Many people believe that going for a massage is a luxury, an indulgence, or a special treat every now and again. The truth is, massage is actually a necessity that your body requires and strongly benefits from when taken regularly. Massage not only provides instant pain relief or relaxation, if taken on a regular basis it also allows you to maintain good physical and mental health.
The Joys Of An Office Job
Nowadays, with many more people in an office / desk job environment and depending hugely on computers for many hours throughout the day (at work and at home) it is becoming much more important to participate in regular massage.
Prolonged periods of time sitting at a desk and hunched over a keyboard can lead to shortened and overworked muscles in both your chest and core. One extremely useful benefit of regular massage is that it can help to improve your posture, which will in turn improve your breathing, as well as alleviating aches and pains.
Muscle memory can also be improved from taking massages on a regular basis. This helps to retrain the opposing muscles in your shoulders and back – improving your posture. It is very difficult to maintain proper posture if only receiving massage therapy every now and again, it needs to be consistent regular therapy in order to achieve results.
Release Those Endorphins
Another fantastic benefit from receiving regular massage is that massage releases endorphins which are your body’s natural pain killers, and mood boosters. It has been proven that massage can help to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Many people live very busy lives which are ruled by computers, laptops, mobile phones, balancing work & home life which all contribute to stress. Massage helps to relax and de-stress so that your body can relax and unwind, and most importantly, heal. This relaxed state of mind also helps to strengthen your immune system as it lowers the level of adrenaline in the body.
Believe it or not, massage can even improve your skin. This is because massage improves circulation and flexibility and it helps to eliminate toxins from your system, resulting in visibly improved skin. Eliminating toxins can also improve the function of your internal organs and your digestive system.
If you are a generally healthy adult, a good starting point would be to participate in massage once a month. This may vary depending on your individual stress load and activity level, however your therapist will be able to recommend a plan that would suit your needs. If you are working towards a specific goal (i.e. to improve posture) your therapist may recommend more frequent visits in order to achieve your goal.
In Conclusion
Massage is much more than a luxury that you book for self-indulgence and relaxation, it is beneficial to many vital systems within your body and is a necessity when it comes to maintaining your physical and mental health. Remember, by budgeting time and money for regular massage you are investing in yourself and your health, which is more important than anything!
