Massage therapy as your ongoing health partner
Ten years back, I would have envisaged a massage as the pinnacle of self-indulgence during a spa weekend with friends. But then came the work injuries and assorted work-life strains and stresses, and my eyes were opened to the true health contributions of competent therapeutic massage… so much so that this epiphany led to my own career conversion as a massage therapist!
So it is a privilege for me to now reflect and share with you what health and fitness benefits you can expect from regular sessions of therapeutic massage.
Here are some thoughts on the main areas of impact of massage.
Stress Reduction
Our lives are dominated to an extraordinary degree by our profession and its ceaseless demands. But when it comes to excess stress, thankfully there are ways to manage it well and reduce its negative effect on all our body systems.
Massage therapy is a natural wonder, primarily because it will induce the body to rest in the first instance. Booking a 45mins or 90mins session is time allocated to you 100% - you can’t check your phone or get distracted. More importantly at a physiological level, it will help calm the nervous system by inducing the body to activate the parasympathetic (“rest and digest”) nervous system - yes that Vagus nerve! As a result of easing physical tension in the body, it will also appease the mind and bring more clarity to your thought pattern. With calm comes mental clarity and creativity!
Stress can suppress the immune function. High levels of stress hormones in the body such as adrenalin and cortisol impair the immune system. A regular massage every 4 weeks will improve the immune function as it is proven to help increase the production of white blood cells; also, the stress hormones are then significantly reduced, especially during a longer session as your body has time to go into a deeper relaxation state. Massage prompts the release of endorphins, the body’s natural pain reliever and raises serotonin levels, which help regulate mood, sleep, appetite and digestion.
If you suffer from stress induced tension headaches, insomnia or that your mind feels frazzled, getting a massage once or twice a month will help to keep symptoms at bay but more importantly you are gradually rewiring your system to operate more functionally, i.e. without the headaches and sleep deprivation and all the physiological effects that come with it.
Too much tension in the body can restrict your breathing which obviously has a key physiological effect as it will lower the amount of oxygen available to every cell in the body. Shallow breathing is one of the results of chronic stress and anxiety, hence why in reverse you can affect stress and anxiety in a significant way by relaxing your body and working on your daily breathing technique.
Massage-induced relaxation will deepen and slow breathing patterns, easing feelings of anxiety and depression and releasing more physical energy.
Contact our therapist via email or phone or book an appointment directly.
Injury Prevention
Pain is an all-important communication system of the body and its varying manifestations and intensity marks it out as a key messenger and compass for both you and your massage therapist.
Massage therapy is an excellent way to scan your body for any soft tissue dysfunction or blockages so you can understand what is going on in your body - what normal for you feels like, and what abnormal for you feels like, so you can take action accordingly.
If symptoms of pain start to occur in your body or your range of motion feels restricted in your neck or lower back for example, this might have built up over time, sometimes years. Receiving a massage on a regular basis can prevent such discomfort or debilitating symptoms from occurring so you don’t get to a point where it is stopping you from doing the activities you love. A further benefit is that you are now training your mind in body awareness.
Weight Management and Body Recovery
Massage therapy is a great assistant in the process of weight management, whether you are looking to lose / increase weight or not. At a physiological level, through the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, massage touch can help you transition into the “rest and digest” mode, which will enhance digestion and metabolic waste elimination. This is also the phase in which your body is truly able to do its self-healing work, recover and repair.
From One-Off Body Reward to Ongoing Health Partner
If your desk posture and work pressures are inducing muscular tension causing your neck and shoulders to ache chronically, a couple of massage treatments can make all the difference. More importantly, from then on, regular massage treatment can ensure that body strains are effectively managed that might otherwise induce a neck, shoulder or back injury requiring the assistance of an osteopath!
A single massage session can do wonders of course – but it is a little bit like handing your body a one-off reward rather than engaging in the ongoing health process that the body in fact requires. The idea that the more you practice something, the better you are, applies to your body and health as well. Developing the habit of receiving a massage treatment on a regular basis helps you reap the fruit of repetition and multiplies the therapeutic benefits as you begin embodying the idea that prevention is better than cure!
If you practice a sport, a regular therapeutic massage will help increase joint mobility and flexibility, relieve muscular aches and enhance blood circulation. It is a great partner in ensuring you turn up in peak condition, stave off injury and recover faster – so it is no surprise that so many of our patients are athletes.
In conclusion, massage therapy certainly helps me and many of my patients more effectively manage life stress, stave off injury and generally lead a healthier lifestyle. I would be happy to help you share in these benefits.
A treatment once or twice a month offers your body a chance to relax and repair itself and get into a more positive, energetic and serene life rhythm if your current one is not bringing the best out of you.
Find out more
Are you convinced by the benefits of massage therapy? Are you based in London and would you want to find our more? Please feel free to book an appointment with our London based Bridge To Health Massage Therapist Marialine Cifre at 07811 363 791 or by email marialine@bridgetohealth.co.uk. Or simply book an appointment directly. At Bridge to Health we work with equipment and create dynamic sessions for our clients, looking at your specific body issues, and alignment, preparing a program tailored to your needs.
