A healthy life is not complete without caring for one’s mental health. Sadly, despite advancements in research, mental health still does not get all the attention it deserves. Most of the time, it generates buzz only when neglect has resulted in a person’s untimely demise.
Focus on Mental Health
It goes without saying that if you wish to achieve overall wellness, you must take care of your mental health now. This is not only because it is a wonderful thing to see life as a blessing but also because mental health directly impacts physical health.
There are many known strategies for improving mental health. You have the practice of mindfulness and meditation. Some people also implement conscientious optimism. Exercise has also been found to improve mental health as it stimulates the release of stress-fighting hormones like endorphin and serotonin. Ditto with massage.
And when it comes to massage, wellness professionals proclaim it as one of the most reliable salves for various mental health woes such as anxiety and depression. Not only that, it can also help boost cognitive functioning by improving blood flow to the brain. Therefore, getting massage therapy regularly is something to consider if you are working on improving your mental health.
5 Different Ways Massage Therapy Boosts Mental Health
Massage therapy affects the human body in a number of ways. But when it comes to empowering mental health, here are the five ways it accomplishes that.
1. It puts your body in a relaxed mode.
There is nothing like slowing down and being taken care of to get those stress hormones under control. When stress hormones are managed, it automatically becomes easier to think reasonably about a lot of things, including whatever is causing you stress.
2. It can alleviate physical pain.
Physical pain never fails to put people in a bad mood. In fact, people who suffer from chronic pain have a high likelihood of being depressed and prone to suicidal thoughts.
A study on the annual rate of suicides a year in the U.S. suggests that a large percentage of suicides are possibly driven by physical pain or suffering.
Massage therapy can help in managing pain. Not only do certain massages directly relieve pain from the sources but the strategic stimulation is also known to stimulate the release of serotonin and endorphins. These two types of hormones are important for pain management because they can block pain signals.
All in all, control the pain and keep a clear head to tackle even your more difficult days.
3. It can improve quality of sleep.
Sleep is crucial to cognitive functioning, and massage creates changes in the body (such as the release of anti-pain chemicals, serotonin) that allow for sleep to be had much easier and faster.
When you get enough sleep, you get to refresh your brain for its activities the following day. It creates new information pathways so you can accommodate and remember new things.
Studies also show the good quality sleep helps in making the brain more alert for decision-making, problem-solving, and regulating behaviors and emotions.
4. It reminds you that help is available.
Surrendering your wellness to trained hands should remind you that in certain situations that you cannot manage yourself, help is available.
The main idea here is, your physical and mental relief does not always need to rest in your hands. You can reach out to people who have the knowhow or skills to help you with whatever is burdening your mind.
5. It is one of the best forms of touch therapy.
One of the fundamental components of human development is affection through skin-on-skin contact. Children thrive on it because it signals not just affection but also comfort.
People carry this “association” in their brains throughout their lives and long for it. As people grow older and move away from the arms of their initial caregivers – their parents – they get the skin stimulation they need from intimate partners and wellness providers such as massage therapists.
Massage is a strategic application of human touch and it positively affects a person’s psychological state just like warm cuddles from loved ones.
Creating a healthy life requires attention on all the aspects of your “person.” So, pay attention more to your mental health and get a massage. Studies have proven its efficacy in aiding everything from depression to insomnia and panic disorder.
Plus, you cannot discount the experience of others – if massage can work for them, it might just work for you, too.
AUTHOR BIO
Marc Innes is the Owner and Principal of the School of Natural Therapies, a training school for Massage & Holistic Therapies located in London. Marc began his career in the NHS and over time, he developed an interest in all things complementary to Allopathic Medicine, in particular, Reiki Healing and EFT, which culminated in running a successful teaching and ‘energy healing’ practice. Marc is passionate about the massage and complementary therapy industry.
