Benefits of Massage
There are over 600 muscles in your body and they make up between 40 and 50% of your body weight!
Many people feel that a massage is a luxury, even referring to it as "a pamper session" and whilst indeed that is true, it is also true that if we could determine the full impact that regular massage has over time, then more of us would book regular appointments which would undoubtedly lead to fewer doctors appointments!
Experts estimate that 90 percent of disease is stress-related. Perhaps nothing ages us faster (internally and externally) than high levels of stress.
Many benefits can be derived from just one massage and regular massage is known to also act preventatively. Here are just a few ...
Manage Anxiety and depression - for the same reasons that a massage is relaxing, it can also soothe anxiety and depression. Massage reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol, resulting in lifted spirits and often lower blood pressure. It can also boost the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine, which are involved in depression.
Ease pain - it has been estimated that eight out of ten people experience debilitating back pain at some time in their lives. According to a 2011 study, massage helped people in pain feel and function better compared to people who didn't receive any massage treatment. Massage has also been linked to decreased stiffness and pain, as well as better range of motion in people with osteoarthritis. People diagnosed with Fibromyalgia also often find massage immensely beneficial.
Improve sleep patterns - if you've ever dozed off on a massage table, you don't need to be convinced that a massage can promote healthy sleep. According to Health magazine, a number of studies have examined this link, and chalk it up to massage's affect on delta waves, the kind of brain waves connected to deep sleep.
Boost Immunity - multiple studies, although often small, have linked massage to better functioning of the immune system. In one 2010 study, researchers found massage increased a person's disease-fighting white blood cells. The stress-reducing powers of massage can also help keep you healthy.
Curb headaches - just like muscle and back pain, headaches can also be alleviated thanks to massage. A regular rubdown can reduce a person's number of migraines, as well as limit how painful each migraine feels. A 2009 study by Touch Research Institute (TRI) found that a 30-minute massage decreased pain for people with tension headaches and even curbed some of the stress and anger associated with that pounding head.
Beat PMS - some studies have found that regular massage can help you manage and sometimes kiss goodbye to PMS symptoms, like bloating and mood swings.
Raise alertness - want to boost your brainpower? Adults who were given a 15-minute chair massage in a small 1996 Touch Research Institute (TRI) study were more alert and completed a series of maths questions faster and more accurately.
Look Better - a little prodding and stroking in the right places can have beauty benefits BECAUSE massage stimulates all your bodies circulation systems including the skeletal muscular and lymphatic drainage systems which improves skin tone. So not only will you feel better but you'll look better too!