Benefits of Massage

Content Provided by Woodhouse Day Spa

Scheduling a day at the spa is one of those things that never stops feeling like a luxury.
For many of us, massage is a go-to experience – but why? You may know that you feel renewed afterward, but what is it that keeps us coming back for more?

— Relaxation

After a long day, week or maybe month, all anyone wants is to unwind. The core ingredient for relaxation is touch, and it’s lacking in the digital world. Studies show that lack of personal touch is harmful to the functions of our human system. Aside from that, being in a state of relaxation allows creativity to flow and dreams to thrive. Relaxation also eases stress and helps our bodies function more efficiently, which leads us to the next benefit of massage.

—Stress Relief

Stress is a part of life, but it too much of it can be a factor in poor health. Stress is the cause of 85% of disease and disorder in our bodies. Massage helps reduce the physical stress we carry, which puts our mind at ease and leads to improved daily mood and health – not to mention efficiency. We think more clearly, get more done and feel greater accomplishment when our stress levels are under control. Massage is a simple experience that can positively affect mood for extended lengths of time.

—Health Improvements

Massage has positive effects on the digestive, hormonal, immune and cardiovascular systems. Massage improves our cardiovascular health by detoxifying our bodies and increasing lymph and blood circulation. For this reason, you should always drink plenty of water after your service – more if it’s a deep tissue massage.

Massage also increases metabolism, which in turn helps your body digest and use the food you consume, making weight loss more achievable.

The health of our skin is also important. As a result of improving other systems in the body, massage leads to visible enhancement in your skin. This also comes from the nutrient-rich oils and lotions used during your spa experience. Have you ever been told you’re glowing after a day at the spa? It’s not just the facial that helps with that.

—Tension Relief

If you’re feeling sore, it’s because there is lactic acid built up in your muscles. This can make us feel tight and discourage us from getting back to the gym. While stretching is a vital part of getting that lactic acid moving, massage assists in the elimination of its painful side effects. Lactic acid can also come from unintentional workout – like using muscles you haven’t engaged in a while.

While we’re on the subject of muscles, massage helps you tone. For example, as your massage therapist performs a Swedish massage, specific massage strokes stimulate regeneration at the cellular level by increasing blood flow and oxygen. In turn, this stimulates our fibroblast cells encouraging collagen production and elastin support. It’s like a cellular work-out at the gym.

So next time you schedule a massage, feel good about the much-needed benefits you’re bringing to your body. Sure, you feel relaxed, but there’s so much more to it than that.