Five Health Benefits of Getting a Massage

Many people today are overwhelmed  by all of the health information that they receive. However, improving your health is actually very simple. You can improve your health by getting a massage. Below are some of the ways that your health can improve from getting a massage:Pain Relief – It is estimated that 80 percent of people will have back pain at some point in their life. Massages are great for soothing aches and pains. There was a study done in 2011 that compared two groups of people. Both groups of people had been suffering from back pain. One group received massages while the other group did not receive any type of treatment. The results of the study showed that the group who received massages noticed a major improvement in their back pain relief.

Improve Sleep Quality - Quality sleep is essential for good health. However, 60 million people in America are not getting enough sleep. If you are one of those people, then you will be happy to know that getting a massage can help improve your sleep quality. In fact, you may even go to sleep while you are getting a massage. Researchers believe that massages improve sleep quality by affecting thedelta waves. The delta waves are the waves in the brain that control deep sleep.

Stronger Immune System - Have you ever wondered why some people never seem to get sick? Some people have stronger immune systems than others, which is why they are less prone to illness. A massage can help increase the number of white blood cells in your body. White blood cells help fight off illnesses. Massages also help stimulate the flow of lymph. Lymph is a yellowish fluid that cleans up the waste material inside of the body.

Reduce Stress - Stress is something that we all have in our lives. It is impossible to avoid stress. However, you have to keep it under control because it will have an adverse effect on your health. When you are stressed, your body increases the amount of cortisol it produces. One study has shown that getting a massage can reduce cortisol levels by 31 percent.Not only does a massage help lower cortisol, but it also helps increase serotonin. One study has shown that a massage can increase serotonin production by 28 percent. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that boosts mood.

Lower Blood Pressure - High blood pressure is a problem that affects around 30 percent of adults in America. If left untreated, then it can lead to heart attack or a stroke. One of the ways that you can lower your blood pressure is by getting a massage. Massages help improve blood circulation. A massage also helps a person relax. Your blood pressure lowers when you relax. Furthermore, a massage helps stimulate the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve helps control blood pressure.You do not have to go to a massage parlor to get a massage. You just need someone willing to give you one. If you need products to do a home massage, there are a number of affordable massage therapy tables for sale online.

A massage can drastically improve your health. It helps soothe aches, lower blood pressure, improve sleep quality and boost the immune system. It also helps reduce your stress.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/08/massage-benefits-health_n_1261178.html