How Massage Therapy Can Assist in Stress Reduction

Whether we want it or not, stress is a dominant component of our fast-paced everyday lives. With its proven impact on the genesis of many diseases, it is thus paramount to find a means for effective stress relief.

Massage therapy is a widely popular method of manually manipulating our soft tissues to provide deep relaxation, pain alleviation, and better blood circulation. Moreover, one of the most valuable and prominent benefits of massage is its capacity to reduce stress levels.

If you constantly find yourself dealing with too much pressure, keep reading to learn more about how the seemingly simple method of massage therapy can do wonders for you and your body. Additionally, we will cover the fundamentals of what stress actually does to the body and what this means for our overall health.

How Stress Affects Your Body

At the core, stress is a crucial defence mechanism that is favourable for our health in the short term. It raises the body’s alertness and prepares us to overcome not just everyday challenges, but also potentially life-threatening situations.

Our bodies respond to certain triggers by releasing a surge of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. These compounds prompt a cascade of physiological responses, including an increased heart rate, increased blood pressure and glucose, muscle tension and slower digestion. Fortunately, research proves that massage therapy can decrease cortisol and adrenaline levels to fight the above symptoms.

However, being under constant pressure without actively using strategies for stress relief can be significantly detrimental to your health. Symptoms of chronic stress include headaches, high blood pressure, low libido, sleep impairment, upset stomach and a weakened immune system. Additionally, it increases the risk of suffering from muscle pain, gastritis, diabetes, thrombosis and more.

How Stress Affects Mental Health

In terms of the psychological effects and consequences of chronic stress, it poses a risk for various possible disturbances and diseases. For one, practice and evidence show that individuals under constant pressure for long periods are significantly more vulnerable to suffering depression and anxiety disorders. 

Researchers still struggle to uncover the exact mechanisms behind the link, but psychiatrists actively advise patients to attempt strategies for stress relief to complement treatment plans.

Additionally, recent studies show that excessive stress can affect cognitive function, thus impairing memory and learning capabilities. While some people believe that stress increases their productivity at work, it turns out that it’s actually detrimental to their cognition.

How Massages Help Relieve Stress

Among the numerous other benefits of massage is a feeling of deep relaxation, reduced muscle pain, less vulnerability to injuries, and even a stronger immune system.

As a result of numerous studies, the American Massage Therapy Association concluded that therapeutic massages can provide significant stress relief on both physical and psychological levels.

For example, functional brain imaging studies demonstrate that massage therapy stimulates brain areas like the amygdala and the hypothalamus to make them more active. Since these two structures play a role in regulating emotions and stress response, there turns out to be a direct link between massages and stress control.

Schedule Your Next Appointment With Us Today

Whether you’re experiencing chronic stress that’s starting to take over you or you would like to appreciate the other benefits of massage therapy, we are here for you!

Our team at Kilian Upper Cervical Chiropractors in Aldergrove offers various methods for providing effective stress relief. We have years of experience in professional chiropractic care and massage therapy and are thus able to relieve pain and restore balance without medication.

Don’t hesitate to do what is best for you. Contact us to get rid of stress and its detrimental consequences. Call us at (604) 856-7781 or book your next appointment online.