Are you stressed? Exhausted? Struggling to get out of bed in the morning? Whether you are moving to a new home or switching jobs, we have all been faced with daily obstacles that add stress and anxiety to
our daily lives. The problem is not the occasional stressful day; it’s daily stressors.
Our smartphones are great, but they have lead to overwork and constant contact with outside stressors, like Facebook and other social media. While we don’t think of stress as overly harmful, its effects can wreak havoc on our bodies and minds.
The Mayo Clinic noted that stress could cause:
○ Headaches
○ Fatigue
○ Sleep Problems
○ Anxiety
○ Irritability
○ Inability to focus
○ Depression
○ Restlessness
Massage therapy is a proven way for stress sufferers to seek relief. The effects are so well known that the number of Americans receiving massages has spiked. According to a study by the American Massage Therapy Association. 21% of American adults received a massage in the past 12 months, with the average massage consumer getting 3 1/2 massages during this time period. Consumers continued to believe in the benefits of massage as 92% considered massage to be effective in reducing pain and 93% believed massage can be beneficial to health and wellness.
The primary reason people get massages continued to be for health and wellness purposes, or for stress relief. 63% percent of massage consumers had a massage in 2020 for health or wellness reasons. 45%
percent of massage clients got a massage for relaxation/stress in 2020.
How does massage therapy actually relieve stress?
Massage therapy relieves stress through a number of ways, aside from the massage itself. Our stress relief comes from:
○The relaxing environment
○ Aromatherapy
○ Healing hands of passionate practitioners
Generally, massage therapy environments are made to encourage relaxation. Low lighting paired with comforting quiet and soft music allows you to disconnect from the outside world, and your electronics, so you can unwind and truly focus on the present. In addition to a soothing environment, Aromatherapy is an additional feature to help you relax and focus on healing.
Then there is the actual massage itself. Massage therapy has been shown to:
○ Reduce your stress hormone levels by 30%
○ Increase serotonin and dopamine levels by 28 and 21%
Along with rebalancing your hormones, massage therapy releases
muscle tension. When you. are stressed, your muscles tighten in
response, and when the stress ends, your muscles generally relax. But if
you are constantly stressed, it’s likely your muscles can stay slightly,
permanently tensed. If it continues, you may experience joint aches and
pains, headaches, and neck pains, unless it’s resolved.
Through a massage therapists’ skilled hands, tight and painful muscle
groups, like the shoulders, are loosened and relaxed. Whether
your massage therapist rubs, strokes, stretches, or applies pressure,
our goal is to relax your muscle groups!
We all lead busy lives in an increasingly busy and stressful world. But it
should not affect your physical or mental health. You’re too blessed to be
stressed, stop suffering and start seeking relaxing solutions. Schedule
your next soothing massage and let me help melt your stress away.
Tracy Smith LMT Massage Therapy – Bryn Mawr, PA
