Everyone knows what it means, but how does it affect our body?
According to Mayo Clinic, stress symptoms can affect your body, your thoughts and feelings, and your behavior. Some believe that stress is a major contributor to 80% of all illness. A few of the health concerns of stress include irritability, fatigue, anxiety, indigestion, tension, and chest pains. Don't stress though, Massage La Mesa is here to help!
How does massage help reduce stress?
Massage has been proven to reduce stress and promote relaxation in clients. A recent study found that after subjects received a massage, the levels of cortisol (a hormone contributing to stress) in their saliva decreased significantly. This means that massage can greatly benefit any client trying to reduce stress and tension and increase relaxation. Although any massage is great for reducing stress, there are 3 areas of the body that are best to help reduce stress.
What 3 body parts can reduce the most stress if massaged?
Hands
Your hands are a great place to get massaged if experiencing moderate to extreme stress. Your hands have 10x more nerve endings that any other place in your body and are the hardest working areas of our body, especially for those who who works with their hands. Over time, the muscles that run through the palms of your hand can become shortened from excessive overuse. Because of this, stretching your hypertonic muscles can be extremely beneficial and surprisingly relaxing!Feet
Just like your hands, your feet are packed with tons of nerve endings. Your feet are also essential to reflexology. Reflexology is a theory that certain areas on your feet, hands, and ears correspond to organs and systems of the body, according to Dr. Weil. Reflexology has been known to help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, help with headaches and migraines, and lower blood pressure. Plus, who doesn't love a good foot massage?
Face
Your face may not seem like a place you would normally want massaged, but think about it- your face has over 30 pairs of muscles alone. These muscles are used to do everything from frowning and smiling to squinting and moving our eyebrows. On top of all of those important muscles, your face also has two sinus pressure points and the ever-important muscle of the jaw, the masseter. The masseter is the strongest muscle in the body relative to it's size and severely overworked. It is extremely common for us to clench our jaw or grind our teeth in a time of stress, which causes tension and strain on out masseter. This is why a massage of the hinge of the jaw will help to reduce stress and tension in our face.
Are you over-stressed?
Everyone has some stress in their life, but when we have too much, there can be some serious health issues. Between jobs, school, finances, and a hectic home life, stress can sometimes get the best of all of us. If you are over-stressed, massage is a great way to help reduce stress and improve relaxation. Wanting more information about the different types of massage we offer? Click here!
You can find out today if you are over-stressed by taking this quick, online quiz from Mental Health America!
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