The Benefits Of Massage Therapy
Massage therapy may help boost focus, relieve anxiety, and even improve sleep. No matter the type, the benefits of massage really come down to one thing: pressure. “The skin is moved during a moderate pressure massage, which results in a calming and slowing of the nervous system,” says Tiffany Field, PhD, director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine. And that slowing of the nervous system leads to other physiological effects, too, like a decrease in heart rate, lowered blood pressure, and changes in EEG patterns (electrical activity in your brain), says Field.
Plus, in order to see those effects, it takes less time than you might think. “For research, we’re able to document positive effects for massages that are only 20 minutes long,” says Mark Hyman Rapaport, MD, chief of psychiatric services at Emory Healthcare, who has led multiple studies focused on the effects of massage. That means when you go to get a massage (most of which are usually advertised for being around 50 minutes long, says Dr. Rapaport), you’re under pressure for more than enough time to see optimal benefits.
So if you’re thinking about booking a time, here are four of Massage therapy’s biggest benefits to know about:
Reduce Muscle Tension
Sustained pressure , slow, deep strokes is what your WYLD massage therapist will use to target the inner layers of your muscles. This helps to break up scar tissue that forms following an injury and reduce tension in muscle and tissue.
Enhanced Circulation
Massage facilitates circulation because the pressure created by the massage technique moves blood through the congested areas. The release of this same pressure causes new blood to flow in. The squeezing and pulling also flushes lactic acid from the muscles and improves the circulation of the lymph fluid, resulting in lower blood pressure and improved body function.
Improved Quality Of Sleep
Massage helps to combat insomnia by promoting the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain. It is believed that the area of the brain that facilitates the body entering into deep sleep uses serotonin to communicate. The brain also uses serotonin to produce melatonin
Improved Mental Alertness
Massage promotes efficient thinking, but it can also improve memory. Tight muscles can limit the circulation to the brain, which consequently does not support memory or concentration. Also, when massage relaxes tense muscles, it eases stress, which also benefits thinking and efficient work. Positive emotions typically are related to better thinking and memory, whereas negative emotions are associated with pessimistic thinking and less concentration. When left untreated.
WYLD Massage
At WYLD we provide you with a personalised care plan which is your own road map to your ideal health destination. What if reaching “pain free” is only the first stop along the route to ideal health. What we know as chiropractors, is pain is a symptom of often a much greater picture.
Pain is incredibly motivating and is often what drives us to get answers. “Life is not a single event; it is an ongoing dynamic process” . Your body is full of potential, let’s see how far you can go!
What To Expect At Your First WYLD Massage Visit
Before your appointment begins, your massage therapist will take a few minutes to get to know your health history, determine how your body is feeling to you and also find out what factors through the day has caused your body various stress . They will then discuss what you’d like to get out of the session.
During this discussion, it’s your opportunity to communicate your needs, concerns, and any areas you prefer to have specifically worked with and conversely, the areas you would like the therapist to avoid.
If you’ve never had a massage before, you may discover you like, dislike or need to adjust something during your session. Always be sure to speak up and let the massage therapist know what you need.
Whether it’s more pressure, less music or additional draping, there should always be an open line of communication between you and your WYLD massage therapist to make you as comfortable as possible, at all times.
References
1. https://www.prevention.com/health/g26305736/massage-therapy-benefits/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5564319/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4925170/
4. https://www.massagemag.com/hand-and-foot-massage-decrease-preoperative-anxiety-124029/
5. https://www.amtamassage.org/publications/massage-therapy-journal/
6. http://www.rmtedu.com/blog/ten-open-access-research-articles-for-massage-therapists
7. https://ijtmb.org/index.php/ijtmb
8. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S027322970500033X
9. https://www.jpsmjournal.com/article/S0885-3924(04)00262-3/fulltext
10. https://massagetherapyfoundation.org/massage-research/research-tools/
11. https://wyldchiropractic.co.nz/wyldlife/why-massage-feels-soo-good?rq=massage
12. https://wyldchiropractic.co.nz/wyldlife/6-beauty-benefits-of-massage?rq=massage
13. https://wyldchiropractic.co.nz/wyldlife/lifestyle-and-herbal-support-for-anxiety?rq=massage
14. https://wyldchiropractic.co.nz/massage-and-sports-therapy