8 Reasons Why You Should Have A Regular Massage
With a massage in Sydney typically costing over $100 for an hour, it has always been a very occasional treat. On my recent travels to Indonesia however, I found Balinese massages were offered almost everywhere – and the going rate worked out at somewhere between $4.50 and $12 an hour. With prices like that, I thought I’d conduct my very own experiment, which basically involved having as many massages as I could and seeing if I felt any better for it!
The first few were quite sore, probably because I had some muscle tension. By the end of the trip, the soreness had completely gone. I noticed my sleep was better (though being on holiday probably has a big part to play), I felt relaxed and I'm certain I am a bit taller!
Having got back and researched it a bit further, there are lots of reasons for having regular massages.
The Benefits of Massage:
1. Posture gradually improves as the muscles around the spine become more flexible and less tense.
2. Circulation is encouraged, which is good for muscle recovery and healing
3. Massage encourages deeper breathing, helping oxygen circulate encouraging healing and growth
4. Joint flexibility is increased and tension relieved
5. A calm mind is encouraged by massage along with a completely relaxed body.
6. A massage is claimed to boast alertness and improve attention.
7. The cortisol that is decreased by massage is said to boast your lymph flow and immune cells (though I think the massage I had by the sneezing, sniffing masseuse in Bali probably didn’t have such a benefit to my immune system)
8. The decrease in cortisol and increase in serotonin and dopamine provided by the massage may also reduce stress, anxiety and depression.
If only a daily massage was an affordable option!
What benefits have you gained from massages? Do you regularly have them?
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My husband is a medical massage therapist. His work focuses on healing people with injuries and emotional release. While a daily massage would be nice, its really not necessary. However, a weekly or bi-weekly massage is a HUGE benefit to anyone with serious physical goals be they training for an athletic event, achieving weight goals (loss, gain, lifting etc) and anyone who has a muscular or connective tissue injury or dysfunction. Be careful about cheap massages, however, as most of the cheap massages are substandard. Its worth paying extra to get someone who has made a commitment to their profession by furthering their education, receiving certifications in special modalities, and put much time and money into their own career. Just as you would hesitate to see a medical professional who barely scraped by in medical school, cheap massages are given by people who are not well educated and/or who don’t have the experience necessary to make any real changes in your body. Find a good, qualified and, if necessary in your country, certified massage therapist who comes highly recommended and commit to investing in your health. It can make all the difference in the world!!
Thanks for your insight Aimee. A weekly massage would be amazing. Agree it’s worth finding someone qualified and very skilled. I don’t think I had many of those in Indonesia!
My brother was really ill whilst on his back packing holiday, luckily, it turned out not to be serious. The thing that surprised him most was just before he was told he could leave he was given a massage. He said the hospital was really basic but clean and he left feeling so relaxed.
This was about five years ago wonder if they still do it now.
Sounds unusual Amber!
As an LMT and frequent massage receiver, I can vouch for the decrease in overall muscle soreness and consistent improvement in minor injuries with regular sessions. Great post!