Massage Therapy
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Benefits of Massage Therapy
- Boosts Mood: Massage can help you lower your cortisol levels. It also increases neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine — two molecules associated with happiness. In non-scientific terms, this all means that massage therapy is a powerful way to boost your mood and reduce stress.
- Supports Healthy Circulation: The gentle friction of a massage can promote healthy circulation in targeted areas. Here’s how it works: Pressure from a masseuse’s hand flushes stagnant blood from soft tissue. When they remove the pressure, new, oxygen-rich blood can rush in. Intuitively, it makes sense that body massage can boost circulation.
- Encourages Healthy Immune Function: The mechanisms behind massage’s immune-boosting benefits are a bit of a mystery, and researchers are working hard to figure out how it all works. But what we do know is that massage’s immune effects seem to be positive. One 2010 study looked at the relationship between massage and immunity. In the study, researchers found that Swedish massage boosted the number of lymphocytes in the blood. Lymphocytes are white blood cells that play a key role in healthy immune function.
- Promotes Better Digestion: Gentle body massage can promote healthy digestion and relieve stress. In a 2014 study, researchers looked at whether or not cancer patients could benefit from abdominal massage. The results confirmed that massage reduced perceived abdominal bloating and improved overall well-being. Additionally, a small 2016 study found that massage could also help with constipation.
- Eases Pain: One of the many benefits of body massage is that it can relieve pain. One 2014 study found that multiple 60-minute massage sessions were better for neck pain than shorter or fewer massage sessions.
- Improves Energy: When you think of an energy boost, you might think of something like caffeine, which helps you feel revitalized instantly. Massage also has the power to improve your energy levels — but not in the way that you might think. Instead of an instant boost, massage promotes healthy energy through whole-body benefits. Many believe that massage’s effects on sleep, stress, and overall well-being can help you fight fatigue and feel more well-rested. In a 2016 study, researchers tested how quadricep massage could affect triathlon competitors’ energy levels. They found that the regular massage group felt more energized than those who didn’t change anything about their recovery routine.
- Soothes Muscle Soreness: Muscle soreness can be a nuisance for those who live an active lifestyle. Luckily, one of the benefits of body massage is that it can soothe achy, sore muscles after exercise. One 2017 meta-analysis looked into whether or not massage could help with delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Incredibly, the results showed that massage therapy seemed to help athletes fight off soreness and improve muscle performance.
- Relieves Stress: When you think of the benefits of body massage, stress relief might be the first thing that comes to mind. This makes sense, after all, body massage truly is one of the most refreshing things you can do for yourself — and the research shows just how powerful it can be. In one study, researchers looked at massage therapy’s effects on young adults in a psychiatric unit.
