What is the Benefit of Massage for Stress and Anxiety?
There’s nothing like getting an amazing massage after a particularly long day or weeks of feeling muscle tension build up in your body. Many people know it’s time to take a trip to the spa when their back feels tight, their legs are sore, or their body stiff all over.
But, not everyone recognizes the benefit of massage treatments for the mind. When you get a massage, it’s not just the muscles that are letting go. Your brain is also able to calm down, relax, and perform better once you’ve made an effort to take proper care of it.
If you never thought about massage benefits like this before, keep reading to find out what a great massage can do for your mind as well as your body.
1. Forget About Stress for a While
The thing about stress is that it’s always on your mind until you handle whatever is going on. But sometimes, handling it means forgetting about it for a while.
You don’t have to finish all of your to-do’s at once, or even everything in one day. If you work a high-stress job or have a lot of moving parts in your life, it’s just not possible. You have to give your mind a break from keeping track of some things, planning for others, and making time for everything else on your plate.
Instead of constantly being “on” and ready for the next task you have to do, prioritize getting a massage to ease your stress. The second a masseuse starts working their magic, you’ll forget all about everything in your mind and focus on the present moment.
2. Ease Your Anxiety
As nice as it is to forget about your worries for a while, they will still be there when you step out of the spa and back into daily life. However, you’ll find that your anxiety won’t be as intense as it was before.
Getting a massage is one of the best ways to take your anxiety level down a few notches. It reminds you that things aren’t as bad as they seem and that even the simplest actions can turn around your whole day.
3. Feel Calm and Relaxed
Maybe you’re not exactly super-stressed or dealing with anxiety, but something still feels off. That’s still a good reason to get a massage! You don’t have to feel overwhelmed or on the edge to give yourself some special self-care.
On the contrary, you know yourself better than anyone. When things aren’t feeling right day in and day out, you have to do something different to figure out what’s going on.
Sometimes, the best thing to do is nothing at all and allow someone to do something for you instead. That’s why many massage therapists do their job in the first place. They know the power of touch has a big way of helping everyday people feel like themselves – and that’s all the reason you need to make an appointment for yourself.
4. Boost Your Self Confidence
Here’s something to think about: maybe your stress comes from social interactions and the lack of confidence you feel in such situations. Is dating hard for you? Do you often feel uncomfortable in crowded areas or when you have to address a room?
If so, a massage may be what you need. Sure, a private massage won’t help you get the girl (or the guy), but it can make you a little more at ease when approaching them later that night. In the same way, scheduling your massage the day before a big event or important presentation will keep you relaxed going into that situation.
Just one hour of this has the power to turn your thoughts around. Instead of putting pressure on yourself to perform well or say the right things, you’ll be relaxed enough to just be yourself.
5. Sleep Better
You sleep better when you’re relaxed. When the muscles aren’t holding tension and the mind is at ease, it’s easier for you to drift into deep sleep and stay there.
If your anxiety is keeping you up at night or your mind is always racing ’round the clock, it’s time to get an evening massage before going to bed. This will do wonders for your quality of sleep.
Even just one massage a week can roll over into multiple nights of steady sleep. Over time, you’ll start to notice a significant difference in how on-edge you are and realize the benefits of massage therapy in your life more and more.
6. Take a Step Back from Daily Life
Speaking of realizing changes in your life, maybe the most important change you need to make right now is to make more time for rest. Not just in terms of sleep, either.
Your mind needs a break throughout the day just as much as your body does. Think about it: even athletes take days off for their body and business executives feel exhausted after being in meetings all day.
You need a moment for yourself, too. A massage can give you that. Not to mention, it leaves you with plenty of peace of mind to take on the rest of the day.
When you take a step back, you’re able to get back to your to-do’s with a fresh perspective. A massage may be the thing you need to boost creativity, settle a dispute amongst coworkers, or even be more productive.
7. Let Go of Unnecessary Tension
While it pays to think about the body and the mind as two separate things, at the end of the day, you also have to realize the state of one plays into the condition of the other. When the body is tense, the mind can’t relax. It just doesn’t work that way.
So, a little bit of pain relief in your back or finally taking care of the knots in your legs can do wonders for how you think. It creates a positive impact on your stress and anxiety by taking care of how such mental conditions show up in the body.
Discover the Benefit of Massage for Yourself
It’s one thing to read about the benefit of massage and another to feel it first hand. Your anxiety won’t change by researching massage treatments or even choosing a spa place. It starts to lessen when you actually get on the table and let a therapist take care of the rest.
For other ways to ease your mind and let go of stress, click here to learn about the power of positive thought.
