Sometimes it’s hard to carve time out of a busy schedule for rejuvenation and relaxation, but it’s not self-indulgent to take care of yourself. Massage does a lot more than feel great. It’s good for you physically, emotionally, and mentally, and it helps you be the best version of yourself.
Healing touch has all of the following benefits. It:
- Reduces stress
- Increases circulation
- Helps injuries and surgery sites heal faster
- Lifts your mood
- Reduces pain, soreness, and tension
- Lowers the heart rate and blood pressure
- Improves immune function
Life Creates Chronic Tension
Do you spend a lot of time typing on your phone or the computer? Activities like driving, typing, watching TV, cooking, and housework create chronic tension in the body. Some muscles get activated over and over while others lie dormant. Over time, these imbalances stress our joints and spine, adding to neck and back pain.
Regular massage helps overused muscles relax and reminds our less-used muscles to activate. Massage helps us let go of habitual and out-of-balance movement patterns and use our bodies more gracefully.
Many high-level athletes use massage for precisely that reason. It improves their performance by increasing their range of motion, reducing muscle tension, improving muscle tone, and decreasing soreness and stiffness.
However, you don’t have to be an athlete or even exercise to benefit from massage. Everyday life puts enough stress on our bodies. We all have patterns of tension that need to be released and balanced.
“Prioritizing self care is an absolute necessity if you want to keep your stress level low and cortisol levels even. High cortisol, which spikes in “fight or flight” mode, is the cause of a number of frustrations in wellness, often making it difficult to recover after a workout or difficult to lose weight, not to mention difficulty sleeping and unbalanced hormones. One of the best things you can do to relieve this kind of stress is regular massage therapy to improve blood flow and reduce the amount of time you spend in that fight or flight state.”
– Mark Pike @ Massage Strong
Touch is a Powerful Healer
Touch is so fundamental to human health and happiness that babies who receive more grow up to be stronger, taller, and healthier than those that don’t. It’s a basic need, not a luxury.
For adults, studies show touch lowers heart rate and blood pressure and calms the entire nervous system. Massage reduces the levels of stress hormones and increases melatonin (calm) and serotonin (happy). It also boosts immune function. Long term, this means regular massage helps your body fight disease, heal faster, and maintain good health.
That’s a lot of benefits for a couple of hours a month that also feels great!
Massage is Essential after Surgery
Surgery can save our life or boost our confidence, but it comes with some side effects. Massage therapy can ease the pain, scarring, and swelling associated with surgery.
Depending on your surgery, massage can have different benefits. For surgery sites that may scar, doctors recommend waiting at least two weeks or until the incision site heals before massaging the area. Once the incision site heals, regular massage will help patients avoid scar tissue and pain.
Surgery sites continue to heal for two years after the procedure, and the first two years will be the most fruitful time to get massages. Regular sessions decrease inflammation and assist the body during its remodeling process. Massage breaks down the accumulation of scar tissue, increases the range of movement around the surgery site, and helps the area regain sensation and feeling.
Many cosmetic surgeries disrupt the body’s lymphatic channels, a crucial system that removes toxins, waste, and unwanted materials. Your body will naturally restore these channels in about three months, but massage sessions after cosmetic surgery speed up your recovery and help the body eliminate unwanted toxins.
After a cosmetic procedure, it’s best to wait two weeks or when the bruise heals before starting a series of lymphatic massage sessions. A minimum of three to five sessions over three months will help minimize swelling, promote healing, and prevent infection.
Massage is a Gift to Yourself That Keeps Giving
Life demands a lot from you, so it is imperative to remember to take care of yourself. It’s almost impossible to give when your cup is empty, so to be the best version of yourself requires self-care.
Massage is relaxing and feels good, but the benefits extend far beyond that. When you give yourself the gift of regular massage, you invest in your long-term health and well-being.
From lifting your mood to boosting your immune system, massage benefits you in ways that touch the people you love. Click here to schedule your next session.
What are your favorite things about getting a massage? Let us know in the comments.
