The Benefits of Massage Therapy

While massage is generally considered part of complementary and alternative medicine, it is increasingly being offered along with standard treatment for a wide range of medical conditions and situations. Research into the many health benefits of massage will help you put aside any thoughts that massage is only an indulgence.

The following are ten physical and mental health benefits of massage:

Enhances skin tone and skin health − Skin cells are revitalised, moisturised, and replenished naturally. When using high-quality oils and creams, massage therapists can significantly improve the tone and health of your skin after just a few massage sessions.
Aides in sleep − Massage helps people spend more time in deep sleep, the restorative stage in which your body barely moves. Studies find that the fibromyalgia sufferers slept nearly an hour longer at the end of the study period than they did at the beginning, and that their sleep was deeper.
Improves circulation − Especially during the winter months when circulation and metabolisms may be slower, massage can help in removing toxins in the blood and encouraging fresh energy to circulate easily. Efficient circulation also helps in muscle recovery, growth, and promotes the natural healing process.
Enhances a calm mind − Massage can encourage this state of mind by relaxing the entire body. Clam minds are most conducive to creative thinking, developing plans, organising thoughts, and reducing stressful thoughts.
Increases self-awareness – Massage encourages a mind-body connection, greater ease of movement, a more centred feeling, and an enhanced feeling of well being.
Increases and promotes joint flexibility − Massage helps to relieve stored tension and encourages flexibility of the joints after rest. Any soreness experienced after a massage can be an indication that these are tension spots for you. Focusing on these areas on your next massage will increase joint recovery.
Improves circulation − Especially during the winter months when circulation and metabolisms may be slower, massage can help in removing toxins in the blood and encouraging fresh energy to circulate easily.
Improves posture − Posture can slowly and naturally improve as the spine and muscles around the spine become more flexible and supple.
Promotes deeper breathing – Improved posture aids in breathing and less tension throughout the body. By enhancing your oxygen intake, you will naturally promote the release of toxins and negative energy within the body.
Reduces pain – Massage therapy lowers cortisol, a hormone that’s produced in response to stress, by an average of 31 percent. And when cortisol levels decline, serotonin, one of the body’s anti-pain mechanisms, increases.

Massage can be a powerful tool to help you take charge of your health and wellbeing.