Four Benefits Of Regular Massage
If you’ve ever had a massage you’ll know all too well just how good it can be for your health and well-being. Massage therapy is more popular than ever these days thanks to the many therapeutic benefits it provides both mentally and physically. Many insurance companies are now even providing cover for massage treatments for certain medical conditions.
There are lots of different types of massage, from Swedish or Thai massage techniques to shiatsu and reiki. These hands-on techniques are known to help us feel better in many ways from boosting circulation and reducing stress, anxiety and tension, to improving sleep and promoting relaxation right through the body.
The soft tissues of the body include connective tissues, tendons and muscles, and whether you’re just tense or whether you’ve experienced an injury, massage could be the answer for you.
With this in mind, here are four benefits of regular massage to consider.
Relaxation
If your body is stressed and tense, it will produce cortisol, the stress hormone which causes problems as diverse as insomnia, digestive problems and weight gain. Massage can decrease the level of cortisol in your body, putting you into a recovery mode. Also, massage triggers ongoing feelings of relaxation for reduced levels of stress and an improved mood overall. This is great news for anyone suffering from depression or other mood disorders.
Stress Relief
Massage therapy doesn’t just relieve mental stress, it can also boost your energy levels too over time, reducing pain and stimulating you on both an emotional and physical level. This is beneficial for anyone suffering from a physical condition as well as anyone who has mental health problems.
Reduced Blood Pressure
More people than ever before are suffering from hypertension or high blood pressure. However having a regular massage could actually be just as beneficial as taking pharmaceutical medication. Long term research has shown that participating in a regular massage program may reduce diastolic and systolic blood pressure. This is believed to be because massage can reduce the triggers for hostility, anxiety, stress and tension. By reducing these triggers, it also helps in the long term to reduce the risk of suffering from many other unpleasant health problems like kidney failure, heart attacks and strokes.
Muscle Relaxation
One of the main purposes of any form of massage is to target any sources of pain in the body through the elimination of tense muscles and the improvement of flexibility. This allows muscles affected by tension and pain to relax and this allows the entire body to relax too. Massage boosts blood circulation to injured and damaged muscles. This boosts the amount of oxygen and nutrients to the tissues which have been damaged and this, in turns, increases activity to any affected sites, reducing swelling and stiffness in the joints and muscles. Massage improves flexibility, reducing pain overall. Also, as massage can release endorphins, the pain-killing hormones in our brains which increase the level of serotonin and dopamine in the body, you’ll find that you not only feel better physically but also emotionally thanks to the feeling of euphoria that these hormones produce.
Although going to a professional massage therapist is obviously the best solution for anyone who is suffering either mentally or physically, it isn’t always possible. For some people, massage therapy is not covered under their insurance policy, and for others, the cost of treatment remains too high. With this in mind, it’s important to consider other options when it comes to regular massage.
If you’re lucky enough to have a partner, they may be able to help you experience the benefits of a massage. While getting professional help is always best, even an amateur massage can help to relieve tension and relax tense muscles. If you can persuade your partner to give you a massage a few times a week, you’re sure to start to feel better soon.
What if you don’t have a partner? The good news is that you can get a massage all on your own thanks to the latest massagers and automatic machines which are now on the market and which enable you to reap the benefits that a massage can bring. From dedicated massage chairs to neck and foot massagers, you’ll experience less pain on these areas when you invest in one of these machines.
