It’s that time of year again when our immune system is about to take a bit of a beating! The kids go back to school, the weather is unpredictable, and we are all trying to find that new fall routine… and that can translate to everyone getting sick! Thankfully, massage can help.
Whether massage is already a part of your health routine (and you need an extra excuse) or, you are contemplating including it, here are some added benefits of massage and how it can keep you healthy this fall.
The Stress Effect
We all know that when we are stressed, our immune system is affected. Cortisol – our stress hormone – over long periods of time can diminish the immune’s function, leading to more infections and poor immune recovery. One amazing strategy to manage stress is massage!
Routine touch and massage therapy, helps reset the nervous system and lower cortisol levels.
…. So how does that work?
The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) – also known as the “rest and digest” state – controls our relaxation response whereas, the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) – also known as the “fight or flight” state – controls our stress response. These two branches of the nervous system operate complementary to each other, and thus turn each other on/off in an attempt to maintain homeostasis (balance).
Therapeutic touch, as with massage, helps turn on the PNS, offsetting the SNS and ultimately decreasing cortisol production. Less cortisol, means better immune function and a quicker recovery from infections.
Deep Tissue or Lymphatic Massage – What’s best for immunity?
Massage therapists have so many techniques in their toolkit to keep you healthy. For individuals with tight, sore muscles, deep tissue massage can help your body relax and decrease your pain. Less pain can mean a better sleep, and this is where the real magic happens! Sleep is our best healing time – the ultimately ‘rest and digest’ state – and so anything that helps us sleep, helps us heal.
Lymphatic massage – a light, more superficial technique – helps pump our immune system throughout the body and promotes the drainage of swollen areas such as the neck, underarms, or sinuses. This gentle touch directly stimulates your immune system and can help not only relieve symptoms of congestion, but help speed recovery time.
So, the next time you feel run down or are afraid of getting sick, consider booking a massage. There is a lot more going on than meets the eye and we can help you in more ways than one!
Happy Fall!
Leave a Reply