According to the National Institute of Mental Health, over 40 million adult Americans suffer from anxiety disorders. Anxiety can negatively shape the quality of life for individuals affected. Massage therapy can be an effective treatment by elevating neurotransmitters associated with lowering anxiety and decreasing hormones associated with increasing anxiety.
Here are some reasons to make Massage part of your regular routine to benefit your mental health....
Massage can have very positive effects on our state of mind. Regular massages can significantly reduce stress and anxiety.
Massage is widely used in all cultures to evoke feelings of deep relaxation and reduced anxiety. The anxiety-reducing and mood-enhancing benefits of massage are probably related to changes in EEG activity, decreased levels of cortisol, and increased activity of the parasympathetic nervous system, which acts automatically to calm the body and brain during stress. In fact The Mayo Clinic reports
that a 60 minute Massage can lower cortisol, the stress hormone, by upto 30% after just one session. A study published in the journal "Depression and Anxiety" found that participants who received regular massage for 12 weeks had a 50% reduction in anxiety symptoms.
In addition to its calming effects, massage therapy not only helps lessen the feelings of anxiety but can help with muscle tension and sleep disruption. Serotonin is produced during a massage. (Serotonin is the key hormone that stabilizes our mood, feelings of well-being, and happiness. This hormone impacts your entire body. It enables brain cells and other nervous system cells to communicate with each other. Serotonin also helps with sleeping, eating, and digestion). The serotonin then produces melatonin, which helps you fall asleep.
We all know that a good nights sleep is a medicine all on its own. The benefits of a solid, uninterrupted sleep have profound effects on our mental health.
1. Sleep Can Boost Your Immune System
When your body gets the sleep it needs, your immune cells and proteins get the rest they need to fight off whatever comes their way — like colds or the flu. And according to the well-rested sleep specialists over at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, proper sleep can also make vaccines more effective, which is obviously a plus.
2. Gaining Zzz’s Can Help Prevent Weight Gain
Racking up eight full hours of sleep isn’t going to result in losing the lbs. by itself, but it can help your body from packing on the pounds. If you don’t get enough sleep, your body produces ghrelin, a hormone that boosts appetite. Your body also decreases the production of leptin, a hormone that tells you you’re full. Put ’em both together and that’s one dangerous combo for late-night snacking, my friend. Plus, when you don’t sleep enough you get more stressed and don’t have the energy to fight off junk food cravings. We’re exhausted just thinking about it.
3. Sleep Can Strengthen Your Heart
Not getting enough sleep can lead to heart health problems like high blood pressure or heart attacks. That’s because lack of sleep can cause your body to release cortisol, a stress hormone that triggers your heart to work harder. Just like your immune system, your heart needs rest in order to function powerfully and properly. Just another reason to “heart” sleep.
4. Better Sleep = Better Mood
There is some truth in the old saying, “Getting up on the right side of the bed.” It has nothing to do with which side of the bed you roll out of, but sleeping can lead to good moods. And really, it makes sense. If you sleep well, you wake up feeling rested. Being rested helps your energy levels soar. When your energy is up, life’s little challenges won’t annoy or stress you as much. When you’re not annoyed or worried , you’re not as angry. If you’re not angry, you’re happy.
5. Sleeping Can Increase Productivity
You may think you’re wowing your boss by burning the midnight oil, but putting off a good night’s rest could be having an adverse effect at work or school. In fact, sleep has been linked to improved concentration and higher cognitive function, both of which can help you be successful at work. But one restless night can leave you feeling frazzled, making it more likely that you’ll make mistakes that a pot of coffee won’t be able to fix. Speaking of coffee, the more tired you feel, the more likely you are to reach for that afternoon cup. And while that may seem to fix the afternoon crash problem you experience, the extra caffeine late in the day could set you up for more anxiety and another sleepless night. Talk about a counterproductive cycle.
6. Lack of Sleep Can Be Dangerous. Literally.
According to a study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, you’re twice as likely to get in a car accident when you’re cruising on six to seven hours of sleep compared to if you get a full eight hours. Sleep less than five hours and your chances of a crash quadruple! That’s because your reaction time slows way down when your brain isn’t fully rested. We don’t know about you, but those statistics have us ready to get a MASSAGE and climb into our PJs and hit the hay ASAP.