With our tight schedules and the hustle and bustle of life, it is much easier to get stressed out. If not managed early and properly, stress can hugely affect our mental health. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to relieve stress. If you are looking for ways to relieve stress naturally, you shouldn’t look further than massage.
Massage has been proven to be an effective way to decrease stress. That’s why the number of Americans visiting massage therapists has spiked over the years. You can easily schedule a massage Gainesville, FL, today.
But how does massage reduce stress? You are probably wondering. Well, keep on reading this article as we explore ways massage therapy can reduce stress.
Here is how massage helps to reduce stress.
Massage brings a relaxing sensation
By encouraging the body to “slow down,” a massage can help the body shift from an anxious state to a calmer, more relaxed one. The body is invited to relax and ease up by the simple act of touching and methodical kneading. Serotonin, which is the body’s natural hormone for relaxation and happiness, stimulates this emotional reaction. Serotonin aids with essential bodily processes, including eating, digestion, and sleep, while regulating our mood.
Lowers stress hormones
A massage can help lower your stress levels. A 60-minute massage might be helpful if you have persistent stress. A massage reduces the amount of cortisol produced, which is a stress hormone. Large quantities of cortisol might be released as a result of excessive stress.
The body can experience discomfort in several locations when cortisol levels are too high. Therefore, regular massages might be the key to maintaining healthy cortisol levels. Getting a massage at least twice a week can help reduce negative stress hormones while boosting positive chemicals like serotonin and dopamine.
Massage relieves tense muscles
Your body unconsciously tightens up when you’re anxious, which causes the muscles to tense. The muscles can return to a relaxed state with the help of massage therapy, reducing chronic pain. Muscles can shorten due to high body tension, which limits motion and hurts. Massage lowers tension by enhancing tissue flexibility and stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system. The muscle fibers get warmer and looser by methods including trigger point stimulation, massaging, stroking, and even stretching. If you are looking forward to relieving your muscular tension, you may need more than one massage therapy session. However, even with one session, you will see a significant improvement.
Improves blood circulation
Massage typically involves the physical manipulation of the soft tissues in the body; therefore, it can help improve blood circulation, thereby improving your stress level. Improved blood circulation can help lower blood pressure.
A massage can calm the sympathetic nervous system, which is the culprit for raising blood pressure in response to stress. Aromatherapy massage or relaxation massage focused on relaxation can help reduce blood pressure and heart rate more than other types of massage such as sports or deep tissue massage.
This could be because a relaxation massage can release the serotine hormone responsible for making the body self-regulate and return to its healthier and natural state.
It improves sleep
Since massage directly affects how the body produces serotonin, it can also help release melatonin, the sleep hormone. Exerting pressure and direct manipulation of muscles in the legs, feet, shoulders, neck, and back can trigger the production of melatonin. Massage therapy can also reduce the production of cortisol, the stress hormone. Getting a massage will leave you in a more relaxed state where you are more likely to sleep better and soundly. So, if you have not been getting quality sleep of late, it’s time you visit a massage spa and get a high-quality massage that’s aided with essential oils like lavender.