WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE MASSAGE A PART OF YOUR WELLNESS PROGRAM?

A good massage not only helps us to relax after a long and an exhausting day, but it helps promote general wellness. There are many benefits that can be derived from a good massage that is why doctors recommend massage therapy to combat depression, anxiety, chronic pains, and to boost our immunity against sickness.  A massage therapy takes anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes, but the innumerable benefits are long term and can be felt for a lifetime.

Benefits of a Full-Body Massage

It counteracts the imbalance caused by sitting for long periods

Sitting entirely at work give us muscle pain and serious illness. Study shows, a person who sits for 10 or more hours a day have a significantly greater risk of developing heart disease than those who sit for five hours or less.

We are sitting in our offices all day and some studies say that sitting has become a health risk. Humans do not move as much as they need to because of the nature of work that we do all day: sitting in front of a computer and the only time that we move if to get coffee from the office pantry which is only a few meters away. Hardly enough.

Massage counters all the sitting that we do all day and prevents the onset of ailments of diseases caused by our lack of movement. Most individuals are dealing with some kind of postural stress,” says Aaron Tanason, registered massage therapist, kinesiologist and owner at Paleolife Massage Therapy in Toronto. “More often than not [that stress] tends to manifest in the shoulders and neck.” Luckily, massage can counteract the imbalance that is caused by long period of sitting which is detrimental to our health.

 It eases muscle pain

Massage therapy relaxes muscle tissue, which reduces painful contractions and spasms. 

Massage improves our circulation, just like a good exercise. But for people who do not have the time to hit the gym or do even the simplest form of stretching exercises, a good body massage can be a good alternative to get our blood properly circulating in our body.

Massage therapy is an effective treatment for chronic pain. People with chronic pain often turn to massage therapy to help naturally improve their quality of life. Notes Tiffany Field, Ph.D., director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine in Miami, Florida:

Most people go to massage therapists to reduce pain. There’s a release of serotonin, which is the body’s natural production of anti-pain chemicals. Additionally, an aggravating factor in pain syndromes can be a lack of deep, restorative sleep. Massage is very effective at increasing deep sleep. With more deep sleep, you have less pain.

Fibromyalgia and arthritis are two chronic pain syndromes that can be positively impacted by massage therapy. In a study of massage therapy for knee osteoarthritis, a group receiving massage therapy for the pain showed significant improvement in pain, stiffness and physical function. They increased their range of motion and reduced the time it took them to walk 50 feet.

It soothes anxiety and depression

Massage was shown to promote relaxation and alleviate pain and anxiety in people.  Study shows, a 60-minute massage can lower cortisol, a hormone that’s produced in response to stress, by an average of 30 percent. 

Human touch can be incredibly soothing and can relieve people not only from their physical pains, but can help them cope with anxiety and depression. Women diagnosed with breast cancer who received massage therapy three times a week reported being less depressed and less angry, according to a 2005 study published in the International Journal of Neuroscience.

And, a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, found that patients who were depressed and anxious were much more relaxed and happy, and had reduced stress levels after massage.

It boosts immunity

Getting a massage not only helps you relax, it might also benefit your immune system. A new study suggests, People who received a 45-minute massage had an increased number of lymphocytes, which are white blood cells that play a large role in defending the body from disease.

A 2010 study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that massage boosts patients’ white blood cell count (which plays a large role in defending the body from disease). Additionally, it also “improves immune function for individuals with HIV,” says de Miranda.

In a study done by the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, researchers discovered that those individuals who received a 45-minute massage had an increased number of lymphocytes after the massage. Scientists are finding that massage therapy is increasing the activity level of the body’s white blood cells which shows massages can do much more for our physical health than we ever thought possible. These findings demonstrate that massage therapy is extremely beneficial in revamping and revitalizing the offensive, disease-fighting cells of the body.

With all the advantages of massage therapy, it is a wise investment to get a massage at least once a week not only to wash away our stress and anxiety, but to promote general wellness and good health.  Massage which used to be considered “luxury” has become so affordable in recent years and it offers customers the flexibility to enjoy it in a spa or in their homes.

BigBenta.com, your Pinoy Ecommerce marketplace, also offers SERVICES. One of the more common requests is for a massage therapist who can be booked online in the BigBenta site. So next time you feel stressed, go to BigBenta services to book a professional massage therapist near you. Rates are very affordable and you can expect to receive professional service from their various service providers. Services that are offered are not limited to massage, but you can also book for a plumber, electrician, a tutor, a graphic artist, and many others.

Sources:

http://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-you/health/benefits-of-massage-therapy/

https://www.massageenvy.com/massage/massage-benefits/manage-pain-of-chronic-conditions/

https://mountpleasantspinecenter.com/can-massage-therapy-help-boost-my-immune-system/

Video Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-c9U2QZARA

BigBenta is an E-commerce Marketplace whose vision and belief that the Philippines continued economic growth lies on the success of the micro, small and medium entrepreneurs (MSME) and skilled individuals nationwide. Through its various online services and application targeting the mass market, BigBenta is doing its share in nation building while lifting the underdog to remain competitive in the local market. BigBenta’s marketplace is an initial step towards digitizing the Philippine market incorporating its unique culture and values as its key differentiator from the competition. It’s a Filipino company made for the Filipinos. BigBenta.com is a one stop shop marketplace for Filipinos to do online shopping, book for skilled services, buy real estate properties, and browse classified ads.