It’s easy to think of a massage as a luxury indulgence, but it’s an efficient tool to enhance your overall well-being. Massage is the art of manipulating the soft tissues in the body to get specific results. Ideally, massage therapies can ease chronic pain and soothe anxiety and stress. Unlike prescription medications, a regular massage can provide the desired relief without harmful side effects. Here are the health benefits of massage therapy.
1. Relieves Anxiety, Fights Depression, and Boosts Your Mood
Stress is prevalent in the modern world and can adversely affect your health and wellness. Massage therapy reduces stress on the psychological level and enhances relaxation. While the feeling may come after preconditioning your mind that you’re on vacation, there’s sufficient scientific evidence suggesting massage therapy can enhance your mental wellness.
Typically, hormones significantly impact overall stress levels, but massage therapy eliminates the adverse effects and amplifies the positive impacts. For example, massage therapy can lower cortisol levels – the stress hormone – and increase dopamine and serotonin in the body.
The calming effect is often a result of the subtle pressure massage exerts on pain receptors under your skin, stimulating the nervous system. A relaxed nervous system often lowers your heart rate and blood pressure and positively impacts stress hormones.
2. Relieves Chronic Pain
Individuals suffering from chronic pain and illnesses often experience higher stress levels. Elevated stress levels can make the chronic condition worse. Massage is an effective way of soothing pain after vigorous exercise. It stimulates the production of serotonin in your body, thus providing pain relief effects similar to what you get from prescription medication but without harmful side effects.
For instance, Thai massages are known to provide relief for tension headaches. The therapy exerts pressure around specific areas using systemic gestures. It focuses on your shoulders, upper back, shoulder tips, and the head. However, if the pain is due to dental and oral health issues, it’s best to talk to experts from Trident Smiles Dental and get immediate help.
3. Fights Fatigue and Improves Sleep
In a fast-moving modern world, busy work schedules are common, and it’s easy to feel drained of your energy at the end of the day. Some people are likely to feel fatigued due to insufficient sleep, but others may experience similar effects because of health and biological factors. Studies show that people battling ailments like breast cancer experienced lower fatigue levels after receiving weekly massage therapy.
About 50 million people struggle with sleep deprivation and insomnia. This can interfere with your body’s natural chemistry, making you vulnerable to low immunity and increased inflammation. Massage can restore better sleep patterns, especially in people suffering from chronic conditions. It stimulates the nervous system and helps you relax, improving your chances of experiencing deep sleep cycles.
Endnote
While massage therapy is a pleasant experience that can help you relax, it can enhance your health, depending on your goals. Whether you want to alleviate stress, chronic pain, or get better sleep patterns, regular massage therapy can help.
