Benefits Of Massage on the Body
Experts estimate that upwards of ninety percent of disease is stress-related. And perhaps nothing ages us faster, internally and externally, than high stress. Stress negatively impacts every system in the body (circulatory, respiratory, digestive, muscular, etc) and studies have shown that massage is an effective tool for managing this stress, which translates into:
- Decreased anxiety
- Enhanced sleep quality
- Greater energy
- Improved concentration
- Increased circulation
- Reduced fatigue
Massage can also help specifically address a number of health issues. Bodywork can:
- Alleviate low-back pain and improve range of motion
- Assist with shorter, easier labor for expectant mothers and shorten maternity hospital stays
- Ease medication dependence
- Enhance immunity by stimulating lymph flow - the body's natural defense system
- Exercise and stretch weak, tight, or atrophied muscles
- Help athletes of any level prepare for, and recover from, strenuous workouts
- Improve the condition of the body's largest organ - the skin
- Increase joint flexibility
- Lessen depression and anxiety
- Promote tissue regeneration, reducing scar tissue and stretch marks
- Pump oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs, improving circulation
- Reduce postsurgery adhesions and swelling
- Reduce spasms and cramping
- Relax and soften injured, tired, and overused muscles
- Release endorphins - amino acids that work as the body's natural painkiller
- Relieve migraine pain
Benefits of Massage on the Brain
If not under duress, the human body craves touch (think of how good a soft caress feels). Human touch has the power to reduce cortisol levels, promoting relaxation and stress. Physical touch can even reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. When performed by a trained therapist, touch stimulates the mechanoreceptors in our skin, sending signals to the brain, which then responds by releasing hormones like endorphins, which are the body's natural heroine and "feel good" enzyme, serotonin, which promotes well-being and happiness, dopamine which is responsible for pleasure, and oxytocin which is associated with trust, relationship building and sexual arousal.