Massage As An Alternative To Reduce Stress

Massage As An Alternative To Reduce Stress

A study shows the various benefits of massage for health. Starting from reducing muscle pain after exercise to relieve stress.

Dozens of studies in the last few decades linked massage with real physical and psychological benefits. A study in Australia found a muscle massage for 10 minutes after exercise can reduce pain up to 30 percent.

A separate study of massage revealed a decrease in stress hormone cortisol levels by 31 percent, while good hormone levels such as dopamine and serotonin increased by about 30 percent.

Research on various forms of self-help massage also proves that muscle massaging alone can reduce muscle pain and relieve pain symptoms, even among people with osteoarthritis.

Massage can relieve stress

In fact, pain relief - along with decreased depression - is one of the benefits often associated with massage in research,

Some research suggests that massage can improve immune system function in people with breast cancer and leukemia, while reducing their physical and emotional pain.

Massage can also increase blood flow in brain areas associated with mood and stress regulation.

Pressure receptors under the skin, when stimulated to increase vagal activity, refer to the vagus nerve, a major component of the human nervous system that plays a role in autonomic functions such as heart rate, breathing and digestion.

Increased activity in the vagus nerve may have a calming effect, which explains the decrease in cortisol and other stress related symptoms.

When your elbows or knees bump and hurt, your first instinct is to rub the sick place.

It plays a role in so-called 'gate theory of pain', which theorizes that your brain can not fully record pain stimuli when other touch receptors are activated. This is another way how pain can be relieved by massage.

In terms of improved immune function, hormonal and nervous system changes that occur after massage can protect natural killer cells in the immune system, a type of white blood cell that fights viruses and helps prevent tumor growth.

Massage does not relieve pain?

But it is still controversial. Some studies have only found weak evidence that suggests massage can reduce pain.

However, many people who make massage as an alternative to reduce stress, like the muscles of the body after a day of work. With hope, after doing massage on certain areas can refresh your body and also your mind, good luck.