Massaging can help body and mind - HealthyLife

Monkey mind is the process of jumping from thought to thought without a singular focus. When our busy mind can do nothing but be chaotic, stressed, and scattered, it is in the throes of monkey mind.  According to massage therapist Bruce Hopkins, calming the monkey mind, and realizing instead the massage mind, can have profound effects.

“The mind has a profound effect on all physiological processes” Therapist Bruce Hopkins

Massage experts estimate that high percent of diseases and conditions are stress-related. And perhaps nothing ages us faster, internally and externally, than high stress. Massage is an effective tool for managing this stress, which helps our mind to-

• Decrease the anxiety.
• Enhance sleep quality.
• Get greater energy.
• Improve concentration.
• Increase in circulation.
• Reducing fatigue.

Massage can also help specifically address a number of health issues especially with body –

• Alleviate low-back pain and improve range of motion.
• Assist with shorter, easier labor for expectant mothers and shorten maternity hospital stays.
• Ease medication dependence.
• Enhance immunity by stimulating lymph flow—the body’s natural defense system.
• Exercise and stretch weak, tight, or atrophied muscles.
• Help athletes of any level prepare for, and recover from, strenuous workouts.
• Improve the condition of the body’s largest organ—the skin.
• Increase joint flexibility.
• Lessen depression and anxiety.
• Promote tissue regeneration, reducing scar tissue and stretch marks.
• Pump oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs, improving circulation.
• Reduce postsurgery adhesions and swelling.
• Reduce spasms and cramping.
• Relax and soften injured, tired, and overused muscles.
• Release endorphins—amino acids that work as the body’s natural painkiller.
• Relieve migraine pain.

Different types of massages that are available based on the conditions of body and mind are :

Deep tissue back massage
Like the name suggests, this type of massage targets the back and shoulder areas. The aim of this type of massage is to relieve ache and pain in the muscles. Deep back massage helps to stimulate blood flow by relieving tension in the muscles. The process of carrying out this type of massage usually lasts for 30 minutes for it to be effective. Under this type of massage, specific muscles can also be targeted, depending on the needs of an individual.

Hot stone body therapy
Before the hot stone massage is carried out, smooth round stones are heated in water to a specific temperature. During the massage, the hot stones are then placed on a person’s back, hands or belly to warm and relax the muscles. The hot stones cannot burn you because there is a recommended temperature at which the masseuse carries and places them on a person’s back.

Spa double
During a spa double, two therapists simultaneously rub a person’s muscles to ensure they are relaxed. With this kind of massage, a person gets the same touch, at the same time and this helps to balance pressure on the muscles.

Aroma therapy
Aroma therapy involves blending of essential oils to form scented healing oils. Apart from the massage, the oils such as lavender and eucalyptus have healing properties, which remove toxic substances from the skin and rejuvenate the mind. As such, this type of massage helps to de-stress both the mind and body.

Swedish massage
This is a soothing, relaxing massage that helps a person to relax. When using Swedish massage, therapists use oils to facilitate smooth, gliding strokes over the body. This is usually accompanied by soft music to relax a person’s mind.

Back head and shoulder massage
In short, it is called the BHS massage. It is done on the back head and shoulders to quickly alleviate stress and muscle tension.

Fat reduction massage
This type of massage improves the functioning of the body’s overall metabolism because it targets the digestive system and muscle structure, with the main focus being the abdomen. It is good for people who are overweight.

Sports massage
It relaxes and eases sore muscles after a tough workout. It is also recommended for sports personalities and people who are keen on exercise programmes such as jogging, marathon running and cycling.

After birth massage
The aim of this type of massage is usually to relax the body and help re-align it back to the pre-pregnancy period. It also helps reduce post-surgery adhesions and stretch marks.

Detox massage
Expels toxins, restores balance, reduces muscle pain and aches, rehydrating the body and ridding it of toxins and extreme fatigue.

Resources: http://www.massagetherapy.com/

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Image credit: Image by Daniel Köchli from Pixabay  (Free for commercial use)