In honor of Elena Brower’s Spa Week Daily Challenge and National Relaxation Day, we asked our Twitter and Facebook friends, “What’s your favorite song for relaxing/breathing deeply?” Without further ado, here is the “Just Breathe” playlist. Even Elena joined in the fun, tweeting, “@ElenaBrower: @SPAWEEK – check out this playlist on @yogitunes – http://ow.ly/63TkZ – the last few songs are VERY chill. And the first few: flow/amazing.” We added as many as we could find and came up with this soothing, worry-erasing playlist. We hope you listen take a few moments for yourself and get inspired to Breathe Consioucly for 5 minutes a day. Enjoy!

Here the songs our Facebook and Twitter friends suggested:

Jacqueline E. Pachelbel “New Age”
Estella N. and Janice C. Enya
Mari H. Pearl Jam “Just Breathe”
Nicole G. and Deborah N. “Amazing Grace”
Jackie T. Adele
Lydia P. Barbra Streisand “Memory”
Noreen Y. David Young “Bliss” and George Skaroulis “Sanctuary”
Patricia E. Any soundscapes music!
@AgingBackwards: @SPAWEEK Call me #oldschool, but I still LUV @SteveWinwood sigh…(bats eyelashes) lol #relaxation
@ISpaDoYou: @SPAWEEK #relaxation song ideas: We recommend anything from @soundstruebit.ly/pk2TNE
@pengonly: @SPAWEEK try @2Cellos they do wonders with @muse
@Bittertwitr22: @SPAWEEK etta james
@BeautyUnbiased: Glen Hansard ‘once’ album “@SPAWEEK: Happy National #RelaxationDay! TELL US: What’s your favorite song for relaxing/breathing deeply?”
@LiljenSpa: @SPAWEEK Yiruma is a fab piano Player.. Meditation Spa Collection is also relaxing music.. :-)
@nailkid2: @SPAWEEK Kool & The Gang ” Summer Madness”

“HOP POP We like to hop.
We like to hop on top of Pop.
STOP You must not hop on Pop.

…FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER
That one is my other brother.
My brothers read a little bit.
Little words like If and it.
My father can read big words, too.
Like CONSTANTINOPLE and TIMBUKTU”

Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss

In honor of Fathers everywhere, we comprised a rocking playlist (with a little help from our friends), that reminds us of our Dads and their favorite songs. From Van Morrison to Jimmy Buffet to The Beatles and Eric Clapton, sometimes we forget how cool Dads can be. Thanks for feeding us, clothing us, teaching us to throw a baseball, bailing us out of jail and paying our cell phone bills. We <3 you Dad!

Some of our friends’ Dad’s favorite jams:

“Layla,” Eric Clapton (Eleanor D’s Dad’s Favorite)
“Good Vibrations,” The Beach Boys (Nicole B’s Dad’s Favorite)
“Chances Are,” Bob Marley (Michelle B’s Dad’s Favorite)
“Cat’s in the Cradle,” Harry Chapin (Nicole D’s Dad’s Favorite)
“Working in a Coal Mine,” Lee Dorsey (Mandy H’s Dad’s Favorite)
“My Way,” Frank Sinatra (Robin B’s and Jennifer D’s Dads’ Favorite)
“What is Love,” Hadaway (Andrea D’s Dad’s Favorite)
“How do you Like Me Now,” Toby Keith (Tricia H’s Dad’s Favorite)
“What a Wonderful World, “ Louis Armstrong (Barbara J’s Dad’s Favorite)
“Margaretville,” Jimmy Buffet (Kelly’s Dad’s Favorite)
“Hey Jude,” The Beatles (Michelle’s Dad’s Favorite)
“Thunder Road,” Bruce Springsteen, “Pinball Wizard” The Who, “Hotel California,” The Eagles (Stephanie’s Dad’s Favorites)

Psst…SpaWeek Gift Cards are 15% Off in Honor of Father’s Day, June 19. Don’t Forget!

School is winding down, the weather is getting nice and summer is almost upon us… and hopefully you’ve got a sunroof. While on your journey to relaxation (spa resort? music festival?) take a listen to these trippin’ favorites (thanks for your recommendations!). If you’re driving or sitting for more than a few miles, try these 5 road trip workouts below to keep your body as entertained as your ears. Whether it’s a Free Ride down Electric Avenue, you’re on the Highway To Hell, or you’ve got No Particular Place To Go… baby you were Born To Run!

Now, the toning part:

Exercising while driving (or sitting) is all about isometrics. The isolation and contraction specific muscles helps to engage and strengthen them just like other traditional moves like push-ups or squats. Here are some fun exercises to try behind the wheel.  Just be careful and pay attention to your driving and traffic. There are not many health benefits to a fender bender. Missing work, maybe.

Abs: Sit up straight with your shoulders back.  Grip the wheel at 10 and 2. Where the seatbelt hits your waist will be the target for this exercise. Focus on this area and every time you pass a speed limit sign, squeeze for 10-15 seconds. As you let go, give a big breath out. This contraction is similar to that of a sit-up.

Biceps: Try some steering wheel curls. Grip the wheel with both hands near the base of the wheel with your wrists pointing towards the car ceiling. Pull up and toward you. When you feel the most tension, hold the squeeze for 15-20 seconds. Don’t pull too hard, as it is easy to damage the steering shaft this way. Just pull enough to flex your biceps and shoulders.

Kegels: Thanks to celebs like Oprah and Dr. Oz, the world knows what Kegel exercises are. Try these at the next red light. Do some rapid fire squeezes, (clench “down there” like you are stopping a pee stream). Try to contract and release as fast as possible before the light turns green. Plus, the giggling you will be doing knowing that all the other drives are clueless you’re working out your private parts will also burn lots of extra cals.

Chest and Shoulders: The next time you’re in traffic, grasp the wheel at 9 and 3 with your knuckles facing in like you are trying to read a watch both wrists. Now lean forward and pull out like you are trying to stretch the wheel. You will feel the tension in your upper arms, chest and shoulders. Burn baby, burn.

Another great move to try is having great posture. Constantly telling yourself to sit up straight is a great reminder that you have abs and need to use them in order to support your body. If you practice the art of slouching (like I do), then after about 10mins of driving in the upright position will feel like a work out. Your body will get used to sitting properly again, you just have to practice.

Sunday marks another year of honoring our mothers for all the hard work they put in day in and day out. Whether it’s providing filling dinners when we don’t have the time to cook ourselves, staying up for late night bedside venting sessions, being the brutally honest shopping partner we need and all around best friend — MOMS, we appreciate you! As you shop for the perfect gift this year keep in mind her interests and give her a gift she will love. In honor of those interests we reached out to our Facebook fans and Team Spa Week for their mother’s favorite songs. Consensus? Our moms are rocking to songs from The Rolling Stones and The O’jays to James Taylor and Boyz II Men. We love you mom. 

1. Shower the People, James Taylor ( Stephanie’s Mom’s Favorite Song)
2. Stacy’s Mom, Fountains of Wayne (Kaitlin’s Mom’s Favorite Song)
3. A Case of You, Joni Mitchell (Michelle’s Mom’s Favorite Song)
4. Sherry, Franki Valli & The Four Seasons (Rebecca’s Mom’s Favorite Song )
5. A Song for Mama, Boyz II Men (Melissa’s Mom’s Favorite Song)
6. Maggie May, Rod Stewart (Erin’s Mom’s Favorite Song)
7. Cry Together, OJay’s (Candace’s Mom’s Favorite Song)
8. Don’t You Forget About Me, Simple Minds (Dawn M.’s Mom’s Favorite Song)
9. Is This Love, Bob Marley & The Wailers (Marlene J.’s Mom’s Favorite Song)
10. Sitting On The Dock By The Bay, Otis Redding (Heather L.’s Mom’s Favorite Song)
11. Kashmir, Led Zepplin (Jennifer W.’s Mom’s Favorite Song)
12. Ave Maria, Celine Dion (Yvette D. and Mary Jo B.’s Mom’s Favorite Song)
13. I’d Give Anything, Beres Hammond (Rose T.’s Mom’s Favorite Song)
14. You Were Always On My Mind, Willie Nelson (Melissa R.’s Mom’s Favorite Song )
15. Gimme Shelter, The Rolling Stones (Breanna’s Mom’s Favorite Song )
16. Oh What a Night, The Four Seasons (Kelly’s Mom’s Favorite Song)
17. My Funny Valentine, Miles Davis (Carol R.’s Mom’s Favorite Song)
18. The Way You Make Me Feel, Michael Jackson (Mazelle J.’ Mom’s Favorite Song)

Image via

In the words of Katy Perry last night at the Grammys:

This one goes out to all the Valentine lovers.

While Katy’s “Teenage Dream” might land on this list 10 years from now, we’ll let it slide for the time being. From the bottom of our hearts, here are the cheesiest, most classic love songs of all time. (Your list—we couldn’t resist recycling from last year.) Enjoy, and have a LOVEly night! <3