The Benefits of Massage Therapy for Stress and Anxiety

February 1, 2023

Table of Contents

Stress is a normal part of our lives. We all have experienced it at one point or another. But it’s when stress starts affecting our lives it can become detrimental to our health.

The best way to fight and reduce stress levels is by engaging in activities that let us feel more relaxed and present.

Massage therapy is a method proven to help treat stress and reduce its negative effects on the mind and body. It has been shown that even just 10 minutes of massage therapy can stimulate the body’s natural happy hormones, leaving you more relaxed and less stressed.

The mood-enhancing benefits of massage therapy make it easier to feel calmer and in control, reducing stress and anxiety and naturally calming the body’s fight-or-flight response.

Find out how massage therapy can help reduce stress and anxiety. Learn about the advantages of massage therapy and how it can improve your overall well-being. Don't let stress and anxiety take over your life – try massage therapy today and start feeling better.

Massage Therapy Increases Relaxation

Massages help in relaxation by soothing soft tissues and decreasing muscle tone. Muscle tone is the state of tension in the muscle at rest. Decreased muscle tone reduces muscle tension when at rest and is essential to a feeling of relaxation.

Massage Therapy Increases Feeling of Well-Being

Research indicates that massage therapy can have a positive influence on one's feeling of well-being. Massage therapy is also known to induce a relaxation response, which lowers the heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure; boosts the immune system; and generally reduces the physical effects of stress. These effects indicate that massages may be helpful in the treatment of a wide range of health conditions.

Massage Therapy Increases Neurotransmitters Associated with Lowering Anxiety

Increased endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine hormones are common health benefits gained through massage. Endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine are positive hormones circulating in the body that can give a person a sense of well-being and reduce anxiety.

Massage Therapy Reduces Blood Pressure

Massage therapy has been shown to improve blood circulation, which helps lower blood pressure. A massage session can help calm the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for raising blood pressure as a response to stress.

Research studies have shown that relaxation massages or aromatherapy massages reduce blood pressure and heart rate much more effectively compared to deep tissue or sports massages. This is most likely because the calming, gentle touch releases serotonin, causing our bodies to self-regulate and return to a natural and healthier function.

Massage Therapy Decreases Hormones Associated with Increasing Anxiety

Research shows that massage therapy during chemotherapy can help alleviate anxiety and acute fatigue. It has been proven to increase the neurotransmitters associated with lowering anxiety and decrease the hormones associated with increased anxiety.

Massage Therapy Decreases Anxiety

Massage therapy can promote psychological health by stimulating the receptors, nerves, and hormones in charge of mood regulation. During moderate pressure massage therapy, these receptors are triggered, bringing stress relief to the patient and overall improved mood and well-being.

Massage has also been shown to increase vagal nerve activity, which is often low in individuals with depression. When this nerve is stimulated, the cortisol levels decrease, entering our bodies into a more relaxed and happy state.

Massage Therapy Can Relieve Pain

Massages help to relieve and reduce pain by interfering with the body's pain signal pathways, releasing endorphins, removing waste products, and increasing blood circulation. Massage therapists provide massage therapy services for pain management as part of treatment.

Massage Improves Sleep

Because massages can directly influence the body's serotonin production, they can also help to release melatonin. Direct pressure and muscle manipulation in the neck, shoulders, back, and even the legs and feet trigger melatonin production.

Massages reduce a stress hormone called cortisol, which can affect sleep patterns. In its place, dopamine stabilizes your mood and helps create that relaxed state of being needed to fall asleep well. Massage therapy can be aided with essential oils to further coax the body into that blissful state.

Massage Boost the Immune System

Research shows that massages can help boost immune function by increasing the activity level of the body's natural "killer T cells," which fight off viruses.

People for Whom Massage Can Reduce Anxiety

Massages help relieve muscle tension and pain. It may be used on its own, but it is also often used with other traditional pain treatments. Therapeutic massages may also be helpful for people in the following situations: