Picture yourself lying on a table with someone kneading your muscles while you relax and let your worries whittle away for an hour. That is the beauty of a massage. It is both a form of self-care and an affordable luxury that will do wonders for your overall health.
Massages can help with an array of ailments, from joint pain to stress relief. They can help you release stress that you didn’t even know you were holding onto, and the best part is that you’ll leave glowing and rejuvenated.
Why You Need a Massage
A massage is good for the body and soul. While the primary purpose of getting a massage is usually to relax, there are numerous other benefits as well. They include pain management and prevention, better health, and a good night’s sleep. You may even find yourself standing taller with more confidence and better posture. Furthermore, getting a massage boosts your mood and can improve your mental health simply because you feel better.
Reasons to Regularly Schedule a Massage
Regularly finding time in your busy schedule to fit in a massage is one of the best forms of preventive medicine you can offer yourself. While a lot can be done in one massage session to relax your body and alleviate pain, regularly scheduling a massage prevents pain and body tension from building up in the first place. If you exercise regularly, massages can be very beneficial for you.
Regular massage can:
- Reduce cortisol levels
- Increase circulation
- Alleviate pain and inflammation
- Reduce anxiety
- Encourage lymphatic drainage
- Lower blood pressure
- Help you sleep better
- Improve your posture
- Help with rehabilitation
- Improve mobility
How is Deep-Tissue Massage Different from Swedish Massage?
Deep-tissue massage promotes muscular healing.
Fibrous adhesions are common causes of muscle pain, stiffness, and limited mobility. They form in the soft tissue of muscles, tendons, and ligaments because of injury or overuse. The adhesions are knots of affected collagen fibers and adjacent connective tissues that stick together.
Deep tissue massage goes beyond Swedish massage where the primary focus is on relaxation. During a deep-tissue massage, the massage therapist works deep into the knots, loosening tight muscles, increasing blood flow, and realigning deep muscles and tissues. The result is a relaxed body and a healthier muscular frame.
Benefits of a Deep-Tissue Massage
Because deep-tissue massage goes deep, improving circulation and promoting healing, it can help cope with specific medical conditions, including:
- Fibromyalgia
- Arthritis
- Chronic migraine
- Cancer
- Plantar fasciitis
- Sciatica
- Rehabilitation from injury
The Best Time to Fit a Massage into Your Busy Schedule
Anytime is a good time to schedule a massage. It all depends on your personal needs and schedule. If you go after work or on your day off (and a massage is definitely worth doing on your day off!), you can go home fully relaxed. Then again, if you go during a lunch break, the massage may prevent a migraine or unbearable lower back pain that the work day may cause. The best time all depends on you.
