During a massage, your heart rate decreases and your muscles relax. This helps blood circulate more efficiently to deliver oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and get rid of waste products.
Focus on your breath during a session to help stay in the moment and enjoy this special time for yourself. You can also try these mindfulness tips to practice staying in the present. Visit https://www.flowstate918.com/ to learn more.
1. Relaxation
Relaxation through massage is a powerful way to reduce stress. The gentle kneading and soothing strokes of relaxation massage stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, causing a shift from the stress-inducing “fight or flight” response to the body’s natural restful state.
Aside from lowering stress, the soothing effects of massage promotes mental clarity and sharpens focus, which can help increase productivity in both personal and professional lives. This is due to the fact that as stress levels drop, individuals are more prepared to tackle difficult psychological issues head on and make sound decisions.
The kneading of muscles also encourages the expansion of blood vessels which results in improved circulation. This helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to the different regions of the body and assists in eliminating waste materials, speeding up recovery from injuries, and reducing pain.
Not only does a relaxation massage improve physical wellbeing, it can also boost the immune system. Regular massages have been known to lower cortisol levels, resulting in a more robust body’s ability to fight off illness and disease.
The benefits of relaxation through massage don’t stop there, it can also improve skin tone. Regular massages have been shown to accelerate the shedding of dead cells, thus promoting new cell growth and resulting in healthy, radiant skin. This can be especially helpful for patients who struggle with conditions linked to stress, such as rosacea and acne. It has also been reported that massage can improve self-esteem in individuals with physical or emotional challenges, as it may contribute to feelings of well being and increased confidence.
2. Increased circulation
During massage, the pressure applied to the soft tissues compresses them, encouraging the dilation of blood vessels. This allows for increased blood flow to the massaged muscles, which reduces lactic acid buildup and speeds up healing. Additionally, kneading and rhythmic strokes of the massage encourage the circulation of lymph fluid, which carries waste products like carbon dioxide away from muscles and into the body’s circulatory system.
Circulation plays a major role in supporting the health and function of muscles, bones, and organs. The heart acts as a pump, propelling oxygen-rich blood throughout the body’s network of blood vessels (arteries, veins, and capillaries). After blood reaches the muscle tissue, it delivers nutrients and oxygen while flushing away waste materials, such as carbon dioxide and toxins.
When the body experiences a physical trauma, poor circulation causes a sluggish delivery of oxygen-rich blood to the affected areas, slowing healing and causing pain. The improved circulation delivered through massage accelerates the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to damaged tissues, helping them heal faster and reducing pain.
Enhanced circulation also improves the efficiency of the lymphatic system, which works alongside the circulatory system to remove metabolic waste from the body. When muscles experience an injury, swelling often occurs and blocks lymph flow. Massage increases lymph flow, draining excess fluids and metabolic wastes into the body’s glands and thereby reducing swelling and pain. Massage also increases venous return, improving the rate at which blood is returned to the heart from the body’s extremities, such as the arms and legs. This helps to reduce swelling, improves overall flexibility, and promotes healthy muscle tissue. It’s also helpful for people who suffer from varicose veins and other chronic leg problems.
3. Reduced stress
Stress is a normal and natural part of life, but when you are constantly under pressure it can lead to physical symptoms like headaches, high blood pressure and insomnia. Massage can help reduce this stress by lowering cortisol levels in the body and releasing serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate moods.
Even a short, ten-minute massage can significantly boost psychological and physiological relaxation in the body. In fact, research has shown that both rest and massage significantly reduced stress hormones and increased heart rate variability, which is an indicator of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity responsible for the body’s relaxation response.
Therapeutic massage is a specific type of bodywork that manipulates the soft tissues of the body including muscles, tendons and ligaments. It is often used to treat specific medical conditions such as pain or injury and to promote general health and wellness. It may be covered by your insurance or Health Savings or Flex Spending Accounts.
Massage therapy involves pressing, stroking, kneading and manipulating the skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments with hand movements. It can vary in intensity from light stroking to deep pressure. It is often used as a form of integrative medicine and is being added to the standard treatment for a variety of medical conditions and situations.
Although many people view massage as a luxurious indulgence, it is actually an effective tool in promoting health and well-being. Regardless of your situation, the benefits of therapeutic massage are clear — and it’s always a good idea to schedule an appointment for yourself at least once per month to enjoy its many emotional and physical benefits. But remember, you will get the best results from your massage if you give yourself time to relax afterwards. Don’t plan a big presentation, host a children’s party or drive three hours up the M6 to visit your ex-husband right after it.
4. Better sleep
Studies reveal that massage has a positive impact on sleep. Incorporating massage and other self-care practices like yoga into your daily routine can help you fall asleep easier and stay asleep longer, allowing for the restful sleep essential to healthy functioning.
The physical and psychological benefits of massage can address many of the root causes of sleep problems, including pain and stress. Studies have shown that massage therapy improves sleep quality by reducing insomnia symptoms and promoting relaxation.
During a massage, pressure receptors on the skin send signals to the brain to calm the nervous system. This reduces tension and lowers your heart rate, which can help you fall asleep faster. Massage also stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, a component that promotes rest and digestion, further helping you fall asleep.
After a massage, cortisol levels decrease and serotonin and dopamine levels rise, both neurotransmitters that play an important role in sleep regulation. Serotonin helps to produce melatonin, the hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle.
People who suffer from chronic sleep issues often try various methods to improve their sleeping habits, including natural remedies like herbs and supplements. While these may provide some short-term relief, a more holistic approach that includes therapeutic touch and stress reduction techniques can help you achieve lasting sleep improvement.
Incorporating massage into your regular self-care routine can have a dramatic effect on your ability to fall asleep, stay asleep and get the restful sleep you need. For the best results, schedule your massage in the evening or just before bedtime. Applying a calming, soothing body lotion or oil can also amplify the sleep-inducing effects of your massage. Lavender, chamomile and ylang-ylang are common choices that are recognized for their relaxing properties.
5. Increased confidence
For women who struggle with self-image, regular massage can help to boost confidence. Aside from being a beautiful way to show someone you care, massage has also been proven to reduce stress, increase relaxation and improve mood. During a massage, the sympathetic nervous system, which controls the body’s fight or flight response, relaxes. When this happens, blood pressure and heart rate decrease, while serotonin, a hormone neurotransmitter that promotes feelings of happiness and contentment, is released.
Having higher levels of these hormones can lead to anxiety and mood fluctuations, which can be especially difficult for women who already experience hormonal changes throughout the day due to pregnancy, menstruation, puberty or menopause. However, massage has been shown to significantly lower cortisol levels, as well as increase serotonin and dopamine – a feeling of well-being and happiness. This results in a balanced emotional state that is better equipped to cope with life’s challenges.
A massage is a form of human touch, which has been shown to be necessary for healthy adult development. For many people who struggle with an unhealthy relationship with their bodies, a massage can be a nurturing place to embrace their unique shape and size and accept their own individuality – flaws and all.
The benefits of a massage are many and varied, depending on the length of the session, the type of massage and any specific needs the client may have. However, no matter what type of massage is chosen and for whom, all massages offer a number of essential health benefits that can have lasting positive effects on body and mind. For these reasons and more, it is clear that daily massage should be part of every woman’s wellness routine.