Every December, many of us go into a frenzy as we start analyzing our lives and hating ourselves for all of the things we did and didn’t do throughout the year. We come up with these grand plans for the new year and how the future will be better.
For most of us, our resolution list looks like this:
“I’m going to exercise and eat healthier in the new year.”
Does this sound like number one on your list? Well, you’re not alone! Exercise and healthy eating are a great place to start, but why not take it a step further and explore the wonderful world of Massage Therapy as well?
Here are my top 5 reasons why massage therapy is a benefit to your health and wellness and should be included in your wellness plans:
Massage Therapy Is A Powerful Relaxation Tool
How often do you find the time to relax? Even when it’s time to sleep, many of us are not truly relaxed. Our minds are in overdrive; we are on our phones chatting, or on social media catching up on the latest trends.
A massage allows you time to relax and forget about all that is happening in the world and be just be present in your own body. Did you know that massage therapy stimulates a part of your nervous system which tells your brain to calm down and release stress?
I can personally speak to this because as a business owner, wife, and mother of three, there is never a dull moment. So, when I’m granted an hour of “Me-Time” to just veg; I just veg!
Releasing tight muscles improves muscle function and range of motion
Do you suffer from nagging aches and pains in your neck or shoulders? Maybe your back?
If you haven’t injured yourself recently, the discomfort could stem from repetitive work-related tasks. If left untreated, the pain could become chronic and lead to muscle stiffness, limited muscle function and mobility, and even trigger points.
Regular Massage Therapy can help eliminate these issues by releasing adhesions in the soft tissue and deeper connective structures.
Massage Therapy can improve overall circulation
Did you know massage therapy has a direct effect on your cardiovascular system?
Many of the traditional massage strokes like effleurage and petrissage help to increase blood flow and transport more oxygen as well as nutrients throughout the body.
These techniques stimulate a faster recovery from injuries, reduce pain and improve cardiovascular and lymph flow. It’s a win-win!
Massage Therapy can bring body awareness
Body awareness is being cognizant of how your body responds under certain conditions. We often get so wrapped up in our daily routines that we don’t realize the effect they have on our bodies.
There have been several times when I did not realize how sore my muscles were until I received a massage. It forced me to analyze my daily activities and pinpoint specific muscle groups that I might have overworked throughout my work day.
This awareness creates a great starting place for treatment and discovering what areas of the body I may need to loosen, strengthen and stretch to make my daily routines easier and more comfortable.
Let’s face it; Massage Therapy feels great!
Massage therapy is a natural form of treatment delivered in a controlled fashion. Think of it this way; when you stub your toe, what is the first thing you do? You got it! You rub it; that’s called self-massage.
You massage the area because you want to comfort yourself and encourage more blood flow to the area which promotes healing.
Massage Therapists do the same thing except they use a variety of controlled techniques to address your individual concerns.
And finally, humans thrive on touch therapy.
According to the Touch Research Institute (University of Miami School of Medicine), Preemies who received massage experienced 47% more weight gain than those who did not.
They were awake and active greater percentage of the time, exhibited greater alertness, orientation, responsiveness (Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale) and were hospitalized six days less than infants who did not receive massage.
Are you sold yet? Contact us today and get started with incorporating Massage Therapy into your wellness plan.
