Stress and Body Massage Therapy

Stress gets a lot of bad press, but it is a normal part of being human and existing on a ball that’s zipping around the sun at a speed that few can comprehend. We are all regularly exposed to stress, which is dangerous because too much of it can harm our body system.

With stress being an inevitable part of life, reducing its harmful effect can be as simple as regularly doing things that effectively relax and calm us. And body massage therapy is one of those calming things that we can actively use to fight stress and reduce our stress levels.

Body massage therapy is effective, safe, and enjoyable. Research has shown that just 10 minutes of body massage is all it takes to relax and trigger happy hormones in our body system. 

Massage also enhances our mood, makes us more confident, happier, and more in control. With that being the case, body massage is seeing increasing use all over the planet as a viable means of combating stress in an increasingly stressful world.

Stress and its Nasty Symptoms

Like we said earlier, stress is a natural part of existence. It helps ensure our survival and keeps us safe. We usually have sky-high stress levels, and in turn, triggers symptoms like the following:

• Insomnia
• Headaches
• Heart palpitations
• Shortness of breath
• A racing heartbeat
•  Boosted sweating
•  Anxiety, depression, and irritability
• An unsettled stomach

These symptoms are bad news for our central nervous system. While stressed, our bodies also have to put in extra effort to pump blood and oxygen and regulate our body temperature. 

Additionally, elevated stress levels make us liable to an increased risk of developing digestive issues and diabetes. Damage and compromise to the immune and reproductive system are possible, resulting in a poorer quality of life.

How Body Massage Therapy Works on Stress

It would be easy to say that body massage therapy is an effective stress remedy and leave it at that. But we are not going to do that. Instead, we will delve further into the topic. Here’s how body massage therapy does what it does:

    1. Massage dials down blood pressure: the sympathetic nervous system acts up and dials up our blood pressure when stressed. Which can result in high blood pressure and its associated problems.

Massage therapy counteracts this by boosting blood circulation and soothing the sympathetic nervous system, resulting in effective blood pressure reduction.

Both aromatherapy and relaxation massage are best suited for blood pressure reduction and can be relied on to bring the body system back to its natural and healthy state of being. And that is why booking a massage near me is a wise thing to do, especially when we want answers on how to relieve stress.

    2. Massages bring a sense of calm: a body massage near me sounds simple, but it is a complex activity that feels good. Just kneading, touching, pressing the body calms and eases tension to a great extent.

Massage therapy also triggers happy hormones like serotonin, which helps the body relax more and see the happy side of life.

    3. Massage eases muscular tension: one effect of stress is the tightening up of the muscles, followed by their relaxation when the stressful event is ended. However, when we are constantly stressed, our muscles stay tight and have no chance to contract and relax,

Which triggers muscle aches and pains, plus headaches, neck pain, back pain, and more. The solution to this is often a massage.

This body massage near me, when done right, will promote tissue elasticity and make the muscles looser. Of course, severe muscular tension might need multiple massages to resolve, but that is easily accomplished.

    4. Massage boosts sleep: massage therapy, as we have stated multiple times, triggers happy hormones like serotonin. It can also trigger the production of a hormone necessary for sleep- melatonin. Melatonin production can be activated or improved by massage specific muscles in the legs, feet, shoulders, neck, and back.

And that is not all. Massage in itself results in decreased production of the stress hormone known as cortisol, which influences sleep patterns. The hormone dopamine then starts taking prominence and works to produce the calm and relaxed state necessary for restful sleep.

     5. Massage benefits the immune and digestive systems: when exposed to high-stress levels, the body system often reacts by dialing down the effectiveness of the immune and digestive systems. It instead focuses on enhancing the flight-or-flight response by boosting blood flow to the heart, lungs, and muscles. 

When stress is constant, this state of being will decrease immune system potency, leaving the body vulnerable to varied immune system disorders. Constipation and digestion issues are also common in cases of chronic stress. 

Massage therapy can help restore normal digestive activity, improve the immune system and blood circulation. It is thus an effective aid for those seeking how to relieve stress.

    6. Massage has mental health benefits: body massage therapy benefits our mental health. It regulates the mood, gets rid of anxiety, and makes us hopeful and energized.

Moreover, individuals who are depressed often have low vagal nerve activity, and massage therapy stimulates this area, producing a happy, relaxed, and almost euphoric state where problems are relegated to the background and nothing seems impossible.

Conclusion

While stress is part of life and living, too much of it is as harmful as too little. We live in stressful times, but massage therapy is thankfully one of the most effective ways of fighting stress and improving our quality of life. We can sleep better, live better, be more cheerful and happy, and have healthier bodies with massage therapy.

Need answers on how to relieve stress? Well, try massage therapy today! If stress ails you, booking a body massage from your favorite masseur might well be one of the best things you will ever do to get your life back on track.