Massage is widely recognized to ease stress, tension and pain. Practitioners claim it reduces anxiety and boosts self-esteem in patients with physical disabilities or terminal illnesses.
The room where you plan to give a massage should be quiet and free of distractions, like children or pets. Music may be played during the massage, but choose soothing instrumental music without a steady beat.
Getting a massage is more than just a nice indulgence, it has many health benefits. One of the most obvious is that it relaxes tense and tired muscles. However, it can also boost your energy levels and lower your blood pressure. This is because it stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, or the “rest and digest” response. It slows the heart rate, decreases breathing and relieves feelings of stress and anxiety.
Another way that massage can relax you is by breaking down muscle knots, or adhesions. A knot is a tight group of muscles that has formed due to injury or over-use. Massage can break down these knots by releasing chemicals in the body that cause the muscles to soften and loosen. Moreover, it can increase the flow of blood into the area, which helps remove any waste products and brings in fresh nutrients to keep the cells healthy.
Stress hormones like cortisol are lowered by massage, which causes your body to feel calm and relaxed. Moreover, massage increases serotonin production, which is an important brain chemical involved in mood regulation.
Massage can also help if you have a sleep disorder, because it promotes deep sleep. This is because it can reduce the production of inflammatory cytokines, which can cause poor sleep quality and chronic fatigue.
Lastly, massage can improve your immune system. This is because it can encourage the circulation of lymph, which carries immune cells around your body to fight infection and inflammation. It can also lower inflammatory cytokines and cortisol, which are the main inflammatory markers in the body.
Although a good massage can do wonders for your health, it’s important not to overdo it. If you get a massage, try to take some time to relax afterwards. This means not scheduling an important meeting or hosting a children’s party straight after your massage. It would be best to have your massage at the end of a day when you’re ready to wind down. And make sure you have a shower or lie down before going to bed, as this will give your body a chance to absorb all the goodness from the treatment.
Pain Relief
Massage is used to relieve pain from injuries and chronic conditions. It decreases the perception of pain, reduces stress and increases range of motion. It also increases endorphins, which are hormone-like substances that act as the body’s natural painkillers.
In one study, participants who received 10 weekly sessions of relaxation or structural massage reported less pain and were more functional than those who did not receive massage therapy. However, this particular study relied on participant perceptions rather than physiological data to determine whether massage truly worked or not.
The primary reason most people seek out massage is to address chronic or acute back pain. A 2014 study published in Scientific World Journal found that massage helped alleviate back pain just as effectively as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Massage is especially helpful for reducing and preventing muscle spasms, stiffness and soreness. It breaks the cycle of pain by increasing blood flow, breaking down muscles and tendons and helping to release tight and contracted muscle groups.
Muscles around painful areas tighten to protect the injured tissue. These tight muscles restrict movement, which in turn exacerbates the pain and causes more pain and tightness. Massage works to break this cycle by releasing the tension in the muscle. It also interrupts the pain cycle by interfering with nerve pathways that relay pain messages to the brain.
It’s also been shown to increase the number of pain-relieving chemicals in the body, such as serotonin and dopamine. It can also help treat fibromyalgia, which is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain and tenderness. Massage has been known to improve the quality of sleep, which in turn aids in the management of aches and pains.
Aside from promoting physical healing, massage also provides psychological relief by lowering stress levels and anxiety. It also helps lower depression, which is often associated with chronic pain. It may also help patients with chronic pain feel more positive about their situation and reduces the need for medication to control pain.
Massage can be performed in various settings, including hospitals, private studios, resorts and spas. The most popular type of massage is Swedish, which involves rubbing or kneading the body’s soft tissues using hands, fingers, elbows, knees, forearms or feet. Another popular style is sports massage, which focuses on the muscle systems used for specific sports activities and can be done before, during or after an event.
Immune System Booster
A strong immune system is the body’s natural defense against microbes and diseases. Several studies show that massage helps boost the immune system, making your body’s resistance to illness stronger. The key is regularity. A single session of massage can increase the number of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that fights infection. But for longer-term immunity benefits, researchers recommend incorporating regular massage into your wellness routine.
A study from Cedars-Sinai found that massage lowers levels of cytokines, chemicals that play a role in inflammation, which can cause illness such as asthma and cardiovascular disease. Massage also increases the production of serotonin, a hormone that promotes sleep and reduces stress, both of which can help your immune system function properly.
One study found that people who received a 45-minute massage had a significant increase in white blood cell counts compared to those who did not receive a massage. Other studies show that massage decreases the levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that weakens the immune system.
Researchers have found that massage can increase the amount of NK cells (natural killer cells), which kill cancerous or infected cells. It can also increase the level of antibodies that fight infections and reduce the length of time that a person is sick with an illness.
Massage can help strengthen the mind-body connection, as it encourages relaxation and mindfulness. This in turn can lead to a better quality of life, which can help improve immune system function. In fact, a recent study showed that people who were under psychological stress had a decreased ability to fight off infection.
While it is not known exactly how massage helps to strengthen the immune system, a few theories have emerged. For example, one theory is that massage stimulates nerve endings to send messages to the brain. These signals then trigger the release of feel-good hormones, which can reduce stress and anxiety. It is also possible that the touch element of massage is important, as this can activate pathways that transmit messages along long and myelinated nerve fibres to the lymbic area of the brain, which modulate immunosuppressive activity.
Sports Performance
Incorporating massage into an athlete’s routine is an effective way to reduce stress and keep muscles in top condition. It can help prevent injury and promote healing, as well as improve range of motion and flexibility. The psychological advantages of massage can also improve performance, as athletes are more focused and relaxed. This allows them to train harder and more consistently, which can lead to better results.
During intense training and competition, athletes develop a lot of tension in the soft tissues of the body. This can result in injury, if not addressed promptly. Regular massages can keep the muscles of the body loose and healthy, and this will improve athletic performance by allowing the body to move more freely and increase muscle strength.
Sports massage can also help improve the overall quality of an athlete’s life by relieving stress and promoting relaxation, which is important for optimal performance. Studies have shown that athletes who get massages regularly have lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, which in turn leads to higher levels of focus and concentration.
Research has also found that incorporating massage into an athlete’s training regimen can help them recover faster from injuries. This is because massage increases blood flow and enhances the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, reducing inflammation and speeding up the healing process. It can also help with the flexibility of the muscles, preventing strains and sprains.
Many athletes and sports professionals swear by the benefits of sports massage, describing it as one of the most important tools they use to stay healthy and perform at their best. The benefits of sports massage include:
To qualify as a valid scientific study, the following requirements must be met: