What Is Shirodhara? Why a Stream of Warm Oil Helps the Mind Slow Down

Have you ever wondered why a slow, steady stream of warm oil over the forehead and head makes so many people feel that the noise around them is fading, their thoughts are slowing down and their body can finally rest?

This image of oil poured in a stream from a vessel above the head is called Shirodhara, one of the best-known rituals of Ayurveda from India. Its appeal is not pressure or stretching, but warmth, a steady rhythm and time that lets you lie still without needing to be anywhere.

At Jai Chan we have reinterpreted this idea as Flow of Jai Chan, a 60-minute head ritual that combines acupressure massage on the head, neck, shoulders and upper back with a slow pour of warm coconut oil at about 39°C, turning an hour in the city into time when your body and your thoughts can rest together.

What is Shirodhara?

In Sanskrit, Shiro means “head” and Dhara means “continuous flow”. Together, Shirodhara means letting a liquid flow in a steady stream over the forehead for a period of time.

In Ayurvedic care, the liquid used can differ between practitioners, from herbal oils and sesame oil to milk and other mixtures. The guest usually lies on their back with the head comfortably supported while the warm liquid flows slowly over the forehead in a steady rhythm. Some versions include a head massage or rest periods.

A health technology document from Malaysia’s Ministry of Health describes Shirodhara as a complementary practice in Ayurveda and notes that the liquid, the steps and the duration can vary between styles of practice (Ministry of Health Malaysia).

What is Ayurveda, and where does Shirodhara fit in?

Ayurveda is a traditional Indian system of wellbeing that looks at the whole person: body, mind, lifestyle, food, rest and surroundings. Care is not one-size-fits-all; it usually considers each person’s condition and needs.

Shirodhara is one of the methods found in Ayurveda, with the continuous flow of a warm liquid at its heart. However, the word Shirodhara does not mean every kind of “oil head massage”, and a ritual inspired by Shirodhara in a modern spa does not have to follow every step of the traditional practice.

So Flow of Jai Chan is a relaxation treatment inspired by Shirodhara. It is not a diagnosis, a treatment for any condition, or clinical Ayurvedic therapy.

What does Shirodhara feel like?

The heart of the experience is “continuity”. A warm stream of oil flowing at a steady pace means you do not have to guess what will happen next. Together with a comfortable position, a quiet room and unhurried care, many people describe their thoughts becoming lighter, feeling calm, or feeling sleepy towards the end.

Everyone’s experience is different. Some people relax from the start, some need time to get used to the feel of the oil, and some may prefer a head massage without oil. How you feel during the ritual matters more than expecting everyone to respond the same way.

What does research say about relaxation and sleep?

There is research on Shirodhara, but it is early-stage evidence and should be read carefully.

An open-label study of 16 healthy volunteers found that after Shirodhara, participants had better mood and stress scores, along with lower breathing rate, pulse and diastolic blood pressure. However, the study had no control group, included a full-body massage beforehand and used a herbal oil, so it cannot separate whether the results came from Shirodhara alone or from all the elements together (Dhuri, Bodhe and Vaidya, 2013).

Another study was a randomised crossover pilot trial comparing sesame oil dripping with warm water in people who reported sleep problems. Participants had 7 sessions over 2 weeks. Of 20 people enrolled, 15 completed the study. The sesame oil sessions improved questionnaire-rated sleep quality compared with warm water at the 2-week follow-up, but showed no benefit for device-measured sleep or daytime sleepiness (Tokinobu et al., 2016).

Overall, the fair summary is that there are early signs that Shirodhara may be linked to feeling relaxed and to self-reported sleep quality in some groups, but there is not enough evidence to say it treats insomnia, stress or any health condition. The health technology review by Malaysia’s Ministry of Health reached a similar conclusion: the available studies are few, the samples are small and follow-up is short (Ministry of Health Malaysia).

Importantly, these studies used methods, oils, numbers of sessions and participant groups that differ from Flow of Jai Chan, so their results should not be used to vouch for this treatment directly.

Why does Flow of Jai Chan use warm coconut oil?

Coconut oil offers warmth, a smooth, soft feel and time for continuous massage. As well as helping the therapist’s hands glide over the head, neck, shoulders and upper back, the oil coats the hair, so it feels softer and less rough after the ritual.

Laboratory work on hair fibres found that coconut oil penetrates hair better than mineral oil, and a comparison of three oils found that coconut oil reduced hair protein loss both before and after washing under test conditions (Ruetsch et al., 2001; Rele and Mohile, 2003).

These results come from studies of oil on hair fibres under set conditions, not from trials of Flow of Jai Chan, and they do not mean coconut oil treats hair loss, dandruff or scalp conditions. We use this information only to explain the hair-conditioning reason for our choice.

How is Flow of Jai Chan different from traditional Shirodhara?

Flow of Jai Chan takes the image of a warm stream of oil and the continuous rhythm of Shirodhara and combines them with care for the areas city life often leaves tense. It is designed as a 60-minute treatment that includes:

• Acupressure massage on the head
• Massage for the neck and shoulders
• Care for the upper back
• A slow pour of warm coconut oil at about 39°C
• Time for your body to stay still and rest from distractions

The aim is a relaxing experience you feel through warmth, touch and rhythm, not a replica of every step of traditional Ayurveda.

60 mins · THB 1,990

What can Flow of Jai Chan offer?

Rather than promising medical results, it is better to look at this treatment through how it feels and what you experience while you rest:

• Helps you feel relaxed through the combination of warm oil, a steady rhythm and massage
• Helps your head, neck, shoulders and upper back feel released from built-up tension and tiredness
• Gives you time to rest your eyes, put your phone down and step away from screen work for a while
• Helps your mind settle before you return to your day or get ready to rest in the evening
• Coats and conditions your hair with coconut oil, good for anyone whose hair feels dry or lacks softness

Results depend on each person’s body, preferences and response. This treatment is not intended to treat chronic pain, insomnia or scalp problems.

Who is Flow of Jai Chan for?

This treatment may suit you if you:

• Work at a computer for long hours and feel tension in your temples, neck, shoulders or upper back
• Use your phone all day and want one hour without a screen
• Find your mind still working after work and want to ease into a calmer pace
• Sometimes do not rest well or find it hard to fall asleep, and are looking for a relaxing activity before bed, not as a substitute for medical care
• Enjoy the feel of warm oil and want to condition dry hair along with a massage

If you do not like the feeling of oil on your scalp, or want clean hair ready to style straight afterwards, Deep Sleep Head Spa may be a better choice.

What to know before booking

• Your hair and scalp will still have oil on them afterwards. We suggest booking on a day without important plans afterwards, and bringing a hair tie or hat if you are travelling on.
• Tell the team before you start if you are pregnant, have low blood pressure, are allergic to coconut oil, have a wound or inflammation on your scalp, or have recently injured your head or neck.
• If you feel too hot, dizzy, in pain or uncomfortable during the ritual, tell your therapist straight away.
• If you have insomnia, headaches or chronic neck pain that affects your daily life, please see a doctor or health professional. Spa treatments should not replace diagnosis and treatment.

Frequently asked questions about Shirodhara and Flow of Jai Chan

How do you say Shirodhara, and what does it mean?

Shirodhara is usually pronounced “shee-roh-DHAH-rah”. Shiro means head and Dhara means continuous flow, so the word describes a ritual in which a warm liquid flows in a stream over the forehead.

Is Shirodhara a head massage?

Not exactly. The heart of Shirodhara is the continuous flow of a warm liquid over the forehead; massage may come before or after, depending on the practitioner. In Flow of Jai Chan we combine the warm oil pour with massage for the head, neck, shoulders and upper back in one treatment.

Is Flow of Jai Chan authentic Ayurvedic Shirodhara?

No. Flow of Jai Chan is a relaxation ritual inspired by Shirodhara and adapted to Jai Chan’s approach, using warm coconut oil and adding care for the areas that often become tense from work and screen time.

Does Shirodhara help you sleep?

Some small trials found that participants reported better sleep quality, but there were no consistent results in device-measured sleep and the overall evidence is still limited. Flow of Jai Chan should be seen as a relaxation activity, not a treatment for insomnia.

How warm is the oil?

Flow of Jai Chan uses warm coconut oil at about 39°C. If you feel too hot or uncomfortable during the ritual, you can tell your therapist straight away.

Do I need to wash my hair straight afterwards?

You do not need to wash it straight away if you are comfortable with the remaining oil, but your hair will still feel oily, so plan your travel and activities afterwards. If you would like a treatment that includes a hair wash, ask the team about our other head spas before booking.

Can coconut oil treat hair loss or scalp problems?

The evidence mentioned in this article relates to oil penetrating hair fibres and reducing protein loss under test conditions. It is not evidence of treating hair loss, dandruff or scalp conditions. If you have an ongoing problem, please see a dermatologist.

Treatments in this article

• Flow of Jai Chan — 60 mins, THB 1,990
• Deep Sleep Head Spa — an option for anyone who wants a head spa without the oil-pouring ritual

References

1. Dhuri KD, Bodhe PV, Vaidya AB. Shirodhara: A psycho-physiological profile in healthy volunteers. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine. 2013;4(1):40–44. PubMed · Full text
2. Tokinobu A, Yorifuji T, Tsuda T, Doi H. Effects of Ayurvedic Oil-Dripping Treatment with Sesame Oil vs. with Warm Water on Sleep: A Randomized Single-Blinded Crossover Pilot Study. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2016;22(1):52–58. PubMed · Full text
3. Malaysian Health Technology Assessment Section. Shirodhara for Anxiety, Insomnia, Mental Stress, Depression, or Headache. Ministry of Health Malaysia. PDF
4. Ruetsch SB, Kamath YK, Rele AS, Mohile RB. Secondary ion mass spectrometric investigation of penetration of coconut and mineral oils into human hair fibers: relevance to hair damage. Journal of Cosmetic Science. 2001;52(3):169–184. PubMed
5. Rele AS, Mohile RB. Effect of mineral oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil on prevention of hair damage. Journal of Cosmetic Science. 2003;54(2):175–192. PubMed

Let one hour take you out of the rush

Sometimes what your body needs is not doing more, but a quiet space where you do not have to answer messages, look at a screen or rush to think about what comes next.

Flow of Jai Chan uses the warmth of coconut oil, a continuous pouring rhythm and massage for the head, neck, shoulders and upper back to gently bring you back to the present, in a simple, unhurried way.

Jai Chan is on the 3rd floor of Siam Discovery, Bangkok.