Did you ever realise that massage has so many far reaching benefits? When it comes to body massage, don’t think of it as just a ‘pamper session’!
Relaxing Way To Lower Stress
During your day-to-day life, levels of stress tends to grow, sometimes quickly in reaction to events, and sometimes gradually over time. The tension that you ‘feel’ manifests itself throughout your physiology, which can have detrimental effects to your entire body if not managed.
Now, imagine an hour or so of “you” time, relaxing in a warm darkened room, receiving a massage with dreamy music in the background. Not only does it sound relaxing, your body responds at a physiological level leaving you more relaxed.
Massage has also been shown to decrease the level of the stress hormone, cortisol, as well as boosting the immune system (see below).
You will be left relaxed and re-invigorated in both mind and body.
Release Muscle Tension
An experienced therapist will be able to notice the stresses and strains on your body to help release muscle tension. With careful and strategic massage techniques, your body is realigned more to its natural ‘perfect’ state, improving your movement, flexibility and posture. Muscles, tendons, joints and connecting tissues all benefit.
Although there is no scientific proof behind the belief that massage aids the releasing of Lactic Acid, it is well know to reduce muscle soreness and swelling, a fact that explains why so many athletes have regular massage after training.
Boost Your Immune System and Flush Toxins
The technique of massage on the body helps to eliminate toxins from muscle and fat and also stimulates lymph flow, which carries waste products away from the tissues back toward the heart. It is also recognised that massage can increase the number of lymphocytes (white blood cells that play a large part in defending your body from disease).
Reduce Blood Pressure
The increased blood circulation that comes with massage, helps the flow of oxygenated blood around the body, helping to normalise irregular blood pressure.
Improved Wellbeing and Sleep
During massage, your brain releases increased levels of serotonin and dopamine. These naturally occurring chemicals help your body move fluidly, allow your mind to stay calm and focused, and can also help you avoid depression and other mood disorders.
Very often we have feedback from clients that have enjoyed their ‘best sleep in a long time’ the evening after a massage.
Enhance Skin Tone and Skin Health
Because massage stimulates the skin and the localised blood cells, it is natural to come away from massage with a bit of a ‘glow’. The increased nutrition to the cells encourages regeneration and ‘vasodilation’ (dilation of blood vessels) on the surface of the skin, helping to improve colour, tone and elasticity.
Plus, the increased production of sebum helps to improve the suppleness of the skin and can help with resistance to infection.
Who Shouldn’t Have Massage
Now that you understand massage does more to the body than perhaps you first imagined, it is worth mentioning that people with medical conditions, allergies, weak bones, people prone to blood clots or taking blood thinners, or people who have recently had surgery should consult their doctor. The same obviously applies for pregnant ladies under three months through their term.
Basic Aftercare
When you have had a massage, you will be surprised at the effect afterwards – even if it doesn’t seem like it at the time.
You must drink plenty of water and stay hydrated and avoid alcohol, tea, coffee or fizzy drinks for up to 24 hours.
You can see our salon massage treatments here: