Stress increases the risk of long-term health issues including heart problems and diabetes, as well as having a significant impact on your mental health. It can also cause high blood pressure, headaches, insomnia and a long list of other negative effects.
Due to the COVID-19 health pandemic, many people have had increased levels of stress and there has been less availability of traditional support channels throughout the pandemic. For example, visits to the GP and referrals to the NHS support services for mental health have been restricted due to lockdowns.
This means that there is even more reason for people suffering from stress to find alternative but equally effective ways of reducing stress. Doing more exercise, improving your diet and getting more sleep are all successful ways of reducing stress and another way to help alleviate stress is to have massage therapy.
Stress can sometimes be related to sport for athletes who put their body through a lot of strain, in which case a sports massage would be the best way to recover from the stress. Being assessed by a professional massage company will help to identify what type of stress your body is under, and which type of massage will be most beneficial to reduce stress.
The benefits of massage therapy
Massage therapy has a number of powerful health benefits, including rebalancing hormones, which can help to bring stress levels down. When a person is stressed, their muscles tighten up and having a massage from a professional massage therapist can release muscle tension, allowing the muscles to relax and decrease stress.
As well as releasing endorphins that can boost mental wellbeing, having massage therapy can lower the heart rate. During a massage, the friction on the skin causes a rise in temperature which boosts blood circulation. Massage is also an effective way to treat areas where a person is experiencing pain that is also contributing to their stress.
What types of massage are best for reducing stress?
Studies show that as long as massages are relaxing, they can relieve stress and there is not necessary one particular massage that relieves stress the most. However, if a person has a specific area that needs working on such as painful muscle knots that need to be broken up, a deep tissue massage would be the best type of massage.
Another type of massage that is good for relieving tension is a Swedish massage, where a massage therapist works through different muscle groups over the whole body. This type of massage helps to relax both the body and mind.
Aromatherapy massage is also a good option, where essential oils are selected to address specific outcomes, such as to reduce stress or to stimulate healing. For people suffering headaches, an Indian head massage may be the best option to relieve pain and reduce stress.
If you are feeling stressed or have muscle pains, contact Spa Diamond to find the best type of massage to help you to feel de-stressed and more energised.
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