 Benefits Of Massage As A Stress Management Technique
To appreciate why massage is such an effective stress
management technique, it's important to understand the effects of
stress on your body. Whenever you're faced with a stressful
situation, whether it's real or imagined, your body initiates what is
called a stress response. This stress response is also called a "fight
or flight" response because it causes the same bodily changes that
allowed our ancient ancestors to fight or flee from predators. The physiological effects of stress on your body occur for one reason only - to prepare your body for physical action. Here's what happens ...
• Your heart rate and blood pressure increase to supply extra blood to
your brain and muscles. This occurs to assist you in making the best
decision in the face of danger & if all else fails, stand and fight
or run away.
• Your breathing becomes quick and shallow to supply more oxygen to your muscles.
• Your digestive and reproductive systems shut down to preserve energy.
• Glucose (sugar) is released into your bloodstream to give you more energy.
• Certain hormones are released to keep you alert.Unfortunately,
physical action (fighting or fleeing) isn't very useful in dealing with
the types of stress that we face today. Our stressors are money
problems, relationship issues, trouble with co-workers, and modern day
traffic. If you don't have a physical outlet to deal with these types
of issues, the stress in effect, builds up in your body and becomes
chronic. Over time, your tense muscles begin to spasm, and you
might also experience chronic headaches or perhaps neck, shoulder and
back pain. Massage to the rescue
When you're under severe or
chronic stress, massage can be a fast and effective way to break the
stress cycle. Massage triggers what's called a relaxation response or
"rest and digest" response. This counters the stress fight or flight
response and helps your body restore balance. During
the massage, the relaxation response will begin to kick in. Your heart
rate and blood pressure will decrease and you'll find that you are now
breathing more deeply. Your muscles start to relax as the tension is
kneaded out of your body. Painful sensations and muscle spasms
gradually begin to subside. Any feelings of anxiety will decrease and
your mood will improve. Although the relaxation effects of
massage are immediate, the real benefits come when you use massage on a
regular basis. Research done by the American Institute of Stress
demonstrates that the more frequently you receive a massage, the more
pronounced and long lasting the effects will be. It doesn't matter if
you receive a full body massage or a chair massage, the results are the
same. Now that you can recognize the symptoms of stress, you are
more than equipped to take control of it before it takes over your life. Be in good health. This
article may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety in any
e-zine, newsletter, blog, or website. The author's name, bio and
website links must remain intact and be included with every
reproduction. Laurie
Moon is a New York State licensed Massage Therapist and the Founder and
President of Back in Business, Inc., a corporate on site chair massage
company servicing New York, New Jersey & Connecticut. You can visit
her website at http://www.nychairmassage.com to receive a FREE on-site chair massage demonstration for your organization. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laurie_Moon
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