Everyone loves a good massage every chance they get but have you realized how much more there is to a massage than a gentle touch in what seems like all the right places? The benefits of a good massage go further than a little “relaxation time”. In fact, massages are known to reduce stress levels, anxiety, digestive disorders, insomnia, sports injuries, headaches, muscle and joint pain, and much more!
First off, there are many different kinds of massages that you can get. They all mean something slightly different and may have a different focus as well. For instance, a shiatsu massage focuses on acupressure points. In Japanese, shiatsu means “finger pressure”. Therefore, the massage therapist uses pressure at the tips of their fingers and, with their hands, they touch on those vital points of your body and reduce blockage of those points. This is proven to reduce stress levels by focusing on the tension in those joints/muscles. In comparison to that, there is the Thai massage. This massage involves the therapist using his/her body to move the client into various positions. This massage includes compression of the muscles and mobilization of joints. Although both of these massages may ultimately have one goal- to make your body feel better- they use different techniques to do so.
A study done in 2012 included 53 adults, 29 of whom had a 45-minute Swedish massage either once a week or twice a week for a five-week period. The other 24 adults underwent a similar massage schedule, but with a light-touch massage instead. “Researchers found that compared to the light-touch massage, study participants who underwent the Swedish massage twice a week experienced decreases in cortisol levels, increased oxytocin levels, and slight evidence of increased white blood cell counts.”
Here is a link to a video of massage techniques & their benefits!
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/stress-management/in-depth/massage/art-20045743
http://www.webmd.com/balance/massage-therapy-styles-and-health-benefits?page=3
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/25/massage-stress-swedish-cortisol-white-blood-cells-oxytocin_n_2160329.html