Benefits of Massage
Massage gives you a roadmap of stress areas in your body. Many times people don't know how much stress they're carrying until they have a massage; then they're able to feel it and let go of it. As the massage therapist stretches and loosens muscles and connective tissues, stress and muscular tension are released. Once you have an awareness of where stress lodges in your body, you can begin to do something about it. You start to educate yourself and your body, and you reverse a negative cycle. Massage, often prescribed for injuries and conditions of pain, works at softening the muscles so that the therapist can move in more deeply to break up adhesions and tension. This allows muscles to become really elastic, the way they should be. The body then may be freed of spasm and pain, increase its range of motion, and have the ability to avoid injury.
What can massage really do?
Physical Level
Physical Level
- Deep relaxation and stress reduction
- Relief of muscle tension and stiffness
- Reduced muscle spasm and tension
- Relief from entrapment of nerves in muscle
- Greater joint flexibility and range of motion
- Increased ease and efficiency of movement
- Promoted deeper and easier breathing
- Better circulation of both blood and lymph fluids
- Reduced blood pressure
- Relief of tension-related or eye-strain headaches
- Healthier, better nourished skin
- Improved posture
- Faster healing from pulled muscles and sprained ligaments
- Reduces pain, swelling, and formation of scar tissue following injury
- General health maintenance
Mental Level
Emotional Level
- Relaxed state of alertness
- Reduced mental stress: a calmer mind
- Greater ability to monitor stress signals and respond appropriately
- Increased capability for clearer thinking
Emotional Level
- Feeling of well-being
- Reduced levels of anxiety
- Increased awareness of mind-body connection
- Enhanced self image
- A sense of being unified and in harmony