Written by: Kim Kisner
Have you ever had a massage? If yes, then you probably wanted another. If not, you may want to consider the many benefits. Either way now is a great time to treat yourself to one because May 1st is Therapeutic Massage Awareness Day.
Therapeutic Massage Awareness Day was established in 2014 as a way to raise awareness of the myriad health and pain-relieving benefits that come from massage. But people have been realizing these benefits for thousands of years. That’s right – archaeologists discovered paintings of people giving and receiving massages on ancient Egyptian tombs dating back nearly 5,000 years ago. There’s also evidence of massage being widely used in China and India as early as 2700 BC.
So here is a little “massage by the numbers” so you can get a sense of the benefits, massage types, and fun facts to share.
5 Benefits of Massage
Massage offers many physical, mental, and emotional benefits, including but not limited to the following list:
- Positively affects the body and health conditions such as pain management, circulatory issues, stress reduction, injury rehabilitation, migraine control, and overall wellness
- Reduces stress hormones such as cortisol by as much as 40% in 1 session
- Can reduce heart rate and lower blood pressure reducing many risk factors for cardiovascular disease
- Can lower anxiety, reduce pain, and improve grip strength for Arthritis sufferers
- Increases serotonin levels that play an important role in the regulation of one’s mood, focus, sleep, and appetite
5 Types of Therapeutic Massage
As noted, there are many types of massages, but here are five main types of therapeutic massage to consider:
- Swedish massage is a great way to reduce muscle stress and knots
- Aromatherapy massage improves mood and reduces depressive symptoms
- Reflexology is an alternative medical treatment that involves applying pressure to certain areas on the feet or hands without the use of any oils or lotions
- Hot stone massage is a massage therapy using heated smooth flat stones to relieve muscle tension and repair soft tissue injury all over the body
- Deep tissue massage is used to treat musculoskeletal difficulties, such as strains and sports injuries
5 Fun Facts About Massage
Here are five fun facts you can amaze your friends and family with today in celebration of Therapeutic Massage Awareness Day:
- Over 100 common massage modalities are being used around the world
- The sense of touch is the first sense to develop in humans and the last to diminish
- Massage Therapy stimulates the release of endorphins, the body’s natural pain-killers, which is why it’s so helpful in relieving pain
- We each have approximately 5 million touch receptors in our skin which is the largest organ of the body
- A 60-minute massage offers the same benefits as 7-8 hours of sleep does for your body
So, celebrate May 1 with the gift of massage – to a friend or partner or family member, or yourself.
Talk to a massage therapist at Aura spa to find out what type of massage is best suited for your needs, and then … enjoy the experience, the benefits, and self-care.
