Denise Mackinnon, RMT
Registered Massage Therapist
Registered Massage Therapist
Helping you achieve health and wellness through massage therapy, self help and other good for you tips and ideas.
Massage Therapy Helps Anxiety
We all know that massage therapy is great at working out trigger points, regaining mobility to stiff joints, and easing scar tissue contracture, but the effects of massage go so much deeper than superficial tissue.
There are more and more studies supporting the use of massage therapy for decreasing anxiety, lowering blood pressure and heart rate, and even enhanced mental alertness! (1) (2) (3)
When I give my boy a massage, he gets so calm and relaxed. His eyes just stare off into space, and there is such a look of peace on his face, that it actually relaxes me too!
One study of massage therapy in asthmatic children (4) showed a decrease in cortisol (stress hormone) and anxiety levels, as well as improved pulmonary functions following treatment. Anyone who has or knows a child with asthma has seen how stressful this condition can be –not only on the child but the parents as well!
Another study of mothers who received massage (5) showed decreased depression, anxiety, and pain. They also experienced shorter labors, and shorter hospital stays.
Fibromyalgia patients who received massage
reported better sleep, lower anxiety levels and less depression. (6)
Anyone who has had a massage treatment knows that it feels good, and that you feel relaxed after, but it really does affect your health on a much more profound level!
So don’t wait until you have shoulder or low back pain to get a massage. If regular massage therapy can help blood pressure, cortisol levels, hear rate and anxiety then it should be just as important to your health maintenance program as eating right and exercising! Everyone should have regular treatments, just for the health of it!
References:
(1) Field T, Ironson G, Scafidi F, Nawrocki T, Goncalves A, Pickens J, Fox N, Schanberg S, Kuhn C. 1996a. Massage therapy reduces anxiety and enhances EEG pattern of alertness and math computations. Int J Neurosc 86: 197-205
(2) Mok D, Woo CP. 2004 Nov. The effects of slow-stroke back massage on anxiety and shoulder pain in elderly stroke patients. Complement Ther Nurs Midwifery 10 (4): 209-16
(3) Moyer CA, Rounds J, Hannum JW. 2004 A meta-analysis of massage therapy research. Psychological Bulletin Jan; 130(1): 3-18
(4) Field T, Henteleff T, Hernandez-Reif M, Martinez E, Mavunda K, Kuhn C, Schanberg S. 1998b. Children with asthma have improved pulmonary functions after massage therapy. J Pediatr 132:854-858.
(5) Field T, Hernandez-Reif M, Taylor S, Quintano O, Burnam I. 1997c. Lavor pain is reduced by massage therapy. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol 18:286-291.
(6) Sunshine W, Field T, Quintino O, Fierro K, Kuhn C, Bruman I, Schanberg S. 1996. Fibromyalgia benefits from massage therapy and transcutaneous electrical stimulation. Journal of Clinical Rheumatology 2(1): 18-22.
There are more and more studies supporting the use of massage therapy for decreasing anxiety, lowering blood pressure and heart rate, and even enhanced mental alertness! (1) (2) (3)
When I give my boy a massage, he gets so calm and relaxed. His eyes just stare off into space, and there is such a look of peace on his face, that it actually relaxes me too!
One study of massage therapy in asthmatic children (4) showed a decrease in cortisol (stress hormone) and anxiety levels, as well as improved pulmonary functions following treatment. Anyone who has or knows a child with asthma has seen how stressful this condition can be –not only on the child but the parents as well!
Another study of mothers who received massage (5) showed decreased depression, anxiety, and pain. They also experienced shorter labors, and shorter hospital stays.
Fibromyalgia patients who received massage
reported better sleep, lower anxiety levels and less depression. (6)Anyone who has had a massage treatment knows that it feels good, and that you feel relaxed after, but it really does affect your health on a much more profound level!
So don’t wait until you have shoulder or low back pain to get a massage. If regular massage therapy can help blood pressure, cortisol levels, hear rate and anxiety then it should be just as important to your health maintenance program as eating right and exercising! Everyone should have regular treatments, just for the health of it!
References:
(1) Field T, Ironson G, Scafidi F, Nawrocki T, Goncalves A, Pickens J, Fox N, Schanberg S, Kuhn C. 1996a. Massage therapy reduces anxiety and enhances EEG pattern of alertness and math computations. Int J Neurosc 86: 197-205
(2) Mok D, Woo CP. 2004 Nov. The effects of slow-stroke back massage on anxiety and shoulder pain in elderly stroke patients. Complement Ther Nurs Midwifery 10 (4): 209-16
(3) Moyer CA, Rounds J, Hannum JW. 2004 A meta-analysis of massage therapy research. Psychological Bulletin Jan; 130(1): 3-18
(4) Field T, Henteleff T, Hernandez-Reif M, Martinez E, Mavunda K, Kuhn C, Schanberg S. 1998b. Children with asthma have improved pulmonary functions after massage therapy. J Pediatr 132:854-858.
(5) Field T, Hernandez-Reif M, Taylor S, Quintano O, Burnam I. 1997c. Lavor pain is reduced by massage therapy. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol 18:286-291.
(6) Sunshine W, Field T, Quintino O, Fierro K, Kuhn C, Bruman I, Schanberg S. 1996. Fibromyalgia benefits from massage therapy and transcutaneous electrical stimulation. Journal of Clinical Rheumatology 2(1): 18-22.
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Denise Mackinnon, RMT * 2174 Wren Place * Nanaimo, B.C. * V9R 6Y8
Phone: (250) 741-1033
Email: denise@denisemackinnon.com
Phone: (250) 741-1033
Email: denise@denisemackinnon.com