Benefits of Massage

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I honestly think one of the nicest things you can do for yourself is receive a full body massage. As a massage therapist, I have witnessed many clients come in, frazzled, after a long stressful day and leave a new, rejuvenated person. 

Reduce Stress

In today’s fast-paced world, chronic stress has become one of the main causes of disease in our bodies. It can wreak havoc on our immune system, raise blood pressure, cause fertility issues  and increase your risk for heart disease. Massage is one of the most powerful natural remedies for stress. The treatment room is well-thought-out with dim lighting, soft music and aromatic scents that are designed to invoke relaxation. This helps shift your thoughts away from everyday stressors creating a space for your mind and body to relax. 

Release Muscle Tension

Muscles can be tense from a hard work out at the gym or from chronic stress in your life. Stress can manifest in your body and cause muscles to tense and tighten. When we are under constant stress, our muscles remain in a continuous tensed state. This can lead to join pain, chronic neck and back pain and even headaches. Your massage therapist is highly trained in various techniques that can return these tense muscles to a more relaxed state. 

Healthy Immune System

When the body is under stress, it naturally suppresses non-vital functions such as digestion and immune response. The body does this to conserve energy for more vital functions such as the heart pumping blood, breathing and muscle movement.  Massage can reduce those stress hormones and bring the body back into equilibrium, where the immune system functions optimally.

Heal Soft Tissue Injury

Some soft tissue injuries are caused by chronic use/misuse. For example, sitting at a computer for long hours each day, or being in a car for extended hours, or having an assembly line type job that you repeat the same movements over and over. These are called repetitive injuries and they cause little micro tears in the soft tissue. Sometimes when the body repairs those tiny tears, the muscle fibers become less flexible. Massage helps break through those adhesions, bring new blood flow and oxygen to those areas and encourages healthy tissue repair.

Reduce Blood Pressure

High blood pressure increases your risk of heart attack, stroke and other serious health conditions and affects nearly one in three Americans. Massage increases blood flow and circulation bringing fresh blood and oxygen thereby reducing inflammation. In addition to a healthy diet and regular exercise, studies show that massage therapy is an effective part of an overall blood pressure management plan to help manage and lower blood pressure.

Better Sleep

Wanting to catch some better ZZZ’s at night? Go ahead and book that massage at the end of your long week, then relax into your weekend. Massage has been found to trigger the production and release of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that can help you feel calm. Massage also encourages more time spent in the deep restorative sleep cycle. Some clients even fall asleep on the table and begin to see the effects of better sleep immediately. 

While studies show that results can be achieved in as little as 10-15 minutes, I personally find a 30 or 60 min massage once per week or every other week allows me to relax and unwind much more effectively and carry the benefits of the massage throughout the week.

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