Massage works by soothing the soft tissue of your body and encouraging relaxation. The massage therapist will start at a slow pace, applying light to medium pressure, rubbing, and/or manipulating your skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments throughout your body to promote relaxation. It is not a deep tissue massage, nor is it designed for working the deeper muscles of the body. It is just a gentle kneading and rubbing of the outer layers of the body tissue, covering large areas of the body including the back, legs, arms and neck.
A
relaxation massage is a whole-body hands-on treatment that uses pressure, with long smooth gliding strokes, kneading and rubbing to help you relax. It helps de-stress and loosen up your body and is great for those who have had a hard working week or feel like treating themselves to some TLC! In a relaxation massage, less emphasis is placed on working out chronic underlying muscle tension -- the adhesions or "knots" and muscle restrictions in the muscle tissue, because deep tissue work can be uncomfortable; and during a
relaxation massage you just want to drift away and feel good.
Relaxation massage is a smooth, gentle style of massage designed to improve circulation, encourage overall relaxation, improve range of movement, relieve minor muscle pain, increase energy levels and improve overall physical and mental performance. It's a good choice if you’re getting your first massage of if you just want to bring your stress level down. This is the massage to choose if you just want to chill out, and be pampered and spoiled.
Massage can also help to address specific health issues which include:
- Alleviate back or neck pain and improve range of motion
- Soft tissue injuries - Promotes tissue regeneration, reducing scar tissue and stretch marks
- Sports injuries - Massage for sports injuries helps to increase blood circulation and, thereby, increase oxygen and vital nutrient flow to the affected area. Help athletes prepare for, and recover from, strenuous workouts.
- Chronic pain - Massage is great to help loosen muscles that are chronically tight, tender and sensitive. It helps to calm nerves and release stress.
- Reducing depression and anxiety
- High blood pressure
- Digestive disorders
- Headache - massage therapy techniques help reduce the pain by increasing blood circulation to facilitate healing
- Arthritis
- Constipation
- Insomnia – massage can calm the nervous system, and therefore, lessen anxiety, depression, stress, and aches or pains resulting in a more restful and deeper sleep
- Ease medication dependence
- Assist with shorter, easier labor for expectant mothers
Anyone can enjoy the many benefits of massage.
During a massage, your body reduces its breathing rate, blood pressure, levels of stress hormones, and your muscles relax resulting in a deep state of relaxation and calm. The gentle
massage stimulates the sensory nerve endings in the skin which transmits messages through the nervous system causing the brain to release Endorphins, those “feel good” chemicals, producing feelings euphoria and a general sense of wellbeing.
The benefits of one relaxation massage can last days, but you need to give it a chance to do that.
