Anyone who has ever received a professional massage will tell you that a few good elbows in the back can work wonders. The feeling of peace and power you leave with after a professional massage is profound. Just a few kinks needed to be worked out and it’s good to go.
It turns out that those benefits aren’t just anecdotal. There’s no doubt that Massage services work, with some of the most groundbreaking studies dating back less than a decade (in the science world, that’s pretty recent).
1. Massage Reduces Muscle Aches And Pains
You feel like climbing a flight of stairs is a 20-mile uphill backpacking trip after a tough workout, whatever that is to you. Massage therapy is an excellent tool for recovering sore muscles after workouts, especially for elite athletes.
Massage therapy can soothe sore muscles as well as reduce bodily pain for people with chronic pain or any syndrome in which pain is a side effect. Massage therapy has been shown to relieve pain associated with fibromyalgia, surgery, and more.
2. Massage Reduces Anxiety and Stress
Every day, adults are inundated with to-do lists, work deadlines, family duties, and attempting to stay on top of their friends’ lives. Most likely, they are far more burdened than they can handle. It still seems as though busyness is a badge of honor, despite the increased awareness of mental health.
Regular massages can help to reduce the levels of stress and anxiety you feel on a daily basis. Not only does taking some time for yourself feel good, but massage therapy is scientifically proven to help your mind and body relax.
Physically, massage allows your body to release tension and calms your fight-or-flight response (which is constantly activated in many of us); mentally, massage induces a sense of calm and helps reduce anxiety.
3. Massage can Improve your Sleep
Similarly, stress and anxiety are rampant today, as is sleep deprivation. Add regular massages to your wellness routine if you need a little help unwinding. Research has found that therapeutic massage can assist you in falling asleep faster, staying asleep longer, and getting better sleep. Several studies have found that massage therapy can help people with insomnia sleep better.
4. Massage can Enhance Your Immune System
If you often come down with a cold or other minor illness, therapeutic massage may benefit you. There is evidence that massage therapy can increase the number of lymphocytes – white blood cells that help your body fight disease – in your blood. Additionally, massage therapy has been shown to reduce markers of disease, such as inflammation and cortisol.
5. The Massage Can Increase Your Flexibility And Range Of Motion
Are you able to touch your toes? Even if you try and realize that you cannot touch your toes, you can still benefit from a massage (even if you can touch). Massage therapy increases joint range of motion and flexibility by manipulating the soft tissue throughout your body.
Specifically, sports massage has been shown to improve muscle and connective tissue function, but any manipulation can improve these parameters. Researchers believe this occurs because massage therapy increases blood flow to the joints, promotes lymph circulation, and relaxes the muscles.