Stress and anxiety tend to be a part of our everyday lives, but they can have both mental and physical repercussions. Headaches, muscle pain, stiffness and stomach upset are just a few manifestations of stress and anxiety. All of this affects your sleep patterns, too. How does massage help anxiety and stress? In this article, we'll look at the causes of these conditions and explore the benefits of massage for stress and anxiety. We'll also discuss how you can enjoy the effects of massage chair relief with the help of a cushion you can use in your own home.
What Causes Stress & Anxiety?
Stress can result from either physical injury or mental exertion, while anxiety is strictly a mental health condition. Any demand you place on your brain or body can cause stress. You may feel stressed when multiple tasks are competing for your attention, as anyone who's been given an impossible deadline at work can attest. Your body may feel stressed when you've exercised too hard. Having to give a public presentation to a room full of peers may cause anxiety. Or, you may become anxious at an overcrowded sporting event. Whatever the cause, we all understand that stress and anxiety can take a significant toll on our body and our brain. Getting a massage for stress and anxiety is one way to help alleviate this burden.
Are Stress and Anxiety Always Bad?
The upside of stress and anxiety is they can help you overcome a challenge or work your way through a dangerous situation. Anxiety and stress can motivate you to prevent something bad from happening. Preparing for that presentation you're supposed to give so you know your subject backward and forwards is a good start. While small amounts of stress and anxiety may be good, too much can cause chronic pain and fear that harms us.
Do Massages Help With Anxiety & Stress?
Considered part of integrative medicine, massage for anxiety and stress is being offered alongside standard treatment more often. By triggering serotonin, a neurotransmitter that produces sensations of calm and relaxation, massage has been attributed as beneficial when treating a whole host of medical conditions and situations, including stress and anxiety. Massage has been credited with:
- Increasing relaxation and reducing stress
- Alleviating pain, tension and muscle soreness
- Enhancing circulation, alertness and energy
- Lowering blood pressure and heart rate
- Improving function in the immune system
These benefits of massage go a long way to helping reduce the effects of stress that we encounter in the things we do. Massages help with anxiety, too. And, let's face it, a good massage just feels really fabulous.
Can a Massage Help Me Sleep?
The same calming effects that provide relief for anxiety and stress can also help with insomnia. Massage decreases a substance called cortisol, which is a stress hormone. It also increases serotonin and dopamine. In this way, massage promotes relaxation that helps people get a good night's sleep.
Does Massage Help Other Medical Conditions?
There are studies suggesting that massage's ability to calm and comfort may extend to providing relief from many other conditions, including:
- Fibromyalgia
- Digestive Disorders
- Headaches
- Sports injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
What Are the Different Types of Massage?
From light strokes to intense pressure, massages are available in several different forms. The most common are:
- Swedish Massage: This gentle type of massage utilizes kneading, long strokes, circular movements, tapping and vibration. The objective is relaxation.
- Deep Massage: Deep layers of muscle and connective tissue are the target of a slower, more forceful stroke.This type of massage is used to bring relief to injured muscles.
- Sports Massage: Much like a Swedish massage, this type of massage is tailored to those who are active in sports to help treat or prevent injury.
- Trigger Point Massage: This type of massage homes on areas of the body where tight muscle fibers occur following overuse or injury.
Can I Get The Benefits of Massage for Stress and Anxiety in My Home?
Yes, if you have a massage chair, relief is close at hand. You can create your own version of a massage chair in your home with a Shiatsu massaging cushion, which is designed to nestle alongside the back and seat of your chair and gently manipulate tense and sore muscles to relieve stress and anxiety. Or you may choose to get a full-body massage mat to stretch out on after a long day at work. You may also opt for a handheld back massager, which gives you more flexibility in targeting the area that needs relief.
How Does Massage Help Anxiety & Stress? Snailax Knows!
At Snailax, our mission is to help you slow down at the end of a long day, adopt a snail's pace – and relax. We have non-invasive solutions to relieve your muscles and soothe aches and pains using a combination of motion and heat. We want to bring the massage experience into your home at a price you can afford. Check out our best-selling massagers, and you'll no longer need to ask, "Does massage help anxiety and stress?" – you'll find out for yourself that it really does! We're also committed to customer service, so please contact us with any questions or concerns you may have so we can do the best possible job of relieving the stress in your life!
contact us