10 Reasons to Treat yourself with a Massage
While it’s often considered a luxury, there are numerous reasons why you should be treating yourself to regular massages even if you don’t have the extra funds to spend on them every week.
Whether you suffer from chronic back pain, are just looking to relax after an arduous week at work, or simply want to treat yourself with something nice that will make you feel better about yourself, massages can help with all of these things and more.
Check out the top 10 legit reasons to treat yourself with regular massages below!
1) Decrease pain
Take it from all of those world-class athletes, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, and personal trainers. A massage is not just about feeling good. It’s about feeling good and being healthier too.
Deep tissue massages help break up adhesions in your muscles and connective tissues, which can give you more range of motion in daily activities, improve your posture and alleviate chronic pain.
A 2014 review published in Evidence-Based Complementary Alternative Medicine found that massages are indeed beneficial for musculoskeletal pain and other conditions.
When it comes to alleviating joint pain or just relieving stress, nothing beats a quality rubdown.
2) Live Longer
The idea that receiving regular massages improves your health might seem like a myth, but studies have shown massage can lower stress levels and increase happiness. Stress is one of many contributing factors to chronic disease.
Plus, stress can make existing conditions worse if you don’t take steps to address them early on.
A lot of people deal with stress at work—stress management training is now mandatory for corporate employees in Japan—but many don’t have time or money for therapy or even more time-consuming relaxation techniques like yoga.
On average, people who practice self-care tend to have lower blood pressure and healthier hearts than those who don’t take care of themselves; massages are just one type of care you can use regularly without spending much time or money at all.
3) Release Tension and Pain
It’s common knowledge that massages feel great and help people relax, but did you know they can also relieve muscle tension and pain? When you tense up your muscles due to stress or exercise, your body releases chemicals called cytokines.
Cytokines are important in regulating immune response, cell growth, and even healing processes – but they also cause inflammation. Chronic inflammation is linked with numerous health issues like arthritis, heart disease, fibromyalgia, and type 2 diabetes…you get it!
Without regular massages to release those cytokines, you’re going to feel pretty crummy for a long time. Luckily, it’s relatively easy (and cheap!) for anyone to schedule regular massages at home!
4) Relieve Depression
Studies show that massage therapy boosts your mood, lowers stress and anxiety, helps you sleep better, and generally makes you feel more relaxed.
If you’re battling depression or just need a little pick-me-up, book an appointment at your local massage parlor or day spa.
You may find that what starts out as a temporary treatment becomes something you look forward to every week—but hey, no judgment here. At least you know your body will thank you for it.
5) Reduce stress
If you want to reduce stress and anxiety, get in touch with your mind, body, and spirit.
Meditation is one of many ways that can help you do so. Start by choosing a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed for at least 10 minutes.
Focus on taking slow, deep breaths as you sit comfortably in a straight-backed chair or cross-legged on your cushion. When thoughts wander into your mind—and they will—let them go without judgment or criticism.
You are not trying to stop thinking but simply focus solely on breathing deeply and calmly while letting go of all thought patterns that do not assist in bringing you relaxation.
6) Improve posture
According to research, nearly 80 percent of office workers suffer from posture-related aches and pains. Over time, they can get so bad that standing up straight becomes difficult.
A massage can help improve your posture. By applying varying levels of pressure and stretches, therapists can target problem areas—like tight shoulders or sore muscles—and break up adhesions that cause stiffness and limit your range of motion.
This not only feels great but also reduces your risk for chronic pain issues like neck pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, or headaches due to muscle tension.
On top of that, it’s good for you: Chronic pain is linked with insomnia, heart disease, stroke risk—you name it!
7) Improve sleep quality
Chronic sleep deprivation can increase your risk of weight gain, heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
One study found that even losing as little as 30 minutes of sleep per night can lead to an increased risk of obesity and diabetes.
To reap benefits from massage (and get in some relaxation time), aim for at least 7 hours of shuteye each night.
It’s also a good idea to prioritize sleep over late-night Netflix binges; people who skimp on AZ’s are 50 percent more likely to be obese than their well-rested counterparts, according to Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine research.
8) Increase your energy levels
Perhaps you’re experiencing unexpected tiredness for no obvious reason. Or perhaps you’re feeling exhausted after pushing yourself too hard—in both cases, it could be that your body is asking for some me-time.
If you’ve started experiencing headaches or neck pain, you might have tight muscles in those areas, which may mean it’s time for a massage.
A massage releases endorphins into your bloodstream and increases blood flow throughout your body; relaxing tight muscles can leave you feeling better than ever before!
9) The benefits are long-lasting!
A massage can help you feel rejuvenated, let go of tension, and even boost your immune system.
Even if you’re not feeling sore or tired, they say that regular massages can help reduce blood pressure and improve blood circulation by encouraging better muscle relaxation.
If you want to feel relaxed and healthy, it’s a good idea to schedule regular massages throughout your life. In fact, doing so might be one of the best things you can do for yourself!
10) Get fit while getting rubbed down by experts.
You don’t have to be strong or fit to enjoy massage therapy, especially if you’re getting it from a licensed professional.
But if you’re already in great shape, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t work out your muscles at least once in a while—and what better way than with a therapist who is trained to tailor their approach based on your needs?
If your body aches and pains are disrupting your everyday life, therapeutic massage can put an end to that.
Just make sure they offer several other benefits too, like improving circulation and range of motion, relieving tension headaches, reducing chronic pain caused by injuries or arthritis, and so much more.