The Benefits of Massage Therapy for Anxiety, Depression, and Stress
Stress is an inevitable part of life. It is nearly impossible to remove all stress from day-to-day life. It is a physiological and psychological response to situations the body and mind find to be overwhelming.
Even “good stress” situations like getting married, starting a new job, or becoming a parent can produce a significant amount of it. When people struggle to cope with stressful situations depression and anxiety symptoms can become more noticeable. Prolonged stressful situations can be detrimental and even fatal to our health.
Massage therapy is a wonderful natural way to combat anxiety, depression, and stress. Continue reading to learn how!
Some people mistakenly believe that massage therapy is only for pampering yourself. While this is true for some, it also helps manage anxiety, depression, and insomnia.
It is estimated that 80-90% of all disease relates back to stress.
Physical benefits of massage:
A massage does more than just feel good. There are many physical benefits of massage, but this article is going to focus on the physical effect of lowering the amount of cortisol in your body. Cortisol is a main stress hormone that your adrenal glands (the endocrine glands that sit on top of your kidneys) produce and release. Stress is generally a byproduct of physical and emotional burnouts. During periods of stress, the cortisol level in your body increases and your body will seek more energy during stressful and tensed situations. This additional energy is known as a “fight or flight” response. Over prolonged time, high cortisol levels can cause weight gain, create fatty deposits between the shoulder blades, create purple stretch marks on the skin, cause high blood pressure, cause brittle bones (osteoporosis) leading to fractures, and also increase the percentage of glucose in the blood, which can result in high blood sugar levels leading to Type 2 Diabetes.
A one-hour massage lowers cortisol in your body while also releasing serotonin simultaneously. The serotonin hormone neurotransmitter is sometimes called the "happy drug” because it reduces feelings of depression and carries signals between nerves and your body.
By lowering cortisol and increasing serotonin through massage, you are naturally boosting your body's ability to fight off pain, anxiety, and feelings of sadness—who couldn’t use that?!
Emotional benefits of massage:
Massage provides many emotional benefits, which as we know can be just as important as the physical benefits.
One study published in the International Journal of Neuroscience found that massage recipients measure a 31% increase in dopamine levels from massage. Dopamine is associated with the reward centre of the brain. Low dopamine levels are associated with lack of motivation, low energy, and the inability to focus, all symptoms linked to depression. The increased levels of dopamine produced by massage can regulate, even elevate your mood, energy, motivation, and mental focus, all improving your emotional state.
Research also shows an increase in endorphins resulting from massage. Endorphins are the neurotransmitters produced to relieve pain and improve mood. They are your body’s natural narcotic. In fact, the chemical structure of endorphins resembles that of opiate pain-relieving drugs that are derived from the poppy plant. Most people associate elevated endorphins with exercise, such as the “runner’s high,” but endorphins are also produced by laughter, dark chocolate (yes!) and of course, massage.
Additionally, massage and other forms of touch, such as a hug or embrace, have been shown through numerous studies to increase the neurotransmitter and hormone of oxytocin. Oxytocin is known as the “love hormone.” It increases feelings of bonding and belonging, a sense of stability and trust, and enhances our sociability. Research has shown that this hormone increased through massage can relieve social anxiety, depression and stress, while increasing empathy, generosity, self-esteem, and optimism.
If you experience depression or anxiety, or are just overloaded with extra stress, massage can be an effective part of treatment. It can create a sense of relief and empowerment, and allow you to focus on your mind-body connection.
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