Benefits of Massage Therapy
Rib cage section of the skeletal system
Through years of evolution, practice, and experimentation, we’ve developed many techniques of relaxation and healing. Today we are at the peak of advancement of various spa treatments, and massage therapy that was once considered to be a luxurious treat for only those who could afford it is now much more common place and available to everyone. Today almost anyone can book their appointment in the spa, with a professional masseur/masseuse, buy massage tools or naturally ask a friend to rub their back.
The reason why so many people love to have their shoulders rubbed is that massage is relaxing. Yes, massage therapy can help you relax, but it can also benefit your body in many different ways. Massage therapy can improve your blood circulation, reduce anxiety, headaches, boost metabolism, and other bodily functions.
Humanity has loved massage therapy so much that we’ve even brought the machines into the game. Massage specialists and their hands are not the only things that can give you a nice, relaxing and healing massage. But enough about the history and improvement of massage therapy, let's talk about how professionals and massaging machines can benefit your body.
Massage therapy is relaxing
Yes, we all know that! Didn't we talk about it in the previous paragraphs? Well, yes we did, but relaxation is more than just a few minutes in quiet and calming surroundings.
Here's why you shouldn't walk around stressed:
A stressed body is tense, hardened and inelastic. Such a condition can lead to straining muscles, awkward movements and accumulation of sodium in the body.
The stressed body releases Cortisol (stress hormone) that can cause digestion problems, sleepless nights and disruption of other bodily functions, resulting in an unhealthy weight gain.
A stressed body affects your mind and lowers your working performance.
Massage therapy can help you avoid these issues and de-stress your body and mind. It feels good at the moment, and it feels good in the long run. It also improves your sleep, which can guarantee less stress in the future.
Massage therapy works wonders on your muscles
Massage courses can relax the muscles in your body. A lot of people enlist the aid of massage therapists when they are facing muscle pains, stretches, and other problems.
Massage therapy can:
Ease the pain in the muscles. Therapists can target the source of the pain and process that area for the treatment. Massage can reduce the pain, improve elasticity and help you avoid awkward movements in the future.
Make up for all the sitting you do in the office and at home. Most of us have a lazy lifestyle (even if it's not what we want). We have adopted a more comfortable style of working and living, therefore depriving our muscles of necessary movements. Massage therapy can't substitute the essential physical activity that we sometimes miss, but it can stop your muscles from devaluing.
Relax muscles before and after the workout. Many professional athletes have personal masseurs/masseuses. Football players, ballerinas, and dancers often go to therapists for sports massage and for professional pain relieving gels.
Massage therapy can be a cleansing routine for your body
If you have ever gotten a massage, you might already know the feeling of being cleansed after the session. And if you are currently planning to start a massage therapy course, then pay attention to how the toxins leave your body after a massage.
Many spa clinics offer:
Services from professional masseurs/masseuses for regular visits to clean your body from toxins and excretions. They can even offer four-hand massages for a better results.
Lymphatic drainage compression massages. You might've already seen how this looks, but if you haven't, it's a suit that repeats the movement of a professional massage therapist. After 30 minutes in this suit, your body will drain itself from excess fluids and toxins via sweat, urine, and breath. Additionally, you can prolong this effect with essential oils.
Cleaning your body will help you with digestive disorders too. For better and long-term results, you should visit a professional, but if you are experiencing some digestion problems currently, there are many therapists who espouse the using techniques to self-massage yourself to improve the digestion.
Massage therapy can lower your blood pressure and improve circulation
Lowering the blood pressure level is a long-term benefit of massage therapy. As we age, we worry more and more about our health, and today's lifestyle is not much of a help.
It's always a good idea to take care of your body to avoid complications. Many professionals create massage therapy courses for people with high blood pressure. In the long run, therapy can be beneficial for your blood vessels and overall circulation.
Talking about circulation, have you ever read the articles about washing your hair properly? If you have, you might've noticed the advice about massaging the scalp while shampooing it to reduce hair loss and dandruff. The reason it works so well is the improvement of the blood circulation. It's a great way to stimulate your hair follicles.
Massage therapy can improve your immune system
Another long-term effect of massage therapy is strengthening and stimulating the immune system. The results of regular massage courses are reduced stress, improved metabolism, and higher fitness performance.
Raised levels of stress have been shown to make your body more vulnerable to illnesses and injuries. Combine vulnerability with sleepless nights, poor nutrition and lack of physical activity, and you have a deprived organism in need of help. This condition will affect your immune system. Your body will have a more difficult time fighting off the harmful bacteria naturally, a more difficult time performing routine defense that it does day in and day out.
Massage therapy is known to boost your immune system's cytotoxic capacity. It's the level of "killer cells" in your body. Regular professional massage sessions will help your body deliver nutrients to the cells. It will also reduce the levels of stress of your body and mind, improve your blood circulation and ease nourishment.
Massage therapy is an addition to your weight loss program
While only a massage session itself won't be able to deliver much-wanted results, it can be a part of an overall routine that will help you achieve your fitness goals faster.
Massage therapists often offer their clients anti-cellulite massages (for those who want to burn some body fat). Hand movements, special techniques, and massage tools pressure the problematic areas of your body. The constant and regular massage will break the hardened layer of fat under the skin that creates little dimples we call cellulite.
It's always a good idea to have a little workout after an anti-cellulite massage. The broken fat is free and waiting to be burned, so a little cardio or aerobic exercise will do the trick.
Massage therapy can help ease anxiety and depression
People in the 21st century have this lifestyle full of stress, worries, and issues. Constant high-stress levels, sleepless nights and pressure can result in anxiety, depression and panic attacks. Some people can handle the issues themselves, but some will need help from a professional.
The use of massage therapy in treating depression has grown recently. It’s called complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) and it includes yoga, massage sessions, acupuncture, and aromatherapy.
Massage therapy can help with mental and emotional problems. It not only relaxes the body but eases the pain on your mind. Regular massage sessions and meditation media can reduce tension and evoke feelings of peaceful and deep relaxation. Many people address professionals to help with their panic disorders and improve their mental stability. By relaxing the body, therapy can help you let go of your fears, anxiety, and stress. One must try out this to fully understand the feeling of deep relaxation.
Massage therapy can improve your posture and physical irregularities
Have you ever noticed how your right shoulder is lower than the left one? Have you ever noticed that some of your body parts are asymmetrical? Well, that can be caused by a lot of reasons. For example, wearing cross-body bags on a regular basis can lower the shoulder it's hanging on. Some of these irregularities follow us since birth, but we can work to change them.
Massage can also help you dissolve the accumulated sodium/salt in your body, under your neck. It looks like a hump that prevents us from performing some of the activities. With the weight gain, salt accumulates in a larger and harder form, so it's something to look out for.
Massage therapy is full of surprises and happy results. At-home massages and back rubs are great, but remember to contact a professional if you want to use therapy to achieve the best results. Take a look at yourself now, whatever your cause is to go and book an appointment with masseur/masseuse, be ready to take a relaxing and calming journey.
NOTE: The statements made in this post have not been evaluated by the FDA and are the opinion of the author based on their own research and experience. Your results may be different.