How Massage Therapy Can Benefit Both Physical and Mental Health
Promoting a healthy mind and body through non-invasive therapy.
Massage is one of the oldest forms of therapy globally — possibly the oldest — and with good reason.
For one thing, it’s a therapy in which the main goal is the reduction of stress, pain, and anxiety. At the same time, massage therapy also addresses how these conditions affect the human body when it comes to healing and function.
Massage therapy can improve the immune system, decrease heart rate and blood pressure, and ease stress — just to name a few. Massage therapy can also contribute significantly to emotional health.
Here are a few ways massage therapy can support physical and mental health.
Some of Massage’s Physical Benefits
Easing Pain
Medical research has demonstrated the efficacy of massage when it comes to addressing pain relief. Part of the process involves the release of endorphins — allowing the body to feel good.
Regular massage can help people suffering from various conditions, including back and neck pain, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and many similar ailments. As a bonus, because massage helps alleviate pain — regardless of the cause — this means less need for possibly addictive pain medication.
Relieving Inflammation and Promoting Flexibility
Common inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, tendinitis, and bursitis can benefit from the loosening and relaxing of muscles during massage. Regular massage therapy improves flexibility in the joints and allows for a greater range of movements.
Post-Op Physical Therapy
Many hospitals have introduced massage therapy as part of physical therapy routines to aid in rehab and recovery following the physical trauma of surgery. It’s been observed that massage therapy as part of post-op rehab can shorten a hospital stay.
Treatment For Lymphedema
When a surgical procedure results in removing lymph nodes, or in some cases of congestive heart failure, blood clots, or other injuries, massage can be used to move waste fluids away from the affected area. Because advanced lymphedema can cause depression and immobility, skilled therapeutic massage can ensure proper waste drainage occurs.
Cellulite Removal
Some studies note that massage can help stimulate fibroblast activity while, at the same time, break down adipocyte activity. This aids in lessening the presence of cellulite and could even contribute to overall weight loss.
Some of Massage’s Mental Benefits
Stress Relief
Some significant studies have been conducted on how massage works to help alleviate stress. Much of it comes from observing how massage therapy paired with a variety of medical conditions or stressful experiences results in stress-alleviating effects in lowered cortisol and increased serotonin and dopamine in the body.
Relieved stress leads to lower blood pressure and lessens feelings of anxiety. Regular massage can do a lot to help foster emotional well-being and making a person feel more nurtured.
Improved Sleep
People dealing with anxiety, depression, or similar issues often have problems developing good sleep patterns. With regular massage, the mind and the body can relax — usually, the first step the body goes through in getting ready to shut down for the night. The importance of healthy sleep can’t be stressed enough, as it’s the time when our body heals, rebuilds and refreshes.
Anything that helps reduce anxiety and discomfort is a powerful tool in getting a person back on a healthy sleep schedule.
Better Concentration
Similar to how massage aids in developing good sleep, the calming effects of massage can also promote things like focus and concentration. In turn, this allows for greater productivity, sharper thinking, and increased creativity. Many businesses have experienced these benefits firsthand by offering massage sessions to workers onsite as part of worker wellness programs.
Of course, there’s no reason why these sessions should be limited to the workplace. The benefits of massage therapy can apply anywhere.
Mind and Body In Harmony
It’s challenging to maintain a positive, productive mindset or attitude when the body is not functioning at its best. The inverse is also true. Poor mental and emotional issues can affect the body through anxiety, high blood pressure, and overall strain.
Massage therapy does an effective job keeping both working more optimally and in concert with one another. It’s a form of treatment that has been around for thousands of years and in many cultures worldwide.
If you’ve not given massage a try, you may be surprised how relaxed and healthier you’ll feel afterward.
This guest post is sponsored by NC Massage School, offering a 650-hour diploma program as well as CE classes for licensed massage therapists in North Carolina.
About John Teehan
John lives in Rhode Island with his wife, son, and dog. He specializes in tech, health, business, parenting, pop culture, and gaming. Visit wordsbyjohn.net for more info and rates. Twitter: @WordsByJohn2