Five Signs You’re Still in Winter Mode


As the calendar turns and the mud starts its slow retreat, the daffodils push up along Main Street welcoming spring in the Kennebunks. Somewhere inside you there’s still a body still holding onto January.

Shoulders are up to the ears next to a tight jaw. There is a braced posture that you’ve been carrying so long that it now feels like baseline.

Spring in Maine is a negotiation day to day. It’s moody; rainy, then sunny and rainy again.

We see it in the treatment room around this time every year. Clients come in talking about how they should be feeling lighter by now—and we agree! The sun is out. The boots are almost tucked away. For some reason everything still feels a little heavy.

This is because Maine winters ask a lot of you. The nervous system is tricky and we are here to help you set down what you’ve been carrying.

 

Holistic spring facial at the fifth om kennebunk

 
 

5 signs you’re still in winter mode

Waking up tired even after a full night’s sleep.

Holding tightness across the upper back that no amount of stretching seems to touch.

Skin that’s still dull, still dry, still recovering from months of dry heat and cold wind.

A short fuse you didn’t used to have.

Wanting to go for the walk and then not going.


These are examples of a body that is in conservation mode. Still rationing energy levels and waiting for proof that the season has actually changed.

As holistic practitioners specializing in bodywork, clean skincare, and alternative therapies, we look at the shift from sympathetic to parasympathetic; from braced to settled. This shift can happen when the body gets a clear, consistent, repeated signal that it’s okay to soften. At our Kennebunk spa, we see this shift every spring.

After 10 years in wellness, we see that the ultimate secret to shaking off the winter is in the sequence.


The Sequence That Helps You Shift

Heat, first.

infrared sauna session at The Fifth Om Kennebunk

far infrared sauna with chromotherapy at the fifth om kennebunk

In particular, the FIR Sauna heat. The kind that goes deeper than a hot shower. Thirty minutes in the infrared sauna can penetrate the tissue that’s been clenched since November and gives it permission to let go. Most people walk out of that room and notice their jaw has relaxed before they reach the massage table.

Touch, second.

This is dedicated time for the body that’s been through a Maine winter. We focus on a slower preference-focused body work, warmed natural oils, and attention to both the places that you know you have been holding tension and those you didn’t realize you had.

And Skin

Recovering winter skin needs more than a good moisturizer. It needs custom facials and gentle resurfacing; allowing the dead layer to be lifted so the youthful one can glow again. A Reveal Peel this time of year can be either for transformation or for recalibrating the skin barrier for a new season.

The sequence is the treatment.
One FIR sauna session cannot undo five months of held tension. One massage cannot either. What works is the layering: heat, bodywork, then skin, then rest. Then, doing it again before you’ve talked yourself out of it.

The nervous system learns through consistency and repetition. You have to keep showing up.

Winter asked a lot of you.
You deserve something in return.



Where to begin

If you’re feeling this, we recommend starting with heat, followed by bodywork or a facial. We can also guide you toward the right skincare to support this transition at home.

Consistency is what allows the body to truly shift.

You can explore available appointments here → https://thefifthomappointment.as.me/





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What Is Infrared Recovery Massage? Benefits, Science & What to Expect

Recovery can mean different things for each of us — easing chronic tension, supporting athletic recovery, or restoring the nervous system after prolonged stress or burnout. At The Fifth Om, recovery is never about pushing harder. It is about creating the conditions for sustainable, integrity-led healing.

Our Infrared Recovery Massage is a deeply therapeutic experience designed for true restoration, not just relaxation. This offering combines skilled therapeutic massage with red and near-infrared LED light therapy, creating a powerful synergy that supports healing at both the muscular and cellular levels.

What Is Infrared Recovery Massage?

Infrared Recovery Massage weaves together intentional, therapeutic bodywork with FDA-cleared Celluma LED light therapy, a clinically proven technology used to support tissue repair, reduce inflammation, and enhance circulation.

This award-winning technology works in harmony with the body’s natural intelligence, allowing recovery to happen more efficiently and with greater depth. The result is a massage experience that feels grounding, restorative, and meaningfully effective.

What Is LED Light Therapy?

LED light therapy uses red and near-infrared wavelengths of light to penetrate the skin and reach muscles, joints, and connective tissues. These specific wavelengths stimulate cellular repair and support healing beneath the surface.

From a science-based perspective, LED light therapy works by supporting the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy source of every cell in the body. When ATP levels increase, cells are better able to heal, repair, and function efficiently.

Benefits of red and near-infrared LED light therapy may include:

  • Increased cellular energy (ATP production)

  • Reduced inflammation and muscular tension

  • Improved circulation

  • Enhanced recovery from stress, pain, and physical strain

By supporting the body at a cellular level, LED light therapy helps create the conditions for deeper, longer-lasting recovery.

The Infrared Recovery Massage Experience at The Fifth Om

As intentional hands release muscular tension, gentle light energy penetrates beneath the surface to support circulation, calm inflammation, and encourage cellular repair. This experience works on both the physical body and the nervous system, allowing the body to soften, restore, and recalibrate.

Clients often leave feeling lighter, clearer, and more at ease. Muscles tend to release more efficiently, the nervous system settles more deeply, and a sense of calm carries forward well beyond the session.

This is not an indulgent add-on, but a thoughtfully designed, results-driven enhancement to therapeutic massage — ideal for those seeking meaningful, integrative care.

Who Can Benefit from Infrared Recovery Massage?

Infrared Recovery Massage can be especially supportive for:

  • Individuals experiencing chronic tension or pain

  • Active bodies in need of recovery and repair

  • Those managing high stress or nervous system fatigue

  • Anyone seeking deeper support for balance and resilience throughout the seasons

This offering is also an excellent choice for clients who want to nourish the body on a deeper level while maintaining long-term well-being.

An Evolving Approach to Bodywork

This service reflects our evolving approach to massage therapy at The Fifth Om. Every detail has been intentionally crafted to honor both science and soul, combining advanced technology with presence, warmth, and integrity.

The Infrared Recovery Massage is available as a stand-alone service or as a targeted service enhancement added to any massage. For those seeking a more comprehensive experience, it pairs beautifully with our Far Infrared Sauna to support full-spectrum recovery.

Level Up Your Recovery: Full Body Recovery Experience

For a deeply immersive wellness experience, we invite you to explore our Full Body Recovery offering:

  • 30 minutes in the Far Infrared Sauna

  • 90-minute Infrared Recovery Massage

  • Total experience: 2 hours

Call, email or contact us through our website to book this exclusive offering (must be scheduled with reception as our private FIR Sauna availability varies).

Your body already holds the wisdom to heal.
We simply create the space for it to do so.

Located in downtown Kennebunk, The Fifth Om is a place for holistic well-being.
Book online or reach out to customize your recovery experience.

The Fifth Om
A place for holistic well-being.

Winter Wellness in Maine: A Holistic Approach to Rest, Warmth, and Restoration

Winter Wellness in Maine: A Holistic Approach to Rest, Warmth, and Restoration

Winter in Maine calls for us to find a slower rhythm, one with shorter days, colder temperatures, and quieter spaces to retreat. While we go inward, we also have the opportunity to practice receptivity. Receiving the care and nurturance that our body, mind, and spirit needs can push us through the depth of winter.

In Maine, winter is something we work with. And our approach to Winter Wellness at The Fifth Om is similar. Our services become even more about warmth and nervous-system support through Far Infrared (FIR) Sauna, massage therapy with enhancements, and holistic, results-driven skincare.

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