Massage Therapy for Stress: 6 Facts You Need to Know

You’re unlikely to meet someone who claims they’ve never felt anxious, depressed, or simply stressed out. The pace of day-to-day life leaves little room for decompression and relaxation. Even if you love what you do, you may be experiencing tension and pain that builds over time.

If you’re stressed out, there’s no reason you have to stay that way. Research shows that using massage therapy for stress reduction can improve your quality of life. With both mental and physical benefits, it’s a great addition to any self-care routine. 

Curious about what massage can do for your stress level? Read on to learn six facts that prove why a massage from Faces Spa might be the key to a longer, happier, stress-free life!

1. Less Stress Makes You Healthier

How many times have you gone through a period of stress, only to come down with a terrible cold or virus as soon as the stress passes? Stress of any variety can wear down your immune system. This makes it harder to recover from illness, which can lead to more stress down the line.

High levels of stress can also make you more likely to sustain an injury. With a lowered immune response, that injury might take longer to heal. Again, stress perpetuates stress! 

One way to combat your body’s lowered immune response is to get enough sleep. Sleeping while you’re stressed can be difficult though. If your cells aren’t recovering, you cannot possibly function at the highest level. 

While some stress is natural, too much stress without proper recovery can be dangerous. A great way to fight this cycle is to reduce stress with massage therapy. Studies have shown that one of the benefits of massage therapy is a boost to your body’s immune response. 

Plus, massage therapy provides time to focus on relaxation. That little bit of downtime might be enough to lower your overall stress level and keep you healthy!

2. A Stress-Free Life Equals a Pain-Free Life

Some people try massage therapy specifically to relax. Others need massage therapy to treat pain in their body. The reason it works is because massage therapy helps your muscles to relax and release tension that may be causing that pain. 

Chronic pain, or even occasional pain, is stressful. It makes it harder to focus on the tasks of daily life. It may even limit the enjoyable activities that you participate in regularly. 

Massage therapy for pain management might actually function as massage therapy for stress reduction! When massage alleviates pain, your mind becomes free to focus on the things that matter. This includes family, work, and so much more. 

3. Massage Therapy Actually Makes You Happier

For many people, mental illness is a huge form of daily stress. Because one in ten adults in the United States suffers from depression or other mood disorders, this form of stress is not uncommon. If you are not suffering yourself, you probably know someone who is. 

While mental illness is more than stress, the stress caused by mental illness is something you can manage and mitigate. Massage therapy offers individuals ways to reduce stress, which can lead to a higher quality of life. It’s a wonderful component of a holistic treatment plan and many therapists recommend it. 

It’s effective because the pressure and techniques used in massage therapy encourage your body to release endorphins. These are what we refer to as “happiness hormones.” They are also associated with pain reduction.

The best part is that this is true for individuals without depression, too! Everyone can benefit from the burst of endorphins released during a great massage. Happy brains are better at managing stress and lead to higher productivity and heightened energy. 

4. Stress Reduction Is Self-Care

Self-care means taking the time to do something for yourself that isn’t strictly required. It allows you to relax, prioritize your well-being, and slow down. For many people, massage therapy is a preferred form of self-care.

According to the World Health Organization, self-care leads to better physical and mental health without the necessity of medical intervention. Massage therapy allows you to unwind and free your mind from the burdens of daily life. Physically, it has many of the same benefits as physical exercise. 

Healthy, happy people are better at managing stress. The goal of self-care is to take time to focus on both health and happiness. As a result, individuals who take the time to include massage therapy as part of their self-care routine tend to have less stress overall. 

5. Massage Therapy Is More Than Massage

Massage therapy offers ways to manage stress even outside of the massage! In fact, the ambiance of the massage therapy spa itself can serve to reduce stress hormones as soon as you walk in. Two factors that lead to a reduction in stress are the relaxing environment and the use of aromatherapy. 

Furthermore, personal attention from massage therapists can also lead to less overall stress. Passionate practitioners who take the time to make you comfortable can reduce your stress levels before they even touch you. Sometimes all you need to unwind is an attentive, caring person to ask about the stresses of your daily life! 

6. The Benefits Kick in Quickly

If you are seeking the stress-relieving benefits of massage therapy, you don’t need to commit to a complete spa day. Psychologists at the University of Konstanz in Germany conducted a study based on the effects of a ten-minute massage. They concluded that even ten minutes of physical touch was enough to reduce stress and stimulate the vagus nerve. 

In essence, even a small amount of physical contact is enough to reduce stress levels a measurable amount. Combined with the relaxing atmosphere and the kind attention of the massage therapists, you are almost guaranteed to leave your appointment feeling lighter. 

The Best Massage Therapy for Stress at Faces Spa

Whether you’re looking to try massage therapy for the first time, or you’ve been going for years, you can enjoy the stress-reducing effects of physical touch. Using massage therapy to reduce stress is an accessible form of self-care for your body and your mind. 

If you’re ready to de-stress and feel better, there’s a service for you at Faces Spa. From hot stone massage to therapeutic deep-tissue treatment, you are sure to leave feeling revitalized.

Call 402-384-8400 today to book your massage!