Today, most of our population lead a very busy lifestyle, which can lead to stressful times. In an ideal world, no one wants to be stressed, but sometimes events eventually catch up with us and it seems everything needs to be done at once which creates stress. Stress can be classified as physical, emotional, and mental. Each type of stress can have various effects on our bodies and wellbeing, so it is important to keep in check with mindful techniques such as meditation, yoga and even walking to assist during stressful periods. Some occupations are coined for their high-stress nature due to completing multiple tasks at a time for an extended period these include teachers, nurses, emergency services, office workers, and even students.

Is massage therapy effective?

Multiple studies have been conducted on the effects of massage therapy on students, patients under cardiac care, and high-stress occupations. All of these studies have all shown significant improvements in patient wellbeing from self-appointed stress and anxiety questionnaires, as well as a decrease in levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) and reduced heart rate/blood pressure with massage therapy.  

Many of these studies have shown the differences between massage therapy as compared to self-guided relaxation such as meditation tapes and standard care. With each study, massage therapy was concluded to have more significant results for stress and anxiety levels as compared to other forms of practice. The increase in effectiveness of massage therapy could be due to the effect on the neurological system that assists in relaxing the sensory receptors on the skin surface that connect to other areas of the body via neurons such as the muscles and in some cases organs. This helps to settle our ‘Flight or Flight’ response which increases our levels of cortisol and helps introduce our ‘rest and digest’ nervous system response as well as release endorphins. Other effects of massage include movement of blood flow and lymphatic fluid as well as providing heat and healing to the body which relaxes muscles tension and aids in tissue healing. 

If you are feeling constantly stressed, the effects of massage therapy in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle and adequate amount of exercises are the building blocks of leading a happier and overall healthier life. Call us today to book in 9836 1126.  

References

• • Zeitlin, D., Keller, S., Shiflett, S., Schleifer, S., & Bartlett, J. (2000). Immunological Effects of Massage Therapy during Academic Stress. Psychosomatic Medicine, 62(1), 83-84. 
  • Yousefi, H., Mirzamohamadi, M., & Nazari, F. (2015). The effect of massage therapy on occupational stress of Intensive Care Unit nurses. Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research, 20(4), 508.  
  • Sharpe, P., Williams, H., Granner, M., & Hussey, J. (2007). A randomised study of the effects of massage therapy compared to guided relaxation on well-being and stress perception among older adults. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 15(3), 157-163.  
  • Lawler, S., & Cameron, L. (2006). A randomized, controlled trial of massage therapy as a treatment for migraine. Annals of Behavioural Medicine, 32(1), 50-59.