Not that there is anything wrong with getting an amazing massage just because they feel great but you might be interested to know the array of benefits to your health our treatments bring. Below are just 10 of the many reasons why you should consider frequent massage therapy.
1. Reduce Tension In Muscles
Tension in muscles may result from poor posture to over exerting oneself during exercise. Talented massage therapists will be able to lessen this tension in the effected area and help to reduce inflammation. It is not uncommon to feel discomfort in one body part due to a build up of tension further down the chain, problems can arise such as tendinitis due to joints/tendons being under excess stress due to reduced overall flexibility issues. Dealing with one problematic area will translate to overall bodily harmony.
2. Ease Muscle Pain and Promote Faster Recovery
Your workouts can be tough and both aerobic and anaerobic exercise can lead to the breakdown and tightening of muscles, whether it’s endurance training or hypertrophy weight training your muscles fibers will often be damaged with the intention of regrowth so that they may perform better to the same stimuli in future. Many athletes make the mistake of turning to anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen to reduce their aches and pains. However, if you’re going for a massage you won’t’ have to reach for a medication bottle, you can seek out the care of a qualified massage therapist to help get your muscles back up and running again. When strained and sore muscles are massaged trapped chemicals release and muscles fibers are able to relax allowing more blood to enter meaning more vital nutrients are able to reach the area, meaning faster more effective recovery.
3. Enhance Circulation
A good massage can greatly improve the circulation to the targeted area which means more essential proteins and vitamins are absorbed. This is especially helpful in those who suffer from medical issues brought about by poor circulation. Any individual with substandard circulation can suffer from numerous problems including collection of fluids in the extremities such as fingers or toes, as well as cold hands and feet, tiredness and soreness caused by a build up of lactic acid in the muscles. Proper circulation provides damaged, tense muscles blood that’s rich in oxygen allowing them to heal. Massage improves circulation due to the pressure created by the technique which forces blood through the congested area that then allows new blood to flow in once the pressure is released. This has a dual effect as this will also flush out lactic acid and promote better circulation of lymph fluid which transports metabolic waste away from your muscles and vital organs, helping to lower blood pressure and improve overall well being of the body.
4. Improve Quality Of Sleep
Stress can create all sorts of issues for the body. It can mess with the body chemistry and interfere with a person’s ability to sleep well throughout the night. A massage will help you to relax and therefore release good hormones through the body that help you to sleep better at night. Lowering your cortisol levels (stress hormone) and learning to relax will allow your body, specifically your nervous system to be in a more parasympathetic state which is the ideal mode for your nervous system to achieve a deep effective sleep. When you feel your heart racing and stressful thoughts fluttering through your head it’s more than likely your body has triggered a fight or flight response to the stimulus of your concerns about everyday life, perceives these anxieties as a real threat and as such your nervous system enters the sympathetic state. Massage helps your nervous system switch from the anxious and alert mode to the safe and relaxed one. Fantastic.
5. Relieve Stress
When a person is stressed, they can suffer from all sorts of health issues. A lot of these are from elevated levels of specific hormones such as cortisol that as already mentioned will cause the body’s flight or fight instincts to kick in. Too much stress can cause physical and emotional issues as well as behavioural issues. A massage can help restore a person to full health by releasing toxins and restoring chemical balance to a person’s body. Deep massage can also trigger the release of serotonin an important mood enhancing neurotransmitter more information on this specifically and the other benefits massage has in relation to your neurochemistry can be found at https://thedoctorweighsin.com/massage-and-your-brain/.
6. Improve Mobility
Many people don’t get enough exercise, sitting on office chairs 8 hours a day, believe it not, doesn’t really do the human anatomy any favours. People are leading far more sedentary lifestyles than in the past and this can lead to sore and stiff muscles that don’t work as they should. Massages can help to relieve your muscles and improve joint flexibility. As discussed there are many natural hormones that are released when the body gets a massage and these can help to lubricate the joints and ease their flexibility.
7. Speed Up Healing of Injuries
Injuries to muscles can be very time consuming to heal. A massage may improve the rate of healing and help to restore full movement to injuries. A massage may be a part of physical therapy to improve circulation and joint swelling. It can also loosen scar tissue and reduce pain.
8. Encourage Movement Of Lymphatic Fluids
Lymph fluids help to restore the movement of the body by removing toxins and waste from the body. The more the body is massaged, the more these fluids can remove these toxins from the body aiding in reduced blood pressure and improved circulation. Drainage is often sometimes need especially post injury more about this topic can be found here http://www.massagetherapy.com/articles/index.php/article_id/1200/Lymph-Drainage-for-Detoxification-.
9. Improve Mental Awareness
A massage can help to improve mental awareness by encouraging the body to pay more attention to the mind-muscle connection. Nearly every part of our body is connected to an intricate high way of nerves but this connection can be interrupted and weakened when a person is overwhelmed by daily responsibilities; having to constantly look outwards instead of focusing their concentration inwards. Massage can help a person to clear their mind and attain a better connection with their own body once again. Fatigue and stress can all cause lack of sleep and decrease the mental abilities of a person so by tackling these issues you will have more clarity and energy to face the challenges in life.
10. Boost Your Immune System
Elevated blood pressure, stress, and fatigue can all take a toll on the body’s immune system. In the same way that many attribute meditation to having a beneficial effect on your overall health through the removal of stress, massage can do the same. It can boost the various cells that help to keep the body well and fight off many forms of disease or viruses that attempt to enter your system.
