Surprising Benefits of Massage Therapy

It is no secret that the human touch can be curing.

People have been practicing massages for centuries and it is no secret why – a massage helps you relax and feel great! That is why so many people schedule massage treatments during their free time. Plus, we all know that massage can help to eliminate muscle aches and pains or reduce stress which is why most people get a massage in the first place. But massage may be able to do even more than you realize such as boost your immune system, make your joints more flexible, help to recover after traumas.

You can even choose from a number of amazing massage styles. Each technique offers its own advantages to help you feel comfortable and peaceful. And some massages offer even more benefits than other types of massages.

Benefits of Massage Therapy

While a massage can be considered a luxury item, the medical benefits of massage are also quite extensive. For example, recent studies have shown that massage can help to boost immune system function and effectiveness. It can also contribute to lower heart rate and blood pressure. In some case, it has even been found to improve asthma symptoms in young children and to help premature babies gain and maintain weight.

Check out more benefits of massage therapy.

Improve Your Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a serious health risk that can be fatal in some cases. This is why it is important to work on lowering your blood pressure if you find out it is too high. Massage can do more than just melt away muscle pain; it can also improve your blood pressure and can contribute to your overall health and wellbeing. Research suggests that massage can reduce hypertension by stimulating pressure receptors that prompt the vagus nerve, the nerve that regulates blood pressure. In addition, massage can increase your blood circulation and boost circulation to the extremities. This medical benefit results in overall improved health!

Boost Your Immunity

Massage can also help to improve your body’s immunity. During your massage, as your stress levels decrease, the amount of cortisol, or the hormone produced by stress, also decreases. Because cortisol kills cells that are important for immunity, lowering the levels of cortisol in your body can help to increase your ability to fight illnesses. Limiting the amount of cortisol in the body can also help to soothe anxiety and depression, resulting in an elevated mood.

Improve Your Sleep 

Are you losing precious hours of sleep? Stress and illness make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night. If you do not get enough sleep, you put yourself at risk for developing other illnesses.

As anyone who has fallen asleep on the massage table can attest, massage is a great sleep aid. However, massage can also result in improved restfulness after you leave the treatment room. Massage has been shown to stimulate delta waves, the kind of brain waves that are responsible for deep sleep. As a result, following a massage, patients report falling asleep faster, sleeping longer, and having a more restful overall sleep experience. Receiving a massage is an excellent way to help yourself relax, clear your mind, and eventually get a better night’s sleep.

Reduce Pain

Scientific research has shown that massage can dramatically reduce pain from a multitude of different ailments. As you might guess, massage can effectively reduce back pain. In fact, massage has been shown to reduce back pain better than manual alignments and acupuncture.

In addition to alleviating muscle pain, massages can also help to reduce other kinds of aches and pains. For example, massages have been linked to a reduction in chronic headaches and migraines and getting a massage can reduce the need for painkillers. Do you sit all day at a desk? Massages are also a fantastic way to address the strain, stress and damage you place on your body with a sedentary lifestyle. Pain from headaches and the occurrence of migraines can also be reduced through the use of massage therapy. Those who suffer from osteoarthritis can also see an improvement in pain through massage.

Relieve Stress & Promote Relaxation

Every year, stress-related ailments cost Americans $300 billion in medical bills and lost productivity. Stress does not just interfere with daily routines, but it also has a negative effect on health. The body experiences physical and emotional symptoms when you are stressed out. This can lead to a weakened immune system that makes you sick more often.

Chronic stress increases your risk of contracting cancer, heart disease, cirrhosis of the liver and lung ailments. One of the best ways to combat stress is with a regular massage. According to studies by the American Institute of Stress and the National Institutes of Health determined that massage reduces physiological measures of stress (including hormonal and physical variables) and is effective for stress relief on both a psychological and physical level.

Deeper Breathing

Many people go through their days without being conscious of their breathing. When you are tense or worried, your breath has a tendency to become shallow, which furthers the cycle of stress. Deep breathing promotes a healthy flow of oxygen through your body, which is necessary for healing and growth. Your massage therapist may give you cues to encourage you to be aware of your breath, and you will in turn feel your stress melt away. Practicing deep breathing during your massage can also help you once you’re back in the real world to focus on this simple yet important function.

Improved Flexibility

In today’s modern world, many people spend a great deal of time sitting at a desk or staring at a computer, notebook, or smartphone. Spending so much time in a sitting position with less-than-perfect posture can cause your muscles to lose flexibility and become tense, leading to chronic soreness and pain. As your muscles become more flexible and supple during repeated massages, your posture may improve when tension is released.

Better Mental Health

It’s normal to feel tense or stressed out some of the time, but feeling this way too often can have detrimental effects on your mental health and your physical well-being. A massage helps your mental state because feel-good chemicals are released during your treatment. It can even help relieve the symptoms of depression and anxiety in addition to making you feel generally more relaxed.

Reduce Anxiety and Depression

Massage therapy lowers the level of cortisol (a stress hormone) in the body, and at the same time increases the levels of neurotransmitters that work to reduce depression. As a result, stress and anxiety levels drop and you are better able to cope with depression.

Cancer Relief

Massage is a wonderful complement to traditional cancer treatments. For many cancer patients, massage can reduce the symptoms of cancer and the side effects of treatment. Massage can not only reduce pain, but also combat fatigue, nausea, and swelling. In addition, massage improves circulation and boosts the immune system, helping the body in its fight against cancer.

To take advantage of all of the benefits that massages have to offer, contact West Garden Spa in Midtown Manhattan near Penn Station. Our experienced and professional team of massage therapists can provide a variety of massage techniques including Asian massage and Shiatsu massage. Call our Midtown Manhattan massage parlor today at 212.244.7711.