Over the past couple of years, the concept of “self care” has taken much of the world by storm. We became familiar with the idea of “burnout” and how self care can prevent it. We know that there are many ways to practice self care, from doing things that might not necessarily be fun but are good for us (like cleaning the house, exercising and making the effort to cook nutritious and balanced meals) to more indulgent, relaxing activities such as taking a long, warm bath.

Massage is a great form of self care because it allows us to unwind and de-stress and also has physically restorative properties, making it a good way to improve both physical and mental health. It relieves physical pain, improves blood circulation, relaxes the muscles and stimulates the release of “feel good” neurotransmitters (chemicals in your brain) like endorphins, serotonin and dopamine.

Consider treating yourself to a massage from a licensed Colorado massage therapist to reap the full benefits of massage therapy for self care.

How massage improves circulation, energy and alertness

Many cultures across the globe have known for thousands of years that massage therapy has almost innumerable physical and mental/cognitive benefits. Apart from helping to relieve pain and promoting relaxation — which are probably the most obvious and well-known advantages — massage also improves circulation, energy and alertness. How? Let’s take a look:

• Circulation: By applying pressure to the muscles in circular, horizontal and vertical movements or strokes, massage stimulates the flow of various fluids around the body including blood and lymphatic fluid (containing white blood cells that support the immune system).
• Energy: Tiredness has many causes including stress, physical pain and recovery from injury or illness. Massage relaxes the brain which decreases stress and improves sleep while loosening muscles. Improved blood flow means more oxygen is supplied to cells and the body heals faster. All of these effects boost your energy.
• Alertness: Naturally, elevated energy levels enhance concentration and focus, both of which can be described together as alertness. Massage also decreases pain, anxiety, poor blood circulation to the brain and muscle fatigue, all of which decrease alertness when untreated. 

Top 5 Reasons To Get a Massage

Some people might think of massages as an overly self-indulgent experience that has little to no tangible benefits, but this couldn’t be further from the truth! Massage therapy has almost innumerable advantages for both physical and mental health. Here are the top 5 reasons why you should get a massage:

• Improve physical performance: Even if you’re not an athlete, massage therapy is great for enhancing your body’s strength and stamina so that you can work out harder, for longer.
• Relieve stress: We live in a frantic, chaotic world, and it’s important for our physical and emotional well-being to relax and wind down from time to time. Massage therapy helps you do just that!
• Manage pain: Whether you’re recovering from illness or injury or struggle with a chronic pain condition, massage therapy is a great way to help alleviate soreness.
• Boost cardiovascular health: Massage therapy helps stimulate blood flow around the body which, in turn, delivers more oxygen and cleans lymph nodes that carry blood back towards the heart.
• Sleep better: Because massage therapy is relaxing, it will help improve your sleep, which is essential for good all-round health.