Benefits of Massage Therapy for well being and health

The use of massage therapy is a whole body experience. It is a holistic approach to therapy as it not only has incredible therapeutic effects on the physical body, but can also impact the mind in a powerful way. Massage and many of the various techniques of massage are ages old. It is truly one of the most ancient but most enduring forms of therapy.

There are numerous benefits to massage from just increasing circulation to increasing mobility. We will look at some of the marvelous benefits to our well being here.

One of the basic benefits of massage therapy is the increased circulation of the blood in any area that is massaged. For example, if you rub an injured area more blood will flow to the area. This seems to be a natural instinct as with any wound the blood flow naturally increases to aid in the healing.

There are numerous studies that can attest to the benefits of massage. So what are some of the benefits that might be seen in the medical world today that utilize various forms of massage therapy?

Massage therapy has been shown to:

• help improve injury recovery
• lower blood pressure
• increase the bloods circulation
• improve weakened muscles
• relax muscles tension
• improve a person's range of motion
• increase the level of endorphins
• improve the flow of lymph

Now since massage can improve health and benefit a person’s quality of living it makes sense that it will improve a person's feeling of mental well being. So let’s explore some of the benefits that apply to a person mental health.

Here are just a few of the psychological benefits of massage:

• Helps to relieve mental stress
• Can help with anxiety levels
• Can help to improve alertness of the mind
• Helps improve calm thinking
• Can help a person feel nurtured via touch
• Fosters peace of mind

These are just some of the mental benefits. Now let’s explore some other less obvious benefits of massage therapy.

It's known that massage can enhance the immune system. But how does it do this? Well, massage helps to release the cells that are our immune systems first defensive lineup against and foreign invader. How? Massage has the ability to reduce the cortisol levels in the body and cortisol has the ability to destroy the immune systems defensive lineup. So when the cortisol levels are lowered, the immune system has a better defense against disease and illness because there are more defensive cells in our body ready to ward of the foreign invaders. It's really quite amazing.

But some of the simpler on the surface signs of health benefits due to massage are things like the skin is healthier due to the massage causing the sebaceous glands to function better. People really do glow after getting a massage.

Massage helps with the elimination of waste from the skin via sweat glands and improves overall elimination from the body.

Even infants have improved with the healing benefits of touch and massage. You owe it to yourself to find out more about massage therapy and try a massage session so you can experience the benefits firsthand.