NEW YEAR, NEW YOU
Happy New Years !!! For a lot of people, this is a time where new goals are made or old ones modified to enhance their overall well-being for the new year. Many focus on weight-loss, dieting, joining a gym, etc… to improve their physical and emotional states. But like all goals, there is no one silver bullet. Complimenting your exercise or dieting regiment with massage can not only help speed up the process but enhance your chances of maintaining your success.
Here are 7 major benefits of massage that have been validated by not only the massage industry but also by the medical profession.
1) Increases blood circulation. This helps recover from gym soreness, speeds up healing from injuries, and muscle tone. This means you spend more days in the gym and less days recovering from those dreadful leg days !!!
2) Helps lower blood pressure. This is critical to ensure your exercise regiment does not lead to injury or serious medical problems from over-exertion. This also has many secondary mental health benefits especially those who struggle with anxiety, panic attacks, and depression.
3) Promotes muscle relaxation and recovery. Exercising leads to sore muscles, especially if you are out-of-shape or recovering from an recent injury. Relaxed muscles heal faster and more effectively, which means you can get back to your wellness routine quicker. Win-win.
4) Improves posture. Again, another benefit to those who hit the gym regularly. Whether you are a runner or lifting weights — maintaining good form is king and reduces the risk of injury dramatically. But it can also help improve posture at work, especially sedentary workers whom suffer with neck and low-back pain.
5) Strengthens the immune system. Losing weight or building muscle, this means the body is undergoing many internal changes that inevitably taxes our body’s resources and immune system. Fortifying your immune system is often overlooked and yet critical to keeping you on track without getting sick a losing momentum and/or motivation.
6) Reduces stress. Stress is one of the biggest motivational killers as it leads to excessive fatigue and also overeating, which are major factors in why most people today struggle with weight issues in the first place!!! Crushing your stress through massage is another ingredient to enabling you to meet your goals this year.
7) It’s relaxing. Although this may seem like a repeat of #6, it’s not. Sure, relaxation helps reduce stress, but regular relaxation is like routine oil changes… it’s a subtle task that has long-term ramifications if ignored. Just like a car engine, our bodies can only go on neglected for so long before things break down both physically and mentally. Swedish massage is also extremely effective in triggering your Parasympathetic Nervous System which is where all physical and emotional healing begins.
So make sure your keep these 7 benefits in mind when shaping your goals for this New Year to ensure that you reach a New You this time.
