Massage therapy dates back to ancient times. At that time, it was already known as an efficient therapeutic practice. It was performed in various societies with a single goal – to improve people’s health. Apart from the benefits mentioned, did you realize that massage also promotes a person’s mental health as well as emotional health?
To get relief from pain, to relax or to simply feel good! It’s like a win-win situation, don’t you agree?
So, in this article I will take a closer look at the good side of massage, the most suitable time for massage, different types of massage, massage that uses the best resources to achieve the best results for people in a given profession.
What Are the Benefits of Getting a Quality Massage?
Massage is effective in many ways and that is why it is widely adopted by people from all walks of life and of different ages.
Relief from stress and anxiety: Massage reduces cortisol levels and increases serotonin and dopamine, both of which help improve mood. Therefore, it is a good treatment for stress relief.
Relief from muscle pain and tension: Applying direct pressure to sore muscles can help accelerate blood flow and reduce pain. This, in turn, aids in quicker recovery. Chronic stress can be relieved by techniques such as deep tissue massage or sports massage that target the deeper muscle layers.
It improves sleep quality: Through relaxation and removing discomfort, massage therapy enables the body to reach the rejuvenation stage more easily, and as a result, improves sleep quality.
This improves blood circulation: Massage delivers oxygen to the muscles, increasing blood flow and speeding up the healing process of injuries.
It strengthens the activity of white blood cells: Hence many studies show that massage increases the activity of leukocytes, thus it can be used to boost the body’s immune system and fight agents of disease.
It eliminates muscle tension: Massage can also increase your mobility and flexibility of joints which is helpful in releasing some muscle tension that may be causing imbalance or poor standing posture.
The practice helps control tension headaches: As the muscles around the head, neck and shoulders are tight, the incidence of tension headaches increases. Regular massage will help to relax the tense muscles, thereby reducing the incidence.
When Do You Need a Massage?
Who needs a massage may be unknown, but it allows one to get the maximum benefit from the massage. There are optimal times when one should get a massage including but not limited to:
Part of a health regime: For muscle recovery and better relaxation, get regular massages. It not only promotes muscle recovery but also helps you build strong overall health.
If you are under a lot of stress: Had a busy day at work or are stuck in a stressful environment. A session of massage, preferably Swedish, will help relieve stress and thus help achieve mental clarity.
Rewriting the Chronic Pain Experience: Chronic problems like lower back pain, neck pain, etc. can be dealt with by therapeutic or deep tissue massage. These therapists specialize in chronic pain difficulties endured by their patients and are able to heal specific problem areas in their bodies.
Before Sleep: A light touch or massage on your body a few moments or minutes before making the important decision to sleep can increase your chances of falling asleep quickly as well as allow you to enjoy peace during the duration of your sleep session.
If you are recovering from an injury: In case of an injury, therapeutic massage can help a person suffering from pain as it improves blood circulation to the injured areas thereby aiding in faster healing.
After a gym session or sport: There are also other types of body massage including therapeutic massage that aid athletes in their training. Apart from providing strength, this massage reduces muscle and joint pain that occurs after activities such as sports or gym workouts.
Five Types of Massage Everyone Should Know About
Each massage style has a different application. Some of them may be more beneficial to your body than others. Let’s take a look at some of the common methods:
Swedish Massage
The Swedish style is a relaxing style that does not require too much force, involving slow, circular movements over the body and is ideal for people who are injured or want to relax or simply calm themselves down.
Therapeutic oil massage that aids in muscle repair after a sports-related injury or a day spent at the gym and strengthens stamina in a single session.
Deep Tissue Massage
As a result, this method is effective because it uses relatively slow and deliberate stroke action to reach deeper muscle layers and connective tissues, which is useful when dealing with chronic pain. Stiff neck, upper back pain, and lower back discomfort are just some of the conditions that deep tissue massage can help relieve, as it works on specific points of muscle tension.
Foot Reflexology
Sometimes combined with reflexology, foot massage stimulates certain parts of the feet that are believed to correspond with other parts of the body. Foot massage is not only relaxing but also a solution to foot pain, promotes blood circulation and even improves sleep time.
Cupping Therapy
Using external heat sources, these cups create a vacuum effect on the skin. This pressure effect is known to relieve pain, increase blood circulation, relieve inflammation and promote relaxation. Cupping is often effective when used in conjunction with other massage methods and works well for people who have stiff and achy muscles.
Lymphatic Drainage and Massage
Although it is not traditionally defined as a massage, dry brushing involves brushing the skin in designated spots to remove dead skin, increase blood circulation and enhance lymphatic drainage. It is perfect for people looking to improve skin texture and detox.
Massage Therapy for Specific Occupations
People in certain occupations may use massage treatments given as a result of their occupational needs. Below is a summary of the types of massages provided to people from different industries:
Office Workers
Massage Therapy for Office Workers Massages such as Swedish massage and deep tissue massage are best for back, shoulder and neck pain, especially for professionals who sit at desks for long hours. These massages also reduce stress and promote better focus.
For Sportsmen and Workout Enthusiasts
Sports massage is particularly beneficial for athletes as it aids in reducing muscle pain after extensive workouts, reduces recovery intervals and also helps prevent injuries. Deep tissue massage is also helpful in focusing on certain muscles and reducing long-standing tension.
Healthcare Workers
Given the nature of work that members of the medical profession do and the emotional exhaustion involved in such jobs, massages such as therapeutic or Swedish seem to be helpful in reducing the stress of such work. Reflexology or foot massage is also useful after long working hours.
Construction Workers
In the case of people doing heavy work, sports and deep tissue massages are effective in relieving muscle tension caused by excessive weight lifting or repetitive actions. These massages relax the muscles thereby reducing the chances of muscle injury.
Artists and Designers
Cupping massage, Swedish massage or foot massage can help reduce mental stress as well as fatigue that occurs in creative roles. This type of massage is also effective in reducing hand or wrist pain that most artists or designers suffer from.
Other Industry Professionals
Such as those in the hospitality sector, where one has to spend a lot of time standing, foot and reflexology massages can relax the feet and reduce stress, helping to recover faster after a tiring shift.
What is the Right Time to Eat Before a Massage Session?
Avoiding discomfort before a massage session and at the same time getting the most out of it is an important balance and this can only be achieved if meals are taken at the right time. Here are several such recommendations.
Avoid Heavy Meals
When it comes to getting a massage, you should avoid eating a large or heavy meal for about an hour or two before. Eating too much can make it difficult to turn over while getting a massage, not to mention help with or reduce any digestive problems.
Be Sure To Eat Light Meals with a Snack!
If you start feeling hungry about an hour before your scheduled massage, a light snack like a banana, yogurt or smoothie will suffice. It is important to remember what this will do to blood sugar levels and how those levels will affect various events during the session.
Drink Water Before and After the Massage
Drinking water throughout the session, both before and after the massage, will keep the body hydrated and promote overall health, as well as help remove toxins released during the massage.
Think About Coordination in Terms of the Goals of the Massage
Eating times should also be in accordance with the type of massage. If you want a short, simple session, perhaps a light snack an hour before will be sufficient. However, other types of massage, such as deep tissue or sports, will require your body to be active. Therefore, it is best to eat a light meal about two hours before the session, so you will be able to work out but not make yourself uncomfortable.
Choosing the Best Massage Therapist
How to choose the best massage therapist in their opinion is just as important as choosing the type of massage. Here are a few things you should think about:
Gender Preference: Relaxation or deep tissue massage is preferred by many male and female clients. While some are equally preferred by male clients, many clients in male dominated workplaces prefer women, many people are said to feel safer with women, this can be one of the many reasons why someone would want to relax with them
Qualifications and Special Skills: When selecting a male massage therapist, it is best practice to thoroughly verify their qualifications by training them in their field and therapies such as Swedish massage, sports massage or cupping.
Communication Skills: Communication is a key for all professionals in the styling industry, for example a good massage therapist must have strong active listening skills
Client Reviews: Most people receiving any service are unaware of how skilled the therapist is, reviews or suggestions from people who have used their services can be very helpful in making the right decision.
Final Thoughts
Just like not everyone is comfortable getting ready for a professional setting or going to work on a Monday, spending time with family and generally being alone can be calming and great for your physical and mental health or to support the idea without the final thought, massage really does work and comes in many forms and types.
To make massage therapy work better, you need to be able to choose the right type of massage, eat right before a session, and select a legitimate therapist. So why not take some time to pamper yourself with a massage and enjoy its endless benefits? Book your massage session with our LMT massage therapist today in Denver, Colorado.
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