The Surprising Health Benefits of Massage Therapy

Massage therapy has long been used for its healing properties. This whole body treatment is no longer available only at luxury spas and holiday resorts. Nowadays, most hospitals and private clinics offer massage therapy for migraines, sports injuries, weight loss, back pain, and other common complaints. Whether you want to slim down, get rid of stress, or recover faster from injuries, massage can help. Let’s take a quick look at its health benefits:

Manage Stress and Anxiety

This therapy is widely used as a natural cure for depression, anxiety, and stress-related disorders. Studies indicate that massage lower the stress hormone cortisol levels, which helps lift your mood. At the same time, it raises serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain, reducing your risk of depression. Employees who receive massages at work are more productive and report enhanced mental focus.

Improve Your Posture

Poor posture is one of the main causes of neck and back pain. Over time, it can lead to muscular imbalances and spinal abnormalities. Additionally, it affects digestion and breathing capacity. Massage therapy allows your body to reinforce natural movements and maintain good posture. It also relaxes the muscles that support your spine, which helps relieve pain and tension.

Get a Better Night’s Sleep

If you want to catch more Zzzz’s, massage therapy is the answer. This form of treatment can help improve sleep and heal insomnia. It’s particularly beneficial for those who have hard time falling asleep because of fibromyalgia, mental disorders, lower back pain, migraines, cerebral palsy, and dyssomnia.

Relieve Fibromyalgia Symptoms

Massage therapy helps relieve the symptoms of fibromyalgia, a common condition that triggers severe pain in the joints, muscles, and soft tissues. Most sufferers also experience headaches, poor sleep, irritable bowel syndrome, and chronic fatigue. Regular massage can ease pain, decrease soreness, and boost your energy levels.

Keep Your Heart Healthy

This healing therapy improves cardiovascular health in more than one way. Evidence shows that regular massage lowers blood pressure and relieves stress, which reduces the risk of heart disease. Moreover, it improves blood flow to the heart muscle and brain, releases contracted muscles, and dilates blood vessels. These factors combined lead to improved cardiovascular function.