What Happens in Your Body When a Masseuse Massages You?

 

Everyone knows massage feels good, but what exactly is going on in your body when a masseuse is touching you? It turns out that massage affects more than just the skin and muscles—it boosts your heart rate, lowers your blood pressure, releases feel-good brain chemicals and even helps fight depression.

It stimulates your parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the rest and relaxation response. This results in a decrease of stress hormones, such as cortisol, and an increase of your feel-good hormones, including serotonin.

Your muscles are like a network of ropes and pulleys across your skeleton, and massage is what keeps those 'ropes' moving smoothly instead of snapping when they shouldn't. Massage reduces muscle soreness, increases flexibility and range of motion and improves posture and alignment.

The direct pressure exerted during massage مساج allows your blood to move freely throughout the affected area, which not only relieves tension but also flushes away metabolic waste—like lactic acid—which causes pain and delays recovery after exercise. This improved circulation also enables your body to heal itself faster and increase flexibility.

As an added benefit, massage improves sleep and can reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression. This may be due to the fact that it releases serotonin, dopamine and other feel-good brain chemicals. In some cases, massage is used to help with the side effects of cancer and other serious diseases, such as AIDS and Parkinson's disease. This is because the touch of a massage therapist conveys compassion and care, which helps patients to relax and feel less stressed and anxious.

In addition, massage can alleviate the negative side effects of certain medical treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation. By reducing stress and improving mood, massage can also help with the fatigue that is often associated with these illnesses.

It boosts your immune system. Research has shown that the endorphins released during massage can actually increase your white blood cell count. This can help you to recover from illness more quickly, fight infection and even improve your overall mental health.

A professional massage is a wonderful treat, but it can be uncomfortable if the right pressure is not applied or the wrong type of strokes are used. To get the most out of your massage, speak up if you are uncomfortable or if you have any special needs. A skilled therapist will be able to read your body language and know when to apply more pressure or change the technique. If you're not comfortable with a specific aspect of your massage, try another therapist until you find one who meets your expectations. It is also a good idea to talk with your therapist about what you hope to achieve from the session so that he or she can tailor the massage to your individual needs.