Massage is now more than just a pleasant way to relax on a weekend afternoon. The unexpected benefits of massage have a number of advantages for one’s health. Massages are now a form of integrative medicine that help people heal both physically and mentally. Massages treat injuries and help relieve stress and tension to ease the severity of anxiety,
Stress and Anxiety Relief
A popular method of decreasing one’s stress, massage soothes the body by manipulating and rubbing the muscles until they loosen up. This has the effect of releasing endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine into the bloodstream. These are all the main bodily chemicals that manage and maintain a person’s feelings of pleasure and wellness.
How Massaging Helps
The relaxing manipulation of muscles releases these chemicals, decreasing stress as well as lowering one’s anxiety levels. Stress and anxiety are commonly linked, one typically causing or amplifying the other. This means that through massage, you are able to treat both simultaneously.
Eases Muscles and Joints
Massaging muscles not only reduces mental stress but it also reduces pain and stiffness within joints. One of the most common causes of stiffness and muscle pain is sitting at a desk all day, leaning in to try and ease the pain in our backs. But this only results in more pain over time, making the effects of stiffness even worse.
How Massaging Helps
The muscles tense up due to this physical stress, tightening in response. Rubbing these points of tension loosens up the muscles and causes them to relax. It relieves the stiffness and, along with it, the pain. Neck and back pain are the most common problems people experience, and when those areas are relaxed through massage, it also has positive effects on one’s posture.
Promotes Better Sleep Quality
Stiff joints and muscles are painful, and when that is the case, it is difficult to try and fall asleep. You can’t seem to find a comfortable position because your muscles ache, and it only gets worse if you sleep in any one position for too long. This pain not only leads to difficulty falling asleep but also results in a lower quality of sleep.
How Massaging Helps
As mentioned previously, massaging the muscles releases the chemical serotonin into the bloodstream. This chemical is primarily in charge of regulating relaxation that leads to sleep. The more serotonin that is released, the easier it is for you to get to sleep. Relaxed muscles also have the effect of reducing pain when trying to find a comfortable sleeping position.
Relaxed muscles and the release of healthy chemicals will help the body function better throughout the day. The unexpected benefits of massage increase your energy levels during the day, promote better sleep at night, and reduce the amount of stress you’ll feel through life.
