We are using the whole body to do various activities as our routine. Oftentimes, the body is not well taken care of. As a result, you are feeling sore and uncomfortable. To reduce such discomfort, you can get a body massage from a professional. A full massage allows your body to regain its strength.
6 Effects of Massage on Your Body
Some people might feel apprehensive about getting a massage. Perhaps learning how this treatment affects your body can help provide you with a big picture. Here are some effects of massage that you will feel in your body:
- Lessening pain in your muscles
Usually, the muscle feels sore because there is so much tension in it. The masseuse is going to work on the tense muscles so they become more relaxed. Once you have done the massage, you will go home and feel rejuvenated when waking up the following morning.
- Aiding with recovery process post-injury
There are people who got injured but are experiencing very slow recovery. They might still feel pain from time to time. It is because they do not have time to rest and let their body recuperate fully. Body massage can help enhance blood circulation in that area. It will speed up the healing process because blood contains nutrients necessary for recovery to be complete.
- Enhancing one’s body posture
You probably do not notice that most people today have poor posture. It is due to the sedentary lifestyle that many people seem to adopt these days. Their bodies might be leaning on one side. In severe cases, this can cause pain to the person’s body. Massage is able to enhance someone’s posture if you do it regularly.
- Increasing flexibility of the body
Before exercising, experts tell you to do some warming up. It is going to reduce the chance of injury because a stiff body is often the main cause of injury. Massage has a similar way of working. It increases the body’s flexibility so the body will be ready to face various daily challenges. You will notice how it becomes easier to perform many tasks after massage.
- Minimizing headaches
Headache is unfortunately a common problem in this modern era. The cause is often a combination of physical and mental factors. Massage is able to reduce headache and migraine by making blood circulation to the head area smoother. You will feel lightheaded at the beginning but soon notice that the headache has lessened.
- Improving the person’s immune function
People can get sick easily because they are too exhausted to let the body recover naturally. Immune function goes down when the amount of bad cells in the body is high. Body massage gives a person’s body the necessary energy to rebuild their cells and thus increase their immune function. Of course, you can also support it by consuming nutritious food.
The Mechanisms of a Massage
But how can a massage create such effects on one’s body? Generally, there are two mechanisms in a massage. First, it increases the circulation of your blood and lymph. Then, it relaxes and normalizes the soft tissue which leads to the release of nerves and connective tissues.
Improved circulation means that you are distributing nutrients in the blood more evenly throughout the whole body. It causes the muscle cells to be healthier. When your muscle cells are healthy, they perform more efficiently. Blood also flushes waste products that might be embedded in the muscle so that other relevant organs can take care of them.
We need to understand that the nerves and muscles are situated very close to each other. When there is a contraction in a person’s muscle, the nerves near that contraction are also being compressed. It causes people to feel pain. Relaxing the muscle is going to make the nerves free from that compression without having to use medicine or surgery. The body will be aligned better too.
When receiving body massage from an expert, your body also gives out a relaxation response. It is a state characterized by:
- Slower breathing rate.
- Lower blood pressure.
- Decrease in the production of stress hormone (cortisol).
- Increase the production of serotonin.
This body response to massage allows the body to get the physical effects of having the aforementioned massage mechanisms. But it is not only that. There are psychological implications that will happen after receiving a massage. People say that they become less frazzled and can go on about their days with a more peaceful state of mind.
Tips for Choosing the Right Place
There are many spa or massage parlors offering their services these days. It can get overwhelming at times. Here are three general tips so that you can make the best massage experience for yourself:
- Always look for more options
When you are choosing a place, you should check if your spa offers multiple body massage options. Each type of massage offers different experiences and benefits. There are foot reflexology, synchronicity massage, hot stone massage, and back relief massage. It depends on what you need at the moment.
- Consult with the therapist before and after the session
Before and after your massage session, you should consult with your therapist. You can tell them about your problems and they will be able to provide recommendations about the right massage to choose and the aftercare. Of course, this implies that you are working with a professional and knowledgeable masseuse.
- Choose a place with high-quality oil
This might seem like a nitpicky thing, but your massage oil is a component that can determine whether your experience will be enjoyable or not. The oil acts as a lubricant and comforter during your session. Ideally, the massage oil should be made of natural ingredients and has a high level of fatty acids.
Body massage is an experience that you need to try out. If you happen to be in Ubud, you should visit Jaens Spa. This spa center can provide you with various types of massage that will make you feel more alive. The massage professionals in the spa can offer many tips for you so that your physical and mental fitness is maintained even after the session.
