Four Potential Benefits of Massage

Whether you are feeling particularly under pressure at the moment, want to make massage a part of your regular self care or would like to use touch therapy for a chronic exhaustive condition, holistic massage can help you to relax and enhance your sense of wellbeing.

Being a holistic practice, massage works on the whole person, body and mind. Here are four examples of how massage can enhance your overall wellbeing.

1 Stress Reduction

Chronic stress is the root cause of many health problems, which is why countering stress is so important to health and wellbeing. You can read more about the impacts of stress in my post How Stress Aware Are You?

There are several ways in which massage can help with stress reduction. Right from the start, the ambience of the treatment room can have a calming effect with the warmth, soft lighting, scents, relaxing music and the comfort of the treatment couch and drapes. From the first massage strokes, the stimulation of the touch receptors in the skin can help to lower heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol levels. You can read more about that in my previous post The Value of Touch. Added to that, the manipulation of muscles during a massage can stimulate the release of endorphins, which are natural mood enhancers.

2 Pain Management

Whether you suffer from chronic pain or everyday aches and pains, massage can help by releasing tension and enhancing the blood flow within the tissues, which not only helps with pain reduction, but may also accelerate the body’s natural healing processes. The stress-reducing effect of massage also helps with pain management.

3 Improved Flexibility and Range of Motion

Regular massage treatments can promote suppleness and elasticity through the stretching and compressing of tissues. The greater freedom of movement not only feels good, but can help reduce the risk of injury.

4 Better Sleep

Sleep of a good quality and quantity is fundamental to health and wellbeing, as I explain more in my post Sleep as a Pillar of Health. By promoting physical and mental relaxation, massage can promote better sleep by making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep. And don’t worry if you fall asleep on the couch, I take it as a compliment that you feel so relaxed and a sign that you needed the sleep. To fully benefit from the sleep-enhancing effect of a massage, plan to keep the rest of the day as quiet as possible.

As you can see, massage can have many potential benefits to health and wellbeing. Over the past few years I have learnt various massage techniques that I can use as appropriate in a treatment to tailor it to your particular needs. My aim is to help you to feel good during and after a treatment.

If you are interested in trying a holistic massage or would like to find out more about it, do get in touch on 07528 708650 or email wendy@rookeholistic.co.uk. I provide treatments at the Formula Health clinic in Pangbourne and you can book appointments through the clinic or directly with me. I also provide a mobile service in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, so if you would like a massage in the comfort of your own home, please contact me directly.