Here's Why You Should Add Massages to Your Self Care Routine
In the busy hustle of life, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by everything you need to do, and you probably feel like there’s never enough time in a day. This can cause you to feel constantly stressed and anxious. Stress isn’t good for your mind or your body, and stress can be a factor in developing serious conditions such as high blood pressure, obesity, and asthma.
A self care routine helps reduce your stress, and build up your body and your mind so that you cope with the challenges of a full day and a busy life. At One Accord Physical Therapy, we offer a number of services that help you feel your best. At our four locations in Casa Grande, Gilbert, Mesa, and Phoenix, Arizona, our team of physical therapists and massage therapists provide you with the pain and injury solutions you need.
What is a self care routine?
A self care routine is a personalized care plan containing a series of activities that support you in achieving your best mental and physical health. This plan is developed with your life and commitments in mind, and aims to address your specific needs. Your self care routine includes activities that make you feel good, and help you reach your personal goals, like exercise, meditation, conversations with friends, and therapies.
Why you should add massages to your self care routine
Most people think of a massage as a relaxing and enjoyable activity, a special luxury. While it is true that massage is a very calming type of therapy, it also has a number of significant health benefits for both your body and mind, that go beyond just making you feel good.
Massage therapy actually has many important health benefits that can significantly improve your overall health and wellness. It helps many systems in your body function more effectively and efficiently, and assists in preventing you from developing more serious health conditions.
Improves circulation
The carefully targeted pressure created during massage stimulates the tissues in your skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments, improving blood flow throughout your body. Circulation is very important because your blood transports nutrients and oxygen to all the cells in your body and also takes away waste products. Increased circulation allows all your body parts to function better.
Reduces pain
The manipulation of your body’s tissues during massage along with the increased circulation also reduces inflammation in your body. Inflamed tissues are the cause of pain, so this also reduces discomfort that you experience. A trained massage therapist finds areas of your body that are stiff, sore, and tense, and relieves these causes of pain.
Decreases stress response
The relaxation you feel during a massage session is beneficial for both your body as well as your mind. When you are under stress, your body releases the hormones cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine to help you to cope with danger. However, when you are constantly under stress, your danger response system is constantly activated, which can increase your risk for health problems such as headaches, heart disease, and depression.
Improves sleep
Sleep is essential to your mental and your physical health. When you are sleeping, your brain can process the experiences of your day, and your body can make needed repairs and flush out toxins. Massage helps decrease pain, improve circulation, and decrease stress, which results in deeper, fuller sleep, which improves the health of your body as well as your mind.
A self care routine helps you keep your mind and body healthy, and allows you to be resilient and able to cope with the stresses of life. It also helps support your long term health. Massage therapy is an important component of any self care routine.
To set up an appointment at One accord Physical Therapy, call our office that is most conveniently located for you.