MASSAGE FOR MENTAL HEALTH!

There is more to a massage than feeling great. They positively impact your mental health and sense of well-being, which help you recharge and achieve success! As more studies continue to support the benefits of massage, it has become accepted as an alternative form of therapy. Massages these days can be offered at hospitals, clinics, airports and if you’re lucky, at your workplace with MassageAtWorkUSA! 

In the United States, almost half of adults will experience a mental health challenge during their lifetime.¹ A growing body of research is supporting the positive impact of massage therapy for relief of stress, anxiety, and depression. 

Poor Mental Health Drains Us 

Mental health can conjure up headache, neck pain, sleeplessness, and burnout. The Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami has conducted numerous studies concerning massage and mental health. The results include findings that massage therapy effectively reduces symptoms associated with: 

• Anorexia nervosa 
• Anxiety 
• Depression 
• Stress 

Stress and Massage Therapy 

Stress has been around since the beginning of time. We have already discussed the negative effects of stress in our other blogs, so we’ll summarize here. Research suggests that more than 90 percent of illness results from stress alone.² Massage therapy has been studied to significantly reduce stress physically and psychologically. Other research has validated that:  

• Massage triggers a significant decrease in heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure. 
• A 10-to-15 minute chair massage can lower measures of oxygen consumption, blood pressure, and salivary cortisol levels. 
• Massages during work hours can help organizations reduce symptoms of stress including shoulder tension, headaches, fatigue, insomnia, joint and muscle pain, which all lead to less productive employees. 

Anxiety and Massage Therapy 

Anxiety has a lot more power over our lives than we believe. Intense and excessive worrying can negatively shape our quality of life and severely impact our decisions. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, over 40 million adult Americans suffer from anxiety disorders (American Massage Therapy Association, 2021). Research supports that Massages can decrease the hormones which spike our anxiety, elevate the neurotransmitters which lower anxiety. Other ways Massage can reduce anxiety are: 

• Massage can relieve stress in psychiatric patients, those with chronic pain, cancer patients, patients with generalized anxiety disorder, the elderly, and healthy adults. 
• Applied Nursing Research shows that back massage given during chemotherapy can significantly reduce anxiety and acute fatigue. 
• Military Medicine reports that military veterans indicated significant reductions in ratings of anxiety, worry, depression, and physical pain after massage. The analysis also suggests declining levels of tension and irritability following massage. 

Depression and Massage Therapy 

When depression begins to take control of someone’s life, psychotherapy, one-on-one conversations with a mental health professional, is the go-to treatment. For people with mild to moderate symptoms of Depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder, a blend of treatment options can be beneficial as well. 

• Massage can improve mood and reduce depression in pregnant women and those living with chronic pain or disease. 
• One in five Americans are impacted by Seasonal Affective Disorder; leaving many people feeling depressed and lethargic. Regular massages can reset circadian rhythms, leading to improved attitude, better sleep, and more energy. 

When we say massages make you feel like new, we mean it! If you find yourself struggling to deal with anxiety, depression or stress by yourself, remember that you are not alone. Massage can boost your treatment by providing you with an even greater sense of self-worth, reassurance and awareness. 

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• A Quick Guide to In-Office Massage Services
• How Office Massages Can Benefit Employee Well-Being
• How Chair Massage Makes a Difference in People’s Work Lives
• Building Bone Strength

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Information on this topic provided by: 

American Massage Therapy Association. (2021, January). Massage Therapy for Mental Health. American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA). https://www.amtamassage.org/resources/massage-and-health/mental-health/ 

Can massage relieve symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress? (2014, June 25). Mayo Clinic Health System. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/can-massage-relieve-symptoms-of-depression-anxiety-and-stress 

Massage Health Center at Destination Hope. (2016, May 2). Massage Therapy for Mental Wellness. https://www.mentalhealthcenter.org/massage-therapy-for-mental-wellness/