If you’ve been feeling achy, tired or stressed out lately, you may have thought about taking some me-time and booking a Massage to help you relax. For centuries, massages have been used for their therapeutic properties in helping to treat and ameliorate a variety of conditions. Massage therapy encompasses a wide range of practices, from Thai massage to Swedish massage to countless other forms of muscle and soft-tissue kneading that can help improve well being. No matter what type of massage you’re interested in getting, there are some key health benefits that you should know about before you book your first session.
1. It Can Help Soothe Muscle Pain
If you find yourself regularly dealing with sore, aching muscles, some massage therapy could just be the thing to ease your pain. Because massaging involves muscle manipulation that can also help improve your circulation, getting a massage can help relieve aches. If you suffer from chronic back pain, for example, this can be a particularly effective treatment method.
2. It Can Help Improve Anxiety
One surprising benefit of massages is that the therapy and the human contact can help alleviate symptoms of anxiety and even help improve depression. Working with a familiar, friendly professional can provide a stress relief outlet and a safe social context that can allow you to relax and let go of negative feelings. In fact, many patients with anxiety or depression report feelings of happiness, relaxation and calmness following their massages. If you suffer from one of these conditions, you may want to talk to your doctor about adding in regular massages as part of your treatment.
3. It Could Boost Your Immune System
Another unexpected benefit of getting massages regularly is that it could potentially help boost your immune system health. This is because massages have been shown to increase the body’s white blood cell count. Because white blood cells help ward off disease, this means your massage could actually be making your body more resilient! Additionally, there are some other physical benefits you may notice, too, including fewer headaches. If you suffer from chronic tension headaches, for instance, massages have been shown to decrease both their severity and their frequency.
4. It Can Improve Your Sleep Quality
If you’ve been having a hard time getting to sleep lately, or if you can get to sleep but then toss and turn and wake up throughout the night, you may be interested to learn that massages have actually been shown to help improve sleep quality. Sleep is essential to your body repairing and renewing itself and getting poor sleep can have significant effects on your cognitive ability and the rest of your day, not to mention your overall health, so sleeping well is imperative. Massages promote a relaxed state and so can potentially help calm you down for more restful sleep. It’s even been shown in some cases to be helpful for infants who fuss and don’t sleep well. The next time your baby isn’t sleeping well and you aren’t either, consider giving them a gentle massage to lull them back to dreamland!
5. It Can Counteract Constant Sitting
Finally, if you work at a desk and you spend most of your days sitting down, getting a massage can be a great way to counteract that inactivity and help your body get back into balance. Sitting for long periods of time can have negative effects on your posture, put stress on your shoulders and even weaken muscles over time. With regular massages, you can help your body feel better and potentially even hang on to your office job longer without having to sacrifice your health.
Whether you’ve been feeling lots of aches and pains lately, have been stressed out from work or just need some time to yourself, a massage can help improve your physical, mental and emotional health. Massage therapy has been around for centuries and can have a surprising number of health benefits, especially when practiced on a regular basis. The next time you need stress or pain relief, consider whether booking a massage could help you feel better. It could just be the perfect way to take some time for yourself, let your body get refreshed and start feeling yourself again.
The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.