How A Massage Relaxes You And Leads To Improved Emotional And Physical Health
Having a massage treatment on a regular basis helps you manage stress and increase your relaxation. A reduction in stress could lead to health benefits such as fewer headaches and less neck pain due to tension. This comes about because of the relaxation effect of massage. Here's how massage can help you relax and better manage your stress levels.
Kneading Muscles Works Out Tension
Emotional stress and physical tension are linked together. When you're stressed or anxious, you tense the muscles in your shoulders and neck. This leads to headaches, backaches, shoulder pain, and neck pain. The pain you experience, even if it isn't severe, can be enough to irritate you and keep you in a mental state of aggravation and stress. Massage treatments relax your muscles through gentle stroking movements and deep kneading that causes them to release tension. Knots in muscles can be worked out with deeper massage techniques. With less tension in the muscles, there could potentially be less compression on nerves, so your pain is decreased. As your muscles become more and more relaxed, your mental state follows and soon your mind is relaxed as well.
Massaging Muscles Increases Circulation
Increasing circulation helps your muscles release tension too. The increased blood flow brings more oxygen. Increased oxygen and nutrients help restore the health of your tissues which can lower the pain you feel in your neck and back. Increased circulation through massage brings an internal warmth, which is relaxing. Your therapist may even apply warm stones to your back or use warm oil to enhance the relaxing effect of heat on your muscles.
Massage Gives You Time For Yourself
If you lead a busy life, you probably feel pulled in many directions at the same time. The minutes you devote to a massage is your special time when you can forget about all your stress and allow yourself to completely relax. As your relaxing muscles pull you into a peaceful inner state, you may feel your breathing slowing. Your heart rate may also slow and your blood pressure may drop a little. This is the relaxation effect. It's one reason it is important to take time to relax often and not let stress overwhelm you, especially if you have high blood pressure or other cardiac problems. The relaxing of your mind and muscles can take stress off your organs and vessels and lead to better health if you make massage and stress management part of your routine.
A massage can make you feel wonderful while you're having the treatment, and that effect will carry over into your daily life when you leave. A massage isn't an instant cure for stress because stress will slowly creep back into your life. However, when you have a massage on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, you'll have the chance to relax more deeply and you'll be training your body to enter a relaxed state so you can benefit from less pain and maybe even notice improved mental and physical health.