Research suggests massage is good for a number of health issues. It enhances attentiveness, focus and mental clarity.
Massage stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, increasing relaxation and decreasing anxiety. It also improves blood circulation, which in turn can reduce swelling and boost immunity. It can also help with autoimmune conditions like asthma and diabetes.
Relieves Stress
Research has shown massage reduces the stress hormone cortisol and improves a person’s mood. It also helps increase the immune system and promotes better sleep. This is why regular massages are so important to overall health.
When a body is under stress, it produces unhealthy levels of the negative stress hormone cortisol, which increases pain and suppresses the immune system. A massage has been found to decrease the level of cortisol in the blood stream causing a release of the positive stress hormones endorphins and serotonin which promote relaxation, a reduction in pain levels and an improvement in mood.
Besides decreasing the level of cortisol, massage has been shown to help relieve anxiety and depression, enhance pulmonary function in young asthma patients, improve weight and motor development in premature infants and ease psycho-emotional distress in persons with chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Well designed studies indicate that massage may be effective in treating fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndrome, tension headache and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Relieves Anxiety
Massage helps reduce symptoms of anxiety, which can interfere with a person’s ability to focus, work or sleep. Therapeutic massage increases the parasympathetic nervous system’s response, decreases cortisol and promotes tissue elasticity. This can help alleviate anxiety in people with chronic conditions, such as fibromyalgia and chronic pain.
A massage’s physical effects include friction between the skin and fingers that encourages blood flow and increases muscle temperature, causing the muscles to relax. Rhythmic tapping, known as petrissage, and vibration are also part of therapeutic massage. These techniques encourage the body to release stress hormones, like endorphins, serotonin and dopamine, as well as to improve circulation and boost the immune system, click over here.
Some studies suggest that massage may improve pulmonary function in young asthma patients and relieve psycho-emotional distress in children with chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Infants who received regular massages experienced better weight gain, improved motor skills and more restful sleep.
Relieves Pain
Pain is one of the body’s natural responses to injury or illness. However, prolonged pain increases stress by restricting movement and decreases elasticity of the muscles. Massage therapy can interrupt the cycle of pain and stress by relaxing the muscle and increasing range of motion.
When the muscle is relaxed, pain receptors are inhibited and the neurotransmitter’substance P’ is decreased which reduces the fight-or-flight response. In addition, massage has been shown to promote healthy circulation by dilating blood vessels and allowing nutrients to flow to the treated area.
A great massage also helps with digestion by relieving the muscle tension of gastrointestinal spasms. Additionally, massage can stimulate the hair follicles to increase growth by promoting blood flow to the scalp. This is especially beneficial for those with thinning hair or those looking to grow out their hair faster. A few minutes of massage to the head can improve blood circulation, which can lead to thicker hair within 24 weeks.
Improves Sleep
Many well designed studies show that therapeutic massage can improve circulation, relax soft tissues, stimulate the release of happy hormones and improve sleep. It can be used to help manage pain from chronic conditions and injuries, as well as treat psychological stress, which may aggravate these conditions or cause them.
The stroking, kneading and rocking motions of massage therapy help lower heart rate and blood pressure, which can be heightened by stress. As a result, people with chronic or acute health conditions like fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis often find relief from pain.
Conclusion:
Massage can also be helpful for people undergoing cancer treatment. It can reduce their pain, fatigue and nausea, as well as improve relaxation, quality of life and mood. It’s important to talk with your doctor before getting a massage if you have cancer or other health concerns. They can advise you on the type of massage and the appropriate level of pressure to use.