Massage is becoming one of the most well known, well understood and popular complementary therapies today, and for good reason. Due to the range of techniques and styles available in massage, you'd be astounded at just how good massage is for you. To find out more about exactly how you can benefit, read on for more information.
Physiological Massage Benefits
Massage has a strong effect on the body physically, or physiologically, and you will be surprised at just how much it can be of help to you. Some of these benefits include:
- Improves waste removal processes in the body
- Encourages sleep, thus helping with insomnia and other sleep issues
- Helps to relieve stiff and aching joints, including arthritis
- Encourages lymph drainage which can help to reduce swelling
- Improves the blood circulation through the body
- Helps to encourage deeper breathing
- Improves skin tone and colour
- Relaxes and relieves sore and tired muscles
- Can either help to stimulate or sedate the nervous system
- Helps the body to relax
- Can help to limit scars forming after injuries and can also help to break down existing scar tissue
- Massage can help to release muscles that are pressing on nerves, therefore relieving pain or tingling in arms and legs
- Can improve muscle tone and balance, thus giving better support to the skeletal system
- The relaxing properties of massage can help to decrease the heart rate
- Regular massage can actually increase white blood cells, strengthening your immune system
- By relaxing the respiratory muscles, massage can improve lung capacity
- Improving and stimulating digestion
Psychological Massage Benefits
As well as the physical effects on the body, massage can also be very helpful psychologically. Ways that you can psychologically benefit from massage include:
- Overall relaxation, which is very important for helping to reduce stress, tension, anxiety, and the effects of these
- It helps to ease the mental distress that is caused by being in pain
- Massage can help to improve your self confidence and self esteem
- It releases endorphins, which are the body's natural "feel good" chemicals, giving you a natural high
- Massage creates an overall feeling of wellbeing.
