Massage is a physical therapy treatment in which the soft tissues of the body are kneaded, rubbed or squeezed. It has been shown to lower stress levels, decrease cortisol, reduce blood pressure and relax muscles.
Moderate pressure massages increase white blood cell production, which helps boost your immune system. Regular sessions may also improve sleep and relieve anxiety. Visit www.flowstate918.com/ to learn more.
Stress is a part of life, but when it gets out of control, the consequences can be serious. Incorporating massage into your regular routine can help to ease both emotional and physical strain, giving you the ability to cope with life’s demands in a more balanced way. This time-tested approach to wellness offers both immediate and long-term benefits.
During a massage, your heart rate and blood pressure decrease and your body’s production of stress hormones goes down. This is known as the relaxation response and it has been associated with improved mood, better sleep quality, and lower stress levels. Massage also stimulates your body’s natural release of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that reduces feelings of depression and carries signals between nerve cells in the brain.
A 10 to 15 minute chair massage has been shown to lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure in several studies. This is because it helps to reduce the heart muscle’s activity, which can cause high blood pressure. In addition, it may increase the level of melatonin in the bloodstream, a chemical that helps regulate and control sleep.
Whether it’s in the form of an eye-pleasing face massage or a soothing scalp rub, this type of touch therapy is highly effective for reducing stress and anxiety. One of the easiest face massage techniques is called the grounded friction technique, which involves rubbing your hands together for 20 seconds until they’re warm enough to use on the skin. Then, apply the warm fingertips to your forehead and neck area, where tension tends to build up. As you rub, concentrate on breathing deeply to keep yourself centered and calm.
If you’re thinking about booking a professional massage, it’s important to know that massage involves close personal contact and should only be performed by licensed therapists. Those who practice this ancient healing art must undergo a thorough training process and are required to be registered with an appropriate regulatory body to ensure the safety of their clients. However, while adverse events that are directly attributable to the massage itself are rare, there are a number of risks inherent in this type of treatment, such as infections and allergic reactions to the essential oils used in aromatherapy.
Improves circulation
The body’s circulatory system functions as the transport network that delivers oxygen, nutrients, immune cells and other vital substances while removing metabolic waste materials. Optimal circulation benefits the entire body by providing each cell with an uninterrupted flow of these essentials, promoting healing, organ function and overall wellness.
When you experience poor circulation, you can suffer from uncomfortable symptoms like swollen feet, fatigue and that pins-and-needles feeling that accompanies lactic acid build up. Poor circulation is also a significant risk factor for developing blood clots in the legs, which can be life-threatening.
Massage therapy works to boost circulation by using techniques that apply pressure to the muscles, skin and underlying tissues. This pressure encourages blood vessels to widen, a process known as vasodilation. Vasodilation enhances blood flow and reduces congestion that causes the pins-and-needles feeling. The resulting increase in circulation allows nutrient-rich blood to deliver oxygen and nutrients to muscles and other tissue, while flushing away harmful toxins.
Regular massages can improve your circulation, but the type and frequency of massage is important. For example, the more gentle and calming types of massages such as Swedish massage are great for boosting circulation. However, if you are seeking a massage that is more focused on addressing specific pain points and muscle tension, deep tissue or sports massage may be more beneficial.
Getting enough exercise is another way to improve your circulation, as the movement of your joints and limbs help to move your blood throughout the body. Incorporating regular physical activity into your routine can significantly enhance your circulation and help you avoid the discomforts associated with swollen feet, fatigue, lactic acid build-up and other signs of poor circulation.
Reduces pain
Massage has been proven to be a useful tool in pain management. In fact, more people today are seeking therapeutic massage in medical settings like physical therapy offices and chiropractic practices than ever before. Research has shown that a massage significantly reduces pain in the back, hands and knees, as well as improving range of motion and decreasing stress levels.
Therapeutic massage increases healing and disturbs the pain signals sent to the brain. The theory behind this is called the ‘gate control’ theory. When a pain signal is transmitted to the brain, it must pass through several ‘gates’. Some gates send the pain signal to the brain, while others inhibit it. It is thought that massage stimulates large nerve fibers near the skin, causing them to compete with pain signals and closing the gates, thus blocking or disabling the pain signal.
A massage also decreases pain by reducing muscle tightness. When muscles are tight, they contract and compress nerves that transmit pain signals to the brain. When the muscles relax, the nerves are no longer compressed and they can assume their normal function.
In addition to relieving pain, a good massage stimulates the autonomic nervous system and increases blood flow. This increase in circulation encourages the body to produce feel-good hormones, such as endorphins and serotonin. When these hormones are released, they help to relieve pain by removing feelings of stress and anxiety and replacing them with happiness and relaxation.
The pain-relieving effects of a massage may last for up to 24 hours, and the benefits are long lasting. Many people who regularly receive therapeutic massage find that they require less and less painkillers to manage their chronic pain conditions. The use of painkillers is associated with a number of side effects, including liver failure and addiction.
There is a growing body of evidence supporting the efficacy of massage for specific conditions, such as low back and neck pain, arthritis in the knees, and migraine headaches. Studies have also indicated that a regular massage can help people with osteoarthritis of the knees, showing improvement in range of motion and pain levels.
Promotes relaxation
The techniques used in a massage designed to promote relaxation have light pressure that increase the temperature of soft tissues and stimulate positive hormones to be released into the body. These hormones decrease stress hormones and decrease tension in the muscles. This physiological response helps calm the nervous system, improve sleep patterns and enhance mental well-being.
Aside from relaxing the physical and emotional state, massage can help reduce anxiety and depression. Studies have shown that massage decreases cortisol levels in the blood and increases serotonin, which boosts mood. Additionally, massage has been shown to increase the production of feel good hormones such as endorphins and dopamine.
Regular sessions can increase your immune system’s ability to fight off illness. This is due to the fact that massage reduces stress-related hormones and stimulates lymphatic flow, which helps remove toxins from the body.
Massage also can aid in improving posture. Poor posture can increase stress, cause pain and restrict movement. A relaxing massage can loosen the tight muscles causing poor posture to improve, leading to less pain and increased mobility. This can be particularly beneficial for pregnant women as it can reduce muscle tightness, helping to keep the baby in a more comfortable position.
Another benefit of massage is that it can decrease the occurrence of delayed onset muscle soreness after exercise. This is because the muscle is more flexible and relaxed after a massage, decreasing the inflammation caused by the workout and increasing the rate of repair.
In addition, a massage can help to prevent recurring injuries and increase athletic performance. This is because the deep kneading and stretching of the muscles can help to stretch out and loosen them. This can help to prevent the build-up of lactic acid in the muscle which leads to stiffness and cramping.
Relaxation massages can be given as often as needed or desired and should be part of everyone’s wellness routine. However, other types of massage, such as those aimed at healing specific injuries or conditions, require a more tailored schedule to achieve optimal results. For example, athletes may receive sports massages once a week to help them perform at their best.
