Five Health Benefits of Massage
The art of massage has been used for time out of mind and the world over to provide relaxation, healing, and comfort. Present in every culture, a rich depth of different techniques in massage exist to improve the function of the human body as well as help it to recover from a sickness of all kinds. Here are five amazing health benefits of massage.
Stress Reduction
Stress, especially chronic stress, causes a wide range of health problems from insomnia to myocardial infarction (heart attack). Massage is most commonly used for stress reduction and is one of the most potent techniques for alleviating its effects. Stress reduction improves circulation, muscle responsivity, immune system response, cognition, and sleep – all vitally important to everyday health and wellness.
Pain Reduction
Whether you’re in pain from overdoing it at the gym or have a chronic pain condition like fibromyalgia or arthritis, massage can help to significantly alleviate pain associated with almost any condition – especially when done regularly. Deep tissue massage is most commonly used for pain reduction, as it targets the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissues to relax and rejuvenate muscle function and blood flow and reduce inflammation.
Anxiety Disorder Treatment
In tandem with other treatment methods for anxiety such as medication and cognitive or dialectical behavioral therapy, massage is often utilized as a tool for anxiety and chronic stress management. In addition to the alleviation of muscle tension and headache due to anxiety or chronic stress, the physical component of massage often offers a very real psychological feeling of comfort, reassurance, and safety to clients with anxiety disorders. Some massage therapists even specialize in the treatment of anxiety and other psychological disorders.
Insomnia Treatment
Insomnia can be caused by a variety of factors ranging from chronic stress and depression to heredity. However, massage can biochemically assist the brain in reaching a more appropriate chemical balance, as well as help to produce more normal amounts of melatonin – the key brain chemical of sleep. For insomnia sufferers, a relaxation massage in the evening hours can help to relieve stress and help them obtain more high-quality sleep.
Injury Recovery
Massage is often used to treat soft tissue damage, including sprains and muscle strains. Massage styles with lighter touch and pressure, such as Swedish massage, is used to help relax underlying muscle tension, improve blood circulation and flow to the injured area, and boost muscle healing. While a physician should be consulted before utilizing massage to treat soft tissue or sports injuries, it is often a highly effective tool for aiding and optimizing healing and recovery.
No matter what you do for a living or what health issues you may face, massage is a time-tested and powerful method of improving your quality of life – now, and in the years to come.