcomes, mostly involving self-reported questionnaires on psychological and spiritual measures. All of the studies reported post-retreat health benefits ranging from immediately after the retreat to five years after.
“The results suggest that retreat experiences significantly improve people’s lives. This is evident from reported improvements in quality of life and subjective wellbeing, decreases in the frequency and severity of health symptoms, reductions in body weight, blood pressure and abdominal girth, and positive changes in metabolic and neurological pathways,” says Cohen.
Four studies looked at retreats aimed at improving quality of life for cancer patients, and all showed benefits, including improvements in quality of life, depression and anxiety scores, and increased telomere length, with benefits being recorded up to five years post-retreat.
“The finding that retreat experiences can lead to sustained and significant health improvements long after participants return home suggests they help guests make positive lifestyle changes and adopt healthy behaviours,” says Cohen.
He also says that more research is needed, with larger numbers of subjects and longer follow-up periods.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Promotional feature: Oakworks
Dafne Berlanga, vice president of international business
development of Oakworks, discusses the importance of sustainability
Contrast therapy, based on the alternation of hot and cold rituals, has become one of the
most valued practices in the fields of wellness and recovery. [more...]
A team of researchers has looked at 23 studies relating to the health impacts of retreats. Jane Kitchen talks to lead researcher Professor Marc Cohen about the findings
By Jane Kitchen | Published in Spa Business 2018 issue 1
Retreats can lead to long-term health improvements / Syda Productions/shutterstock
Retreat experiences appear to have positive health benefits, including benefits for people with chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis, cancer, HIV/AIDS, heart conditions and mental health issues. This is according to research conducted by Professor Marc Cohen of RMIT University in Australia and a team of researchers who examined 23 studies relating to the health impacts of immersive residential retreat experiences. The findings were published in January in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
“The findings from the reviewed studies suggest there are many positive health benefits from retreat experiences, which include improvements in both subjective and objective measures,” says Cohen. “It’s likely that improvements in health are due to a combination of psychological and behavioural factors that lead to better coping mechanisms, lifestyle choices, and enhanced resilience to stress.”
The studies involved 2,592 participants from a wide range of geographical and demographic populations – everything from luxury resort guests to unemployed adults and even prison inmates.
Seven studies examined objective outcomes such as blood pressure or biological markers of disease, while 16 had subjective outcomes, mostly involving self-reported questionnaires on psychological and spiritual measures. All of the studies reported post-retreat health benefits ranging from immediately after the retreat to five years after.
“The results suggest that retreat experiences significantly improve people’s lives. This is evident from reported improvements in quality of life and subjective wellbeing, decreases in the frequency and severity of health symptoms, reductions in body weight, blood pressure and abdominal girth, and positive changes in metabolic and neurological pathways,” says Cohen.
Four studies looked at retreats aimed at improving quality of life for cancer patients, and all showed benefits, including improvements in quality of life, depression and anxiety scores, and increased telomere length, with benefits being recorded up to five years post-retreat.
“The finding that retreat experiences can lead to sustained and significant health improvements long after participants return home suggests they help guests make positive lifestyle changes and adopt healthy behaviours,” says Cohen.
He also says that more research is needed, with larger numbers of subjects and longer follow-up periods.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Promotional feature: Oakworks
Dafne Berlanga, vice president of international business
development of Oakworks, discusses the importance of sustainability
Preidlhof Luxury DolceVita Resort, a destination resort and spa in Naturno, South Tyrol in Italy,
will reveal a new spa in February 2027, which has been designed by wellness expert and
consultant Patrizia Bortolin.
Private hotel owner and developer HVL Hotels will open a new luxury resort and tourism
destination called Laval Hunter Valley in the second half of 2027 in Pokolbin, Australia.
The annual wellness festival dedicated to wellbeing, culture, longevity and human connection,
called Alma, will be hosted by Rocco Forte hotel, Verdura Resort in Sicily, Italy.
Capella Hotel Group has appointed Feisal Jaffer as chief development officer as the company
ramps up its global expansion of both its Capella and Patina brands.
People taking GLP-1 weight loss medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound
may be losing weight, but they’re also becoming less physically active, according to new
research presented at the ENDO 2026 annual meeting of the Endocrine Society
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Global retreat trade show, Synergy The Retreat Show, has launched a resource called The
Source, which hosts an open-access online Transformation Series programme.
Contrast therapy, based on the alternation of hot and cold rituals, has become one of the
most valued practices in the fields of wellness and recovery. [more...]
