We’ve all quipped that we’re booking a massage “for our sanity,” but there’s more to that than you may think. Massage has powerful benefits for mental health\u2014whether the daily stress of everyday life or something requiring more serious intervention\u2014and it should be part of everyone’s toolkit of when the going gets tough. Here are just a few of the research-backed mental health benefits of massage:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you are dealing with depression, even getting out of bed can seem like an insurmountable challenge. But a meta-analysis of 17 studies<\/a> shows a high correlation between massage therapy and alleviation of depressive symptoms. In one such study, massage was found to affect body chemistry, even increasing serotonin and dopamine, the neurotransmitters involved in depression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With one of the most isolating feelings of depression being loneliness, leading to disengaging from friends and society, the human touch is often lost or minimized. The good news? Oxytocin, known as the \u201clove\u201d or \u201ccuddle\u201d hormone because it is released when people snuggle up or bond socially, is also released through non-sexual touch, including massage.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n According to research, the hormone is also associated with trust and may lead to increased social bonding (those warm and fuzzy feelings.) Our read on this research? Once your massage is over, invite a friend over or get cozy with your partner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Anxious? The idea of laying on a massage table trapped with your own thoughts for an hour may actually sound like hell for you, but it helps anxiety, we promise!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Massage reduces the levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, by up to 30%<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n In fact, massage can reduce the built-up stress in your body that leads to the anxiety running rampant throughout your veins. Massage has also been shown to reduce levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, by up to 30% \u2014 doing so helps your body\u2019s ability to fight off anxiety. But not only that \u2014 massage offers a safe space to individuals away from their stress and anxiety triggers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A 2010 study<\/a> even showed a short-term 50% reduction in anxiety symptoms on the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale<\/a> for its participants, which includes common anxiety symptoms such as tension, fears, and insomnia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you’re interested in incorporating massage into your mental health routine, consider you might want to massage membership. Zeel’s massage membership<\/a> is a simple, c\u0430ncel-at-any-time subscription to a discounted monthly massage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have trouble concentrating, you\u2019ll be happy to find out that massage is one of the ways you can boost your ability to stick to tasks at hand. You know that feeling you get when you\u2019re sitting at your desk and you can feel your shoulders by your ears, tense and taut as a rubber band?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once tension has been released through massage, blood flow to your brain will improve.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Well, that muscle tension is diverting blood flow to that part of your body rather than to your brain. Once that tension has been released through massage, blood flow to your brain will improve. This, in turn, increases the oxygen and nutrient flow to the brain, allowing you to hone your focus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One study<\/a> even shows decreased frontal alpha and beta power, which suggests enhanced alertness, after a 15-minute chair massage<\/a>.<\/strong> Those who got massages also showed increased speed and accuracy on math problems while the control group\u2019s performance didn\u2019t change. While we\u2019re hoping nobody throws math problems at us, we\u2019ll certainly take increased concentration!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read more: What Is The Real Key to Employee Wellness?<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the primary benefits\u2014both mentally and physically\u2014of massage is increased circulation.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Think of the body\u2019s lymphatic system like the body\u2019s answer to a drainage system. It removes toxins, waste build-up and bacteria from the body in order to protect it against outside threats. The act of applying pressure through massage can boost your lymphatic system so that your body can detoxify itself more easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lymphatic drainage removes toxins, waste build-up, and bacteria from the body in order to protect it against outside threats.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Your blood will circulate better, leading to that feeling of freshness and clarity that you thought you could only find at the bottom of a cup of coffee. Though, we are #teamcaffeine and not advocating skipping that coffee if it makes you happy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read more: The Benefits of a Full Body Massage<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s nothing worse than that vicious insomnia cycle\u2014you can\u2019t fall asleep, and you become frustrated, which only exacerbates the initial problem. If getting a massage so you can fall asleep<\/a> isn\u2019t a good enough reason, we don\u2019t know what is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Massage is so effective at helping you sleep, we designed a specialized Sleep Massage<\/a> to harness its benefits. The treatment will lull you into a state of deep mental and physical relaxation using techniques designed to cultivate calm and restfulness.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRegular Massage Soothes Anxiety<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Massage Improves Focus and Concentration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Massage Increases Energy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Massage Helps Relieve Insomnia<\/h2>\n\n\n\n