Stress Relief: How Physical and Massage Therapy Help
Stress triggers our "fight or flight" response, causing a cascade of changes in our autonomic nervous system. Meant to protect us when we are endangered, this system increases our heart rate and blood pressure. It also floods our bloodstream with glucose so that we will have energy to respond quickly to the perceived threat.
The body's response to stress is designed to be self-limiting. However, when we experience continual emotional duress, our body's stress response stays "on" placing us at risk for a number of health problems including anxiety, cardiovascular disease, digestive problems, insomnia, weight gain, and impaired concentration.
Physical symptoms of chronic stress may also include low energy, headaches, upset stomach, muscle aches and pains, poor immunity (frequent colds and infections), dry mouth, and grinding the teeth.
Emotional symptoms may include feeling overwhelmed, becoming easily agitated and frustrated, difficulty relaxing and quieting the mind, isolating and feeling unworthy.
Massage therapy is effective in helping manage and reduce the effects of stress. The relaxation provided by massage helps reset the body's fight-or-flight response, restoring the body's physical and emotional balance. Massage can also lower blood pressure and slow the heart rate, and reduce blood sugar levels.* The serenity provided by a relaxing massage restores us to health!
* Diabetic clients are advised that massage can lower blood sugar 20-40 points.
Stress triggers our "fight or flight" response, causing a cascade of changes in our autonomic nervous system. Meant to protect us when we are endangered, this system increases our heart rate and blood pressure. It also floods our bloodstream with glucose so that we will have energy to respond quickly to the perceived threat.
The body's response to stress is designed to be self-limiting. However, when we experience continual emotional duress, our body's stress response stays "on" placing us at risk for a number of health problems including anxiety, cardiovascular disease, digestive problems, insomnia, weight gain, and impaired concentration.
Physical symptoms of chronic stress may also include low energy, headaches, upset stomach, muscle aches and pains, poor immunity (frequent colds and infections), dry mouth, and grinding the teeth.
Emotional symptoms may include feeling overwhelmed, becoming easily agitated and frustrated, difficulty relaxing and quieting the mind, isolating and feeling unworthy.
Massage therapy is effective in helping manage and reduce the effects of stress. The relaxation provided by massage helps reset the body's fight-or-flight response, restoring the body's physical and emotional balance. Massage can also lower blood pressure and slow the heart rate, and reduce blood sugar levels.* The serenity provided by a relaxing massage restores us to health!
* Diabetic clients are advised that massage can lower blood sugar 20-40 points.