So, I don’t know about you, but whenever I get a massage I always end up with that crease from the face cradle cover etched into my face for the rest of the day. Usually one or both of my eyelashes are stuck together, too. I’m sure it looks weird, I’ve caught people staring. I don’t care though. I like to think of it as my “look of bliss”. LOL. Now, when I say that massage can make you better looking, I’m not talking about THAT. I’m talking about the glow of your skin, the sparkle in your eye, the bounce in your step that you get when you are feeling no more STRESS. And regular massage therapy can help relieve your STRESS.
Michelle Ebbin, massage therapy expert and author of The Touch Remedy, believes that holistic practices like massage therapy can play a greater role in helping people keep their mental health in check, like dealing with stress and anxiety.
“Massage has been scientifically proven to lower the stress hormone cortisol while increasing the release of feel-good hormones (endorphins) in the body,” says Ebbin, a former massage therapist who frequently appears on national TV to discuss the wellness benefits of massage. I definitely want more of those feel-good endorphins in my life!
Stress is something we definitely feel in our minds, our bodies, and our spirits. We can FEEL strain on our ability to focus, we FEEL the tension build up in our necks and shoulders, and if we experience consistent levels of stress over time, it even takes a toll on the way we might LOOK.
Ugh.
As if you don’t have enough to be worried about, now you’re not even looking your best, and that can become stressful too!
My friend and health coach Brooke Carter, at Life Inspired Health, shared with me these many ways that stress negatively impacts our bodies:
- Weight gain (especially in the belly area). This is caused by increased levels of cortisol, a hormone our body pumps out when we’re stressed. Cortisol also contributes to our inability to lose weight (ability to burn calories is diminished), gain muscle, and premature ageing. Ugh.
- Decreased digestive enzyme production causes us to have decreased nutrient absorption, as well as decreased blood flow to our digestive system, causing problems with proper digestion. Stress also increases nutrient excretion, so not only are we not absorbing all the nutrients we need, we’re also eliminating a lot of them from our body. Stress can also decrease our gastric emptying time, which can lead to constipation and can be a risk factor in diseases of the colon.
- More digestive issues caused by stress: we get a decrease in healthy gut flora populations. Stress destroys healthy intestinal bacteria, which can cause immune issues, skin disorders, and digestive stress.
- Increase in sodium and fluid retention, making us “puffy”. Ugh. Also this can cause high blood pressure.
- Decrease in thyroid hormone, which decreases our body’s metabolic activity and lead to other thyroid issues like fatigue.
- Stress raises LDL cholesterol levels which is bad for our heart.
- Stress raises blood platelet aggregation, which is a major risk factor in heart disease.
- Stress decreases our sex hormones which can lower our sex drive, energy, and decreases our muscle mass. More fatigue!
- Stress increases inflammation. This is huge, as excess inflammation in the body can lead to many health issues like auto-immune disease, brain issues, and heart disease.
Ugh! I’m reading through these and I can relate to more than one. So THAT’S why I can’t get rid of my stubborn belly fat! I need more massages!
If you need help with stress management in your life, massage is an excellent tool. Not only will massage help decrease your levels of stress, but even just a relaxing Swedish style massage will help to regulate and balance your body’s systems. Your body is craving balance.
During a massage you’ll notice your breathing become slower, deeper, and more regular. This supports a healthy respiratory system, and giving your body the oxygen it needs promotes a healthy brain, blood flow (circulatory system), and digestive system. The digestive system is usually stimulated and nourished. Many of my clients experience their stomach’s “talking” during a massage! This is totally normal, and a sign that the digestive system is balancing itself. Massage helps to stimulate the lymphatic system which controls the flow of lymph through the body. This is very helpful if you suffer from allergies, are fighting a cold, or you’re retaining fluids. A lymphatic massage is more specific for issues with the lymphatic system, but even a regular relaxing Swedish massage can help a lot as well. Add in some supportive aromatherapy to a massage and you’ve got a winning combination.
These are just some of the ways that massage can help to combat the negative effects of stress on our bodies, minds, and lives. If you’re suffering from a health issue that you think stress may have contributed to, or stress is adding a challenge to your ability to heal from something, then you may want to consider massage as part of your healing arsenal. When you start feeling amazing, you start LOOKING amazing! We all want to look and feel our best. If you can relate to the information I’ve shared here, feel free to reach out with questions about how massage can help you. I’d love to assist you on your healing journey!
