Massage therapy has been used for providing relief from sore, aching muscles, but can it reduce stress? According to the Mayo Clinic, yes.

Today, there are few people who are not facing some form of stress, whether it is related to finances, family, work, or health. Stress can contribute to poor health, lead to insomnia, anxiety, and fatigue, promote pain throughout the body, and generate emotional problems. Many people use massage to greatly reduce their stress and consequently other ailments they experience as a by-product of that stress.

Massage therapy is the process in which trained therapists use their fingertips, fists, or hands to manipulate the soft tissues of the body. Soft tissues include skin, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and cartilages. Through using the skilled, controlled application of pressure and the rhythmic movement of touch, therapists treat the soft tissues.

Twenty years ago massage was not considered a viable option in battle to reduce stress, but that has all changed with the many academic studies that have been conducted over the last decade. The Touch Research Institute at the University Of Miami School Of Medicine has carried out more than 100 studies on the benefits of massage therapy. Their findings overwhelmingly have demonstrated that massage decreases the levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Researchers have found massage has reduced cortisol levels by as much as 53 percent. Their research has found that patients receiving massage therapy and a reduction in cortisol have experienced
1. Diminishing pain
2. Decreasing autoimmune problems
3. Increasing alertness and performance

In addition to the studies at the Touch Research Institute, Cornell University is encouraging the use of massage therapy to reduce stress. Their research has found massage therapy reduces stress through physical, mental, and emotional aspects.

Physically, massage loosens, relaxes, and expands the soft tissues. Massage heightens blood flow and circulation, and boosts oxygen releasing into the soft tissues. It also promotes lymph movement in the tissues. Too much lymph in the tissues can cause swelling, but the right balance equalizes the body’s fluids and takes away bacteria and waste. Additionally, massage therapy encourages endorphins to release into the nerves and this naturally decreases pain and the other negative effects of stress.

Mentally, massage promotes a feeling of relaxation and calmness. It helps the mind to quietly let go of pressures and problems. The endorphins also help to create a happier state of mind.

Emotionally, massage therapy works because it is a hands-on technique; it appeals to a basic human need for a nurturing touch. Massage therapy naturally diminishes anxiety through skilled hands-on touching.

Therapeutic massage has countless benefits, and more people are choosing to take advantage of the relaxation it can bring, along with the relief of tension, stress, and pain. Even an occasional massage can do wonders for both your physical and mental well-being.

Some of the benefits that therapeutic massage is most commonly associated with are:

1. Relaxing Muscles – Muscles that stay tense for any amount of time can cause knots and pain that end up spreading from the original location. Massaging helps relax the internal muscles while training the body to relax. When done regularly, this can help the individual be conscious of stress levels and know what it feels like to be relaxed. Eventually, the body can restore that relaxing sensation automatically before the stress takes over again.

2. Improving Flexibility – One of the many things that happens to the body with age is the tightening of joints and loss of range of motion. This all has to do with changes in the connective tissues due to loss of fluids. A therapeutic massage that works on not just the muscles, but the tendons, ligaments and joints can trigger the body to begin producing more of its own natural lubrication – the result being a body that moves and stretches better.

3. Improving Posture – Years of bad posture caused by slouching over a desk, not standing up straight, and any number of things can bring on aches and pains. Regular massage therapy can loosen tight and painful spots in muscles and free up the joints, allowing the body to attain a more natural posture.

4. Relieving Stress and Anxiety – Therapeutic massage has been proven to provide individuals with peace of mind, mental acuity, and relief from stress. There have been studies that show that when students were massaged before an important test, their respiratory rates and anxiety were appreciably reduced.

Regular therapeutic massages can provide benefits other than the relaxation and loosening of tight muscles. It can improve circulation because the pressure used in a massage helps to move blood through areas that have poor circulation. When the pressure is released, new blood flows in.

Therapeutic massages after an injury or surgery can significantly speed up recovery and rehabilitation time. With an injury, when the circulation is improved and the muscles are relaxed, the body can get more oxygen and vital nutrients into tissues and organs.

Regular therapeutic massage can help those who live with chronic conditions. A massage can bring about physiological and chemical changes in the body that decrease the aches, pains, and stiffness of arthritis; increase lung function and airflow in asthmas patients; and reduce blood pressure, anxiety, and stress hormones.