When it comes to relaxation, there are a couple of things all of us associate with that it: medical spa days, cozying up by the fire, remaining in bed till 2 p.m. and, naturally, getting a massage. And although massage is great for helping you relax, it has more restorative advantages, too. The term "massage" itself really includes a large selection of various kinds of massage, varying from Swedish massage (the most common type), to massages that have a more targeted and specific purpose, like a sports massage, which is targeted at helping athletes recover.No matter the type, the benefits of massage really come down to one thing: pressure. "The skin is moved during a moderate pressure massage, which results in a calming and slowing of the nervous system," says Tiffany Field, PhD, director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine. And that slowing of the nervous system results in other physiological effects, too, like a reduction in heart rate, lowered blood pressure, and changes in EEG patterns (electrical activity in your brain), says Field.
Plus, in order to see those impacts, it takes less time than you may believe. "For research, we're able to document positive effects for massages that are only 20 minutes long," says Mark Hyman Rapaport, MD, chief of psychiatric services at Emory Health care, who has actually led website numerous research studies concentrated on the impacts of massage. That indicates when you go to get a massage (the majority of which are normally promoted for being around 50 minutes long, says Dr. Rapaport), you're under pressure for sufficient time to see ideal benefits.And if you can't afford to head to the health spa down the street? "You do not need to go to a massage therapist all the time," says Field. "You can offer yourself a massage." Since we have the ability to reach most locations on our body, you can do a 20-minute self-massage by utilizing a massage brush in the shower and even rubbing a tennis ball against your limbs, she explains.
So if you're thinking about booking a time or investing in a self-massager, here are 6 of the treatment's greatest advantages to understand about. Alleviate anxietyIf you suffer with stress and anxiety, one research study recommends that a massage can really help significantly lower your signs. "What we believe is going on is it's decreasing the sympathetic tone that we see with individuals with generalized stress and anxiety condition and increasing this sort of parasympathetic response," says Dr. Rapaport, who led the research study.
Your body in fact has two different nerve systems: the considerate worried system and the parasympathetic nerve system. "Your understanding is fight or flight," states Rudy Gehrman, DC, a sports medication chiropractic physician and creator of Physio Logic in New York. "If you're getting gone after by a lion, that's your supportive nerve system.
And equally great news? Those results of massage on reduced anxiety can actually be lasting. "We did a casual follow-up, and a significant number of these individuals remained anxiety-free anywhere from six months to 18 months later on,