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Many believe that massage is more of an indulgence that only helps you relax and feel pampered But, actually, this practice has a multitude of health benefits which are both therapeutic for body and mind. There are different types of massage therapy intended to treat various symptoms and conditions like sports massage intended to treat athletic problems.
However, they all use some amount of pressure and movement to boost circulation, mitigate muscle tension and calm the nervous system. Even a 20-minute massage can be beneficial and giving yourself a massage can also be helpful if you can’t go to masseur all the time. Check out these 8 surprising health benefits of massage therapy that will have you booking an appointment right away.
Massage Helps to Relieve Anxiety
If you suffer from anxiety, massage can help you calm down and relax. Anxiety disorder makes people constantly be in the “fight or flight” state which causes extra stress on the body and mind. Besides helping your parasympathetic nervous system to take over and calm you down, massage also introduces human touch.
This makes you feel safe and bring you comfort, which is very important to create a nurturing environment so your mind can relax as well. Also, during a massage, a therapist plays soothing music and lights scented candles and incense to create a peaceful ambience so you can feel comfortable.
Massage Therapy Helps Eliminate Stress from a Sedentary Lifestyle
The sedentary position is the disease of the modern age which can cause several health problems like back pain, cardiovascular conditions, and digestive issues. Also, it affects your posture and causes a great amount of stress to your neck, shoulder and lower back area.
With massage, the tension on your whole body will be eased and your muscles will spend less time stiffen. It will get the blood flowing and bring more oxygen to your muscles and organs. So it’s no wonder some companies even employ masseurs to give short massages to the employees and help them feel more comfortable and healthy at the workplace.
Massage Keeps you Focused
Massage helps you improve your focus and concentration by lowering your heart rate. Lack of attention on meetings or even when reading a book is caused, among other things, by higher heart rhythm. Since massage affects the nervous system and calms you down, your heart will slow down making you more focused on the matter at hand. It will also help with a headache or migraine which can greatly affect productivity and motivation.
Certain Health Conditions Benefit from Massage Therapy
There are a number of health conditions which can benefit from massage. For example, it helps your body restore the use of insulin which is important for patients with diabetes. By lowering stress and removing muscle tension, massage relieves chronic pain and depression.
The pain-relieving characteristic is especially beneficial for arthritis pain which can be debilitating and affect the quality of life. Massage is also effective in treating ADHD, insomnia, enhances athletic performance, improves circulation and flexibility.
Massage Helps Ease Muscle Pain
As we mentioned before, massage is very good for treating muscle pain which can limit the movement and cause great discomfort. Muscle pain is the number one reason why people decide to have a massage in the first pain. By improving blood flow, massage helps muscles to get more oxygen and relieves soreness. Furthermore, massage helps with fibromyalgia symptoms which include joint rigidity, generalized pain, muscle spasm, and intense fatigue.
Massage Therapy can Help Improve Digestion
Digestion problems are more and more present in the modern world, partly due to stress and in part because of the bad diet habits. However, even if you improve your eating habits and switch to healthier practices, the consequences remain.
By touching acupressure points for treating digestive problems and relaxing the body through massage, you will feel less stressed and calm your stomach down. Processing food properly is important to get your body nutrients and boost immunity, as well as to avoid some of the 21st-century conditions like gastritis and ulcers.
Regular Massage May Help You Sleep Better
It’s not only important to sleep 6-8 hours a night, but also to have a quality shuteye. This is something quite impossible if you suffer from insomnia or having trouble sleeping. All these troubles happen because your nervous system is too active and so you need to slow it down. Massage is especially helpful with this since it uses pressure through gentle movements to relax your muscles. Benefits of restful sleep are enormous, from regenerating cells, storing memory, to rejuvenating skin and reducing pain.
Therapeutic Massage Heals Injuries
Pain is a huge obstacle that can prevent us to lead quality and comfortable lives. And if that pain is long-term or chronic, we become cranky, stressed and unable to function properly. Besides injuries and joint pain, a person may also suffer from soft-tissue restrictions like leading to the creation of painful knots.
But with massage therapy, these restrictions are easy to eliminate and will prevent more serious clinical conditions like the decay of ligaments. If you experienced an injury or suffer from soft-tissue restrictions, then go to a licensed therapist who will have expert knowledge on how to treat the affected area.
Final Thoughts
These 8 health benefits of massage therapy are good as preventive measures and treatment of ongoing conditions. When paired up with other practices like acupuncture and healthy diet, massage can give the best possible results and help your body recover from any kind of stress. However, don’t wait for the pain to kick in, but rather have a massage just to relax and loosen up after a tough day or from a sedentary position.
Emma Williams is an Australian writer with a master‘s degree in business administration, who has a passion for anything lifestyle and design related. She spends most of her time redecorating and participating in house projects. As a great nature lover, her biggest pleasure is spending time in a small cottage by the river.
