Massage is no longer available only in luxury spas and health clubs. Today, massage therapy is provided in clinics, businesses, airports, and hospitals. If you have never tried massage, there are some top benefits of massage for your body.
What is a massage?
Massage is a general term for rubbing, pressing, and manipulating your muscles, skin, ligaments, and tendons. Massage can range from light stroking to deep pressure. There are different kinds of massage. Some of them are:
- Swedish massage- This is a gentle form of massage that uses kneading, long strokes, vibration, deep circular movements, and tapping to help you relax and energize you.
- Deep massage- This massage method uses slow, more-forceful strokes to focus on the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissues, generally to help with any muscle damage caused by injuries.
- Trigger point massage- This massage focuses on areas of tight muscle fibers that can form in the muscles after severe injuries.
- Sports massage- This is as same as Swedish massage, but it is geared towards people involved in sports activities to treat injuries.
Long-term benefits of Massage for your body
Generally, massage is considered as a part of integrative and complementary medicine. It is increasingly being provided along with the standard treatment for different medical conditions and situations. Several studies on the benefits of massage therapy show that it is an effective treatment for lessening stress, muscle tension, and pain.
Chronic Pain
People suffering from chronic pain often choose massage therapy to improve their quality of life. Massage can raise a person’s serotonin level, which helps the body to lessen pain naturally. Nearly 35 percent of all people who receive body massages experience less pain coupled with stiffness, injuries, chronic health conditions, and soreness.
One of the major benefits of massage therapy is it reduces fibromyalgia symptoms. Fibromyalgia is a chronic syndrome portrayed by general pain, intense fatigue. Joint rigidity, sleep alterations, muscle, and headache spasms. A study by the University of Miami School of Medicine found that massage therapy helped individuals suffering from fibromyalgia. A relaxing massage made them feel more relaxed and assisted with tender point pain and reduced their levels of substance P ( a substance which is responsible for sending pain signals to the body).
Back Pain
When the Canadian Medical Association Journal looked at various solutions for chronic lower back pain, the researchers found that massage was the most effective treatment for lessening back pain.
Diabetes
One of the most surprising benefits of massage is it helps in treating diabetes. Several doctors have recommended massage for treating diabetes. It helps to restore the proper usage of insulin and lessening inflammation.
Reduces Anxiety, Depression, and Fatigue
One of the major benefits of massage for your body is it lowers stress, eliminates depression, and at the same time improves fatigue too. Several studies have found that the presence of depression is generally triggered by chronic pain. That depression leads to muscle tension and pain which can be painful to experience on a regular basis.
Arthritis pain
A massage that involves the application of light pressure to joints and tiny pressure points under your skin could help you ease the arthritis pain. Massage can increase the flow of blood to your joints and boosts blood circulation all throughout the body, which could help in increasing your flexibility and mobility.
Improves body posture
Sitting in front of a computer for the whole day or standing on your feet for long hours can cause tension in the back and neck. This can result in bad posture. A right massage can assist the body to reinforce natural and healthy environments. A massage relaxes and loosens muscles. It allows the body to place itself in a natural pain-free position.
Eases headaches
Another significant massage benefit for stress is it relaxes and de-stress the body. This method lessens the chances of experiencing migraine and tension headaches substantially by relaxing trigger points and muscle spasms. Also, it can ease the pressure brought on during a tension-related headache or migraine. By focusing on the parts like shoulders, head, and neck, a massage can reduce the pain as well as discomfort caused by a migraine or tension headaches.
Massage can help in lowering blood pressure and improves blood circulation
Massage can improve blood flow, reduces blood pressure, and enhances body function. Improved blood circulation is a vital part of the chain reaction that takes place in the body because of receiving massage daily.
Improves Flexibility
One of the common benefits of massage for your body is a massage can stimulate the production of the natural lubricants in our body to improve flexibility. By working on connective tissues, muscles, ligaments, joints, and tendons, massages can enhance flexibility and a wide range of motion, keeping the joints more fluid and making them less prone to injuries.
Improves athletic performance
Sports massages are precisely designed for improving athletic performance. These days, it is common for athletes to enjoy massages at their training sites or arenas. Some of the common massage benefits for athletes are it helps in relaxing muscles and stiff joints effectively.
Enhances ADHD
It has been found by several studies and research that massage is effective for treating ADHD. In a recent study, teenagers suffering from ADHD who took massage treatment classes for around two weeks rated themselves as more content compared to those who took part in recreation therapy. Researchers found that the patients suffering from ADHD were less squirmy. Teachers observed more-on task behavior when compared with people who participated in recreation therapy.
Treats Insomnia
Massage can increase the level of serotonin in the body. This can help people to experience a relaxing sleep at night. Massage is one of the best treatments for Insomnia.
Reduces Fat and Cellulite
The body fat is stored inside the tiny capsules under the skin. Daily massage with hot oils can help in bursting these fat capsules Your body can use these fat layers to release energy. The benefits of body massage for weight loss are plenty. A massage helps in burning down the body fat. It also lessens the appearance of cellulite that is difficult to get rid of, even after exercising for several hours every day.
A healthy heart
One of the important full body massage benefits is it is great for your heart too. The vasodilation generated by massage increases your venous return. This increases the blood flow and delivery of oxygen to all the body parts. Your whole cardiovascular system relaxes and improves blood circulation in the body.
Massage benefits for pregnancy
Massage during pregnancy is different from a regular massage in several ways. The biggest difference is that the person who is receiving a massage is pregnant. Thus, the knowledge of pregnancy and the examination of a pregnant woman is important. This signifies that positioning during a massage is essential for the safety and well-being of both the baby and mother. Some of the benefits of massage during pregnancy are:
- A rise in blood and lymph circulation, which in turn can reduce swelling
- Ease muscle cramps, myofascial pain, muscle cramps, mainly in the lower back, hips, legs, and neck
- Eases labor pain
- Lessens stress on weight-bearing joints
- Improves the pliability of skin and underlying tissues
Massages are gaining popularity as more and more people are realizing the benefits of massage for your body. Unlike medicines, massages do not have any side-effects. A full body massage can not only make you feel good. Also, it can enhance your quality of life and health too.