Benefits of Massage

Here are a few of the benefits you receive during massage

1. Skin refresh

The slight friction of your massage therapist’s hands along with the massage lotion and oil causes gentle exfoliation, allowing fresh skin cells to emerge.

2. Nervous system relaxation

As you relax, your nervous system enters a “rest and digest” mode. If you have areas of pain and tension in your body, it’s possible that they are the result of pressure on nerves caused by tight muscles, and massage may relieve it.

A relaxed nervous system means that hormone production will balance out. Production of stress hormones such as corticosteroids (LDL) decreases, as “feel good” hormones like endorphins increase. Hormones that regulate sleep/wake cycles, menstrual cycles, immune cells, blood sugar, and even how much food you eat, all react positively to the relaxation that accompanies a full-body massage.

3. Musculoskeletal benefits

Your muscles are like sponges – when they contract, blood and lymph fluid are squeezed out, and when they relax fresh blood enters bringing fresh nutrition, oxygen, and immune cells. Increased blood supply also accelerates the removal of lactic acid and other products of muscle metabolism that contribute to cramps, muscle fatigue, and DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). Your massage therapist may also incorporate stretching and a range of motion movements into the massage, which mobilizes the joints and places beneficial tension on your muscles, ligaments, and tendons.

4. Lymphatic detox

The lymphatic system is crucial to balance the fluid and the function of your immune system. Lymphatic vessels parallel blood vessels throughout your body and large groups of lymph nodes are found in the neck, armpits, and groin.

As your massage therapist works on flushing blood through muscle and tissue, they are also draining the lymphatic system, where the lymph nodes filter out dead cells, waste products, and possible pathogens. Sluggish lymph flow contributes to fluid retention, and dtaining the lymphatic system may help to reduce edema in certain parts of the body.

5. Improved bone blood supply

Did you know your bones also have a blood supply and receive the same advantages from massage as your muscles? Blood flow brings calcium and other minerals to your bones to support their strength and function, so your skeletal system receives a major boost from massage.

6. A healthy heart

A full-body massage is good for your heart as well.  Your entire cardiovascular system relaxes and circulation throughout your body improves. Activation of the parasympathetic nervous system’s “rest and digest” mode helps regulate blood pressure and heart rate.

7. Digestive well-being

Stress takes a toll on the digestive system, and a full-body massage can have a very healthy effect on how your body process food and nutrients. The parasympathetic nervous system regulates your digestion, producing needed chemicals (like saliva, gastric juice, and insulin) and stimulates peristalsis, which moves food through your intestines.

8. Improved breathing

Your massage therapist may ask you to take a deep breath at the start of the massage. Unrestricted breathing is one of the fasted ways to reduce stress, and your first breath on the massage table may become a sigh of relief. In addition to the diaphragm, there are muscles in your ribs, chest and neck that assist breathing.

Read more: The Incredible Benefits of Massage for Anxiety

Since so much tension accumulates in shoulder, chest, and neck muscles, it’s no wonder that our breathing becomes restricted when we’re stressed. As you relax further into the massage and your breathing deepens and evens out, your massage therapist can work into tense muscles to reduce tightness in muscles that assist respiration.