There’s a first time for everything.
As Editors, we’re conditioned to look for immediate results. A brighter complexion. Sharper focus. A visible payoff we can register in the mirror or feel by morning. So when I stepped out of my first hyperbaric oxygen therapy session feeling profoundly sleepy rather than energised, it took me by surprise.
In the week leading up to the treatment, sleep had been inconsistent at best. Five to six hours a night, stretched thin by a tight schedule of events, meetings, and deadlines. By the time I booked the session — optimistically slotted on a Friday — I was already carrying the accumulated exhaustion of the week. Even before stepping into the chamber, I was depleted. I just hadn’t fully acknowledged it.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
The one-hour session didn’t deliver a surge of energy. Instead, it ushered in an unexpected stillness. My body slowed. My thoughts softened. It felt less like a boost and more like a reset — as if my nervous system, long accustomed to operating on adrenaline, had finally been given permission to power down.
You might like: Inside Anewmax, Malaysia’s New Luxury Skin Authority
From a beauty perspective, that response makes sense. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy increases oxygen availability at a cellular level, supporting repair, reducing inflammation, and encouraging regeneration. But repair isn’t performative. It’s quiet, internal, and often invisible at first. The fatigue that followed didn’t feel like burnout — it felt like my body reprioritising, clearly craving rest and deeper sleep.
Reset the body, mind and soul
That evening, I felt tired earlier than usual, the kind of uncomplicated fatigue that leads to proper rest. I remember thinking I might feel this way all week. Instead, the following day surprised me. I woke up clearer. Lighter. Energised in a way that felt steady rather than wired.
Now, a week on, the effects feel quietly significant. My energy levels are noticeably better than the week before the session. I’m more focused, clearer in thought, and working with a renewed sense of drive. The reset wasn’t fleeting — it recalibrated something deeper.
There was no instant glow, no dramatic reveal. And that felt honest. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy isn’t a cosmetic quick fix. It’s a recalibration — one that works beneath the surface before it shows itself. If beauty is ultimately about longevity, balance, and how well the body recovers, then perhaps the most telling sign isn’t radiance or productivity, but the body’s instinct to rest — and its ability to return stronger once it does.
The Beauty Science, Explained
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy works by delivering oxygen at higher-than-normal atmospheric pressure, allowing it to dissolve more efficiently into the bloodstream and reach tissues that don’t always receive optimal oxygen flow. In beauty and wellness terms, this increased oxygen availability supports cellular repair, calms inflammation, and encourages regeneration — processes essential for skin health, cognitive clarity, and overall resilience.
What’s often overlooked is that repair requires energy. When the body shifts out of stress-driven survival mode and into recovery, it prioritises restoration over stimulation. The result can feel like sudden fatigue or sleepiness — not as a side effect, but as a sign that the nervous system has entered a state where healing can begin.
In other words, the first response isn’t glow. It’s recalibration.
How to Prepare for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
A little preparation can make a noticeable difference, especially if it’s your first session.
- Hydrate well before and after your session
- Eat a light meal with protein beforehand to avoid energy dips
- Avoid scheduling intense meetings or workouts immediately after
- Wear comfortable, non-restrictive clothing
- Be honest about how tired you are going in
- Plan for an early night — deeper sleep is common post-session
Visit Arc Holistic Wellness
Arc Holistic Wellness is rethinking modern recovery by making premium wellness more accessible and consistent. At the heart of its offering is the Beautiful State Club Pass, a monthly membership priced at RM199, designed to encourage restorative self-care as a regular practice rather than a rare indulgence.
Members can curate their own Rituals of Renewal by selecting four treatments per month, redeemable weekly or all in one visit. Options include Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Back Point Massage, Foot Reflexology, and the Far Infrared Sauna — each grounded in science and focused on long-term wellbeing.
Beyond individual treatments, Arc is also pioneering HRDC-claimable wellness courses, positioning mental clarity and physical recovery as essential tools for modern professional performance.
Address:
Arc Holistic Wellness
Unit B21 – 7, Block B Jaya One,
Jalan Professor Diraja Unku Aziz, Seksyen 13,
46200, Petaling Jaya, Selangor
For more information, follow Arc Holistic Wellness on Instagram or visit their website.
More Beauty News on The Highlighter MY
