How massage helps with stress.
The Benefits of Massage
One of the main benefits of massage is reducing stress and relieving symptom of depression. The traditional form of massage for lessening stress is Swedish massage however there are other modalities that bring a deep sense of tranquility. According to the Mayo Clinic, stress can trigger a multitude of issues within the body including but not limited to compromised sleep, disrupted digestion, weight gain, early aging, suppressed immunity and poor blood sugar regulation. Massage is a core part of therapy at the Mayo Clinic where they recognize through clinical studies that positive effect of massage on the body and mind.
According to the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) massage has been shown to reduce heart rate, blood pressure, cortisol levels in salivary tests and slow breathing rates after only 15 minutes of chair massage. It does not take long for our body to enter a state of harmony when we give ourselves just a few minutes in the massage chair or on the table. It’s not just the hands on aspect, but the environment we enter when we get a massage. Before I even begin giving a massage my clients almost always say, “Wow, I already feel so relaxed.” as soon a they lay down on the table. This is in part due to our brain’s association function. We associate this environment with a relaxing experience and thus our brains automatically go in to a state of bliss when we enter a massage room. Music, aromatherapy and touch all combine to bring our bodies and minds in to a state of relaxation so we can get back to our innate state of harmony.
Manual Lymph Drainage
My favorite modality for relaxation is manual lymph drainage (MLD). It is amazing for turning on your parasympathetic nervous system. This part of the nervous system is the one we use to heal, rest and digest. When we feel safe and cozy we fall in to this natural state and our body is able to do maintenance and detox from the stressors of modern life. Nine out of ten clients who see me for MLD fall into a deep meditative state where their ability to access a quiet, serene mind is amplified. More often than not, they say to me that they found a new sense of peacefulness and calm they hadn’t felt in other types of massage. It is incredibly gentle, yet profound modality that I highly recommend if you seek to reduce stress in your life.