Shape House Santa Monica
You know that feeling after a great run or an exceptionally intense workout? Your skin glows, your endorphins flow, your face is flush, you feel like you can conquer anything. It’s that high exercise euphoria enthusiasts chase after. What if you could experience this high without all the hard work and exercise, but same amount of sweat? Just lay in bed wrapped like a burrito and watch your favorite show on Netflix. Most would say I’m crazy and maybe even lazy, but the truth is—it’s possible. Poppy and Seed experienced it at Shape House in Santa Monica. Forget crazy workout classes and sharing saunas with strangers—this is our new favorite place to sweat.
An urban sweat lodge, Shape House is the latest trend to hit LA. For centuries, sweating has been known as a purifying experience. Native Americans sweat to cleanse their spirits. We know that choosing to sweat is not for everyone, but the benefits are endless. It detoxifies, cleanses, and relaxes our bodies and minds. Stress affects me daily—whether it’s driving, a new project, family issues, whatever, and sweating releases that toxic tension.At Shape House, the adorable staff guided us through the process of sweating. She handed me a sweat suit—a comfy pair of grey sweatpants, a long sleeve orange t-shirt with high white socks. For a minute while looking in the mirror, I felt like a character on Orange is the New Black. Is sweating the new spin? Surprisingly, it burns more calories than most physical activities.
Inside the sweat lodge, I snuggled up inside an infrared bed, a metallic sleeping bag type of blanket covering, where sweat poured out for the next 55 minutes. With a bottle of alkaline water next to me and a call button available, I felt as ready as ever. The bed uses FAR infrared, comparable to the heat of the sun, but without those damaging UV rays. Temperatures were set to rise about 158 degrees F. I put headphones on, chose a movie, and started perspiring.
The sweat started slow, but after about 20 minutes really kicked in. Deep breathing calmed my minor anxiety of being stuck inside the sleeping bag; I’m not one to even tuck in my blankets at night, I enjoy keeping a leg out for safe measure. The movie distracted all the sweating as the heat intensified. One of the staff members brought a cool lavender soaked towel at just the right moment, super soothing. The sweat finished sooner than I expected and stepping out of the bed felt liberating and exhilarating. A dimly lit relaxed room filled with tea and freshly cut orange slices awaited me.The results of my sweat: complete repose with zero worries. My body flimsily rested on a couch, face totally red and clothes drenched in sweat, like I just ran twelve miles. All the toxins and stress I’d been storing up were released in those 55 minutes. A shocking 1,000 calories were burned, almost unbelievable considering I barely moved a muscle. My skin felt incredible, way softer than normal and that night, I slept like an absolute baby.Sweating at Shape House is an incredibly detoxifying experience. It could easily become Poppy and Seed’s favorite new addiction. It’s perfect for anyone who wants to purify their body and mind through a good sweat in a clean, peaceful environment, without all the hassle of actually exercising.
