Benefits of massage therapy

Massage therapy can help boost focus, relieve anxiety, reduce stress and improve sleep. Here are my top 6 benefits of getting a massage and how it can help.

Relieve anxiety

A massage can help reduce anxiety related symptoms. Your body has two different nervous systems; the sympathetic nervous system ad the parasympathetic nervous system.

The sympathetic system is fight or flight. During a massage, however, your parasympathetic (or calming) response is increased which results in less anxiety related feelings.

Sleep better

Massage can help you sleep better and more deeply. Sleep is related to how much activity there is in the nervous system and a massage slows down the pressure which brings on more relaxed thoughts and feelings leading to a better sleep.

Massage encourages the release of serotonin, a hormone that makes us feel good, decreasing stress which allows a less disturbed and deeper sleep which can be restorative.

Increase relaxation

Remedial message can help you de-stress and switch off from the daily grind which is important for tension in the body and the mind. Your mind has the chance to rest and recover as well as your muscles and body are also given a chance to relax.

Pain relief and management

A massage can help to provide pain relief. Pain can arises for a variety of reasons and common causes include injury, trauma or muscle overuse. A massage will help to relieve pain by increasing blood circulation, interrupting the pain cycle and releasing endorphins. Massage helps to decrease tension in the muscles by increasing and disturbing the pain signals sent to the brain.

Flexibility

Massage increases flexibility by increasing temperature, increasing tissue elasticity, reducing swelling, decreasing knots, decreasing tension coupled with an increase in blood supply to help flush out toxins. All these benefit the muscle to achieve an increase in muscle length, stretching and elongating them. Stretching muscle fibres is important to increase flexibility and increase mobility.

Recovery and self-care

Massage supports muscle and injury recovery, whether you are feeling lethargic, burnt out or fatigued. Massage can actually revitalise you, boosting your energy levels and leaving you feeling refreshed and restored both physically and mentally.

Booking in a weekly or fortnightly massage is a self-care practice to helping you feel better both in mind and body.