It’s no secret that massages can bring one a lot of benefits, but how many of you actually knew that they are also good for your mental health, in many ways?
According to multiple pieces of research, you should consider massages part of your toolkit of strategies to maintain solid mental health, as the latter is considered as one of the biggest issues of the 21st century, but ignored by many people.
Therefore, let’s take a few moments and discuss the positive impact massages can have on your mental well-being, shall we?
It can stimulate the production of feel-good hormones, responsible for alleviating depression
Depression is one of those conditions which can be not visible at all, able to make people feel like they don’t even get out of bed. However, according to several studies, there is a strong correlation between massage therapy and alleviation of many depressive symptoms.
Specifically, it was proven that one of the main massage benefits is affecting body chemistry, thus increasing serotonin and dopamine, the two neurotransmitters involved in depression.
Since massage involves human touch, it can help individuals ‘get rid’ of loneliness, one of the most isolating feelings of depression, by releasing oxytocin, also known as the “cuddle hormone” and responsible for triggering an increased social bonding.
Regular massage sessions can soothe anxiety
Anxiety itself can turn into bigger mental health issues, so for some people, laying on a massage table, alone with their thoughts, can sound like a big challenge. Still, it can help a lot!
A massage session can significantly reduce the amount of build-up stress in the body, thus helping you forget about the anxiety that runs throughout your veins. But this is not everything, as it has been proven that it diminishes the level of cortisol, known as the stress hormone, by almost 30 per cent! And this can really help your body fight anxiety!
As a side note, a study conducted in 2010 showed that a short-term 50 per cent anxiety reduction when it comes to anxiety symptoms can be observed after constant massaging sessions.
It can help you concentrate better
One of the most ignored massage benefits is its ability to solve concentration issues. We know, it sounds surprising, but you should know that this is one of the ways you can boost your ability to handle tasks better.
Technically speaking, the lack of concentration is caused by muscle tension, which eventually diverts blood flow from your brain. However, massage can help release this, increasing the nutrient flow and the amount of oxygen reaching your brain, allowing you to step up your focus.
Studies have also shown that even a 15-minute session in a massage chair can decrease frontal alpha and beta power, which results in enhanced alertness. Even more, people who got massages admitted increased speed and accuracy on math problems!
More energy!
Last but not least, we shouldn’t forget about probably one of the primary massage benefits: improving circulation.
The body’s lymphatic system is basically the equivalent to a drainage system, being able to remove toxins, as well as waste build-up and bacteria, thus protecting it against any threats.
By applying pressure on the body, the lymphatic system receives a huge boost and detoxifies itself with more ease. But this is not everything as your circulation will improve as well, creating a really nice feeling of freshness!
To wrap it up, a massage session can offer you a lot, whether it’s your mental health or just overall well-being. Schedule your appointment at Maria’s Professional Massage of Clearwater today and you will experience these benefits yourself, even after just one session.
Picture Credit: xaviercastelan