Friday, May 30, 2014

Massage Therapy, Stress and Relief


Are you desperate to relieve stress? We hear about it on a daily basis, we experience it on a daily basis and stress is always shown in a negative light. However, sometimes stress is extremely necessary for our survival. It's that reaction that helps you catch that antique vase before it smashes into a thousand pieces. It's that last minute swerve that helps you avoid a devastating car accident and that feeling of being "pumped up" before an important meeting or that big date. So, stress isn't all that bad. It's the fight or flight instinct which has helped the survival of humanity, making it pretty important. However, too much of one thing is never good. Continued, compounding stress can lead to a host of debilitating conditions and as a result many people trawl the internet and page through self help books on a daily basis in order to uncover foolproof methods on how to relieve it.

When we are stressed or in a stressful situation, hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine mobilize energy from storage to our muscles, launching us into fight or flight mode. When we are engaged in this state for too long however, there are notable increases in our heart rate, blood pressure and breathing. At the same time our digestive, reproductive, growth and immunity systems all shutdown. Continuous stress can therefore result in depleted energy supplies, hypertension, ulcers, a decrease in testosterone in males and irregular menstrual cycles in women, depression, sleep deprivation, and other conditions. So, a little bit of stress is necessary but if it persists it can be incredibly unhealthy. If you find yourself suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions then follow these relief tips.

Stress relief has always been synonymous with massage therapy. The good news is that this isn't one of those urban myths that have been misleading people for years because massage therapy is extremely beneficial as a natural stress reliever. Massage therapy has been proven to increase relaxation and decrease blood pressure, two vital components in stress relief. In fact, a half hour massage has been proven to decrease cortisol levels. Obviously if you decrease abundance the stress hormone then you decrease stress itself! The removal of excess cortisol will make you feel happier, more relaxed and will contribute towards a healthier lifestyle. Think about it: If you wanted to know how to relieve stress you'd have to rectify the chemical imbalance that is causing it, right? Research has shown that a good massage can help your body to release those "feel good" chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins include serotonin and dopamine which contribute to feelings of relaxation, calm and are active agents in stress relief. When it comes to natural relievers a massage is right at the top of the list. Massage therapy doesn't only release important endorphins but it also increases relaxation and decreases blood pressure levels and insulin levels.

Still wondering how to relieve stress? If a half an hour massage can drastically decrease your cortisol levels, decrease stress and increase a feeling of wellbeing just imagine what an hour long session could do, or an hour and a half session? Incorporating a massage into your weekly routine is well worth the rewards that you receive. Think of it as an investment in your body, your return being a healthy, stress free lifestyle. Invest in a healthy future. Relax with a professional massage and see fantastic results in vitality in both your physical and mental wellbeing. Massage can also go beyond stress relief and it combats anxiety, depression, increases energy levels and improves blood circulation.

For a healthier, more enjoyable lifestyle experiment with natural stress relievers such as massage therapy. Increase your energy levels and improve physical and mental performance when you treat yourself to any form of massage. Whether it's a shiatsu, Swedish, hot stone, it doesn't matter! All massages are beneficial and effective when it comes to stress relief.

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