Benefits of Consistent Massage - Why You Should Be Receiving Massage Regularly
I can’t tell you how many times I have asked a new client how often they receive massage and the answer is, “Once every 3-5 years.” This blows my mind because, while some people may see massage as a treat or luxury, it is actually a necessity that your body requires on a regular basis. The more often you receive massage, the easier it will be for you to maintain good health. The truth is, massage is no longer a luxury.
In the days of desk jobs and computer dependence, it is more important than ever for you to receive massage on a regular basis. Many health insurance companies will now cover the costs of massage as part of your health savings account because they realize how necessary it is. In today’s technologically driven world, we spend far too much time sitting at a desk hunched over a keyboard. These prolonged periods of sitting can lead to shortened and overworked muscles in both your chest and core. Massage can improve your posture which will help alleviate your constant aches and pains as well as improve your breathing.
Regular massage can help to improve your muscle memory and loosen the strain on these muscle groups. This will help to retrain the opposing muscles in your shoulders and back effectively improving your posture, making more room for your lungs to expand, and relieving chronic back, neck, and shoulder pains. It is hard to retrain and maintain proper posture if you are only receiving massage once every few months or years.
Beyond retraining muscles to improve upon chronic pain, massage has a wealth of other benefits. Massage releases endorphins which are your body’s natural mood booster and can lead to a reduction in the symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Did you know that your body only has two states of being? As humans, we are hard wired to be in either fight-or-flight mode or rest-and-digest. With all of the stressors of our current world and lifestyle, we are spending far too much time in fight-or-flight mode. Computers, cell phones, traffic, alarm clocks, balancing work and home life are all contributors to a stressful lifestyle.
Massage helps to relax you and put you into the rest-and-digest mode so that your body and mind can heal. Being in the rest-and-digest stage can help to strengthen your immune system by lowering the levels of cortisol and adrenaline in your body.
Massage also reduces swelling after injuries or surgeries and can even help to prevent injuries from happening. Have you ever wondered why you often see so many Olympic and professional athletes receiving massage just before or after an event? Massage can help improve athletic performance and recovery. Massage actually helps rid the muscle groups of dead tissue in order to make room for new, healthy tissue growth.
Receiving massage once a month is a good starting point if you are healthy. However, depending on your stress load and activity level, the amount of optimal time between sessions may be more or less frequent.
