When most people think of massage, they think about nice calm relaxing times getting their muscles worked on, but they might not be considering another amazing perk to this very old art of care for the body. Massage also offers a variety of mental health benefits, which improve your general well-being. This article will be discussing just a few of the awesome mental health benefits of massage.

Stress Relief

A great massage is an amazing and effective way to reduce stress in your body. The hormone cortisol is produced when you experience stressful situations. Getting a massage helps combat this stress hormone and helps the body to heal itself more efficiently. As your body relaxes, proper breathing helps to sustain a healthy heart rhythm which increases health of the entire body. This leads to a better ability to fight anxiety and other emotional disturbances that can stem from physical disrepair.

Anxiety

This aspect of emotional health is manifested when stress becomes too common to the body. The longer your body experiences stress increases the likelihood of your system becoming overwhelmed by negative emotions and stress chemicals. It will also sometimes escalate into what is known as a panic attack. A massage that targets all areas of the body can help to combat the cortisol, making it much easier to dissipate the feelings of anxiety.

Improves Concentration

A mind that is more at ease, will function on a more efficient level. This fosters a mental environment where a person is likely to be more creative and expressive. Relaxation promotes focus. Partially, this also due to the mind far less clouding by negative feelings that breed self-doubt, insecurity, and other states of mind that lead to procrastination, stagnation, and lack of progress. Lack of stress and anxiety lead to a more productive mind.

Better Sleep

Sleep is the time for the body to rest. This could not be as easily achieved without relaxation. Stress inhibits many of the system that must remain in harmony and balance to reach a truly restful state of being. Sleep is also essential to mental well-being so lack of it could trap you into a vicious cycle where lack of sleep makes it more difficult to sleep and so forth. Be sure to relax the mind and body so that you can attain a restful state the promotes a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

If you’ve ever felt like you were going to pop and there was no way to relieve the pressure, you know how important it is to take time for yourself. Today’s world is full of demands, both professional and personal. We’re constantly on our feet, from the moment we get out of bed in the morning until we fall into it at night. And when we finally do make time for ourselves, it can be hard to relax—we’re so used to being busy that our minds won’t stop churning even when we try.

What you need is a massage. Massage, with its unrivaled ability to soothe your body and mind, can help alleviate pain and restore the balance between your physical and mental health. It’s a great way to de-stress after a long day or recharge your batteries before tackling another one. Plus, there are so many ways you can go about getting one: from traditional massages that use oils or lotions to more innovative techniques such as Shiatsu or Thai massage, which use more unusual methods like stretching and acupressure points.

So whether you’re looking for something simple or something more exotic, here are some ways how massage can benefit you on every level:

5 Major Physical Benefits Of A Massage

1) Releases Endorphins

People often think of massage as a luxury, but there are actually many medical benefits to get from it. For instance, did you know that massage can help you feel better both physically and mentally? It’s true! One of the biggest physiological benefits of massage is the release of endorphins. Endorphins are neurotransmitters that act as natural pain killers and also contribute to feelings of well-being and improve mood. Massage activates acupressure points in your skin that cause the release of endorphins into your bloodstream. Endorphins function by binding to opiate receptors in your brain and bloodstream, activating them. The more active these receptors become, the more your body craves the endorphins they produce. Think of it like the feeling you get after working out—the more you work out (and the harder you work out), the stronger your body gets at handling exercise, so eventually, it becomes easier to work out harder and longer.

2) Relieves Muscular Stress

A 16-week study conducted by researchers at the Yale Prevention Research Center found that Swedish massage — which focuses on kneading, stroking, tapping, vibration, and other strokes — was superior to passive stretching for reducing muscle fatigue and increasing range of motion in people with neck pain. Meanwhile, another study from the same university found that massage may also be effective at easing chronic low back pain if it’s performed regularly (at least once per week).

3) Improves Circulation

Have you ever noticed how after a relaxing massage, your feet are tingly, and your fingers are numb? That’s because massage increases circulation, which is why it’s such a good de-stressor. Increased circulation can improve blood flow to the heart, lungs, and other organs so they can function optimally. Massage also stimulates the lymphatic system, which helps remove toxins from the body. On top of that, it’s been shown to reduce inflammation throughout the body and increase your pain tolerance, so it can help if you’ve got muscle injuries or chronic pain. Plus, massage helps clear your mind so you can relax and get a good night’s sleep—it even reduces insomnia in some cases!

4) Boost Immune System

Maintaining a healthy immune system is one of the best things you can do to help your body fight off infections and diseases. You may have heard that massage can boost your immune system, but it’s not entirely clear how it works. The answer is: that massage has been shown to lower levels of stress hormones called glucocorticoids, which are also known as stress or cortisone hormones. These hormones are secreted by your adrenal glands, located on top of your kidneys, in response to stress. Lowered levels of these hormones have been linked with a stronger immune system because they help relieve stress and anxiety, which in turn helps maintain an overall sense of well-being. This then allows your body to focus more on strengthening its defenses against illnesses and infections.

5) Reduce Inflammation of the Joints and Muscles

Whether you have aching feet from walking around too much or you’re suffering from agitated shoulders from sitting at a desk for hours on end, massage is the best way to alleviate pain. In fact, it’s been proven that massage can be more effective than over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs. That’s because massages target not only areas of pain but also the source of inflammation, which is the root cause of most aches and pains. By increasing blood flow to your muscles and joints, massage improves your body’s ability to repair damaged tissue and reduces swelling. The increased blood flow also serves to nourish your muscles with oxygen and nutrients that are essential for efficient muscle functioning. And when muscles are well supplied with oxygen, they don’t experience fatigue as easily.

4 Key Mental Benefits of a Massage

1) Decrease Stress

When it comes to stress relief, a massage is a perfect way to go—and even if you don’t need to unwind after a long day or recharge before another one, a massage can still be a valuable experience. It’s all about what’s going on in your head: the notion that massages can put your mind at ease is not just an old wives’ tale. There is actual science behind it. Massage has a profound effect on our central nervous system, which controls our bodies’ responses to stress by calming us down. The autonomic nerve system also sends out endorphins, which are chemicals that stimulate pleasure centers in the brain and help relieve pain. That’s why you feel so great after a good massage! And we’ve got plenty of reasons why you should treat yourself to one!

2) Alleviate Anxiety

Massage therapy has been known to alleviate anxiety, a major cause of stress. The effect is not only immediate but long-lasting as well. This beneficial effect is accomplished by the manipulation of soft tissues in the body that help relax the nervous system, especially when it comes to the human touch. By having your muscles worked on, you are releasing endorphins which are the body’s natural painkillers and mood enhancers. Endorphins can produce a sense of euphoria that can give you a relaxed and happy feeling for hours after your massage session.

3) Improve Your Self Esteem and Confidence

We all want to be attractive and popular, but maintaining that image is a lot of work. No matter how successful you are in your professional life, it’s hard to feel good about yourself when you’re not looking or feeling your best. A massage is a great way to boost your self-esteem and make you feel more confident. When you’re experiencing physical pain, the stress of your situation can take over, making it hard to gauge how much physical discomfort you’re actually in. But a good massage helps you get rid of that mental fog and makes it easier to focus on the relaxation and relief of your body—and that’s one of the main benefits of a massage.

4) Help to Streamline Your Thoughts and Problem Solve Better

When your thoughts are constrained to run in circles, you’re likely to feel exhausted. That’s why a massage can be so helpful. During a massage, the masseuse works out knots and tension in your body using his or her hands, legs, and feet. A skilled masseuse will be able to target specific areas of the body that are causing you distress and relieve pressure from those locations. This gives your mind the opportunity to relax and process the information it’s been holding onto for so long, which may help you make sense of things that have been weighing on your mind or come up with solutions to problems that have plagued you for days.

How Often Should You Get a Massage?

Massage therapy is an ancient practice that is receiving a lot of attention in modern times. It has been found to be helpful in relieving stress and pain, improving sleep, and boosting the immune system.

Massage therapy is also known to improve blood circulation, flexibility, and mobility of joints, relieve muscle spasms and stiffness, increase range of motion around joints, reduce swelling and pain due to injury or arthritis, improve posture and balance, and calm anxiety and help manage depression. It can also help with emotional issues such as anger or grief by releasing endorphins which are the body’s natural feel-good chemicals.

Although there is no fixed time period when you should get a massage every week or month, it’s best to get one every once in a while, for relaxation purposes only. You don’t want to overdo it since it can cause more harm than good if done too often or done improperly by someone who doesn’t know how to administer it properly.

3 Unrivaled Relaxation Benefits

1. Can Help You to Lower Your Blood Pressure

When you’re stressed out or anxious, your body releases chemicals called stress hormones that raise your blood pressure and heart rate. This makes it difficult for your body to function normally and can lead to serious health problems like heart disease and stroke over time if left untreated. Relaxation helps lower blood pressure by allowing the body to release these hormones naturally, so they don’t continue building up in your system. This means you can reduce your chances of developing cardiovascular problems later on in life by practicing relaxation techniques regularly now!

2. Relax Your Muscles and Relieve Aches and Pains

When you’re tense or stressed out, your muscles might feel tight and sore. It’s not unusual for people to have chronic muscle tension around their necks, shoulders, backs, and jaws. Even if you don’t have any pain now, taking time to relax on a regular basis can help prevent aches and pains from developing later in life.

3. Improve Your Immune System Functioning:

A relaxed state of mind can help improve your overall health by lowering your stress levels. Stress has been linked with an increased risk of heart attack, high blood pressure, and diabetes — all conditions that negatively impact your immune system function. When you’re relaxed, your body is better able to fight off illness because it has more energy available for this important task.