7 Incredible Benefits Of Massage – #6 Will Surprise You!

Gone are the days when people used to seek massage therapy only for experiencing relaxation. Today it has become a mainstream treatment technique that’s available in hospitals, nursing homes, and physical therapy clinics. Yes, it means, the use of massage is not only limited to luxury spas anymore. If you still believe that massage is only for those who are looking forward to pampering themselves, you are nowhere near discovering the truth. The fact is, massage therapy is helpful for everyone from an infant to a person in their 90s when it comes to managing pain and eliminating discomfort that stems from injuries and chronic illnesses.

So, whether you are grappling with a sports injury like a hamstring injury, Achilles tendon, ankle injury, back injury or a chronic disease such as arthritis, massage therapy can help you manage the pain. You can either seek it alone or use it as a complementary therapy along with standard treatment based on the severity of your injury or illness. In other words, if your injury is not that severe, you don’t have to take any other treatment apart from massage therapy to cure it. However, if you have injured yourself too severely, you can still use massage therapy as a complementary therapy along with other treatment that your doctor suggests.

Here is how massage therapy helps in improving your health.

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1) It Reduces Stress

If your body is too exhausted, it will end up making you feel uncomfortable by producing a stress hormone call cortisol. High levels of cortisol can lead to several problems such as headaches, difficulty falling asleep, and trouble digesting food, apart from increasing your stress level. Additionally, it can also lead to weight gain.

However, if you seek massage therapy, it will not only help in minimizing your stress level but will also help you get rid of all the related problems.

2) It Relieves Anxiety and Depression

It’s also helpful for those struggling with anxiety and depression. So whether you are depressed because of family issues or the tight competition that you face in the office, you can seek a massage without giving a second thought. According to Peak Performance in Motion, “Physical therapy services use massage therapy to help alleviate both depression and anxiety. If a person frequently experiences high levels of stress or fatigue, massage therapy helps the muscles to relax, easing the effects of stress.”

3) It Promotes Relaxation

Since a massage helps in reducing the level of cortisol in your body, it eventually helps in promoting relaxation. Because it allows your body to recover from a variety of health issues, it finally helps make you feel relaxed.

4) It Boosts Energy Levels

If you don’t feel energetic, you should seek massage therapy to boost your energy level, apart from consuming a healthy diet. Since it helps in improving your sleep and reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, you naturally feel more energetic. When you get a good night’s sleep, you wake up feeling fresh and energetic in the morning.

5) It Lowers Blood Pressure

One of the most crucial health benefits of massage therapy involves controlling your blood pressure. Regular massage can minimize both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Since high blood pressure makes you vulnerable to heart attacks and strokes, it’s better to keep them at bay with massage therapy.

6) It Boosts Metabolism

If you are experiencing symptoms like chronic fatigue, constant headaches, depression, and constipation, etc., it means you have a slow metabolism. And if you want to get rid of all these problems in a natural way, you should go for massage therapy. Yes, apart from eating your meals at the right time, drinking sufficient cold water, getting a good night’s sleep, and performing high-intensity workouts, you should also try massage therapy to boost your metabolism.

7) It Strengthens Muscles

If you are unable to incorporate strength training in your workout routine, then an alternative way to do so is through massage therapy. Not everyone can stick to exercises like bicep curls, overhead presses for the shoulders, and chest presses to strengthen their upper body muscles. Similarly, not everyone enjoys performing exercises like hamstring curl, quadriceps extension, and standing leg lifts when it comes to improving the muscles on their lower body. So, if you are like them, then massage therapy is your answer.