Stress in our everyday life can have adverse effects on our minds and body. For this reason, it is crucial to try and reduce stress whenever possible. Luckily, there are many ways to do this and help you feel your best!
At Anda Spa, one of our favorite stress reducers is massage. Learn more about how the massage experience can stimulate the sensors of the mind and trigger relaxation.
The Environment
Relaxation begins upon arrival. Most massage environments are designed to increase and encourage relaxation, which can help to reduce stress. Environmental techniques include low lights, soft music, and requiring all electronic devices to be turned off or left in lockers.
Establishing a calming and soothing environment is essential to the entire experience and guarantees full immersion in the journey towards relaxation.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils from plants to stimulate healing through smell and absorption via the skin.
Plant oils have been used for therapeutic, spiritual, and hygienic purposes dating back to ancient civilizations, including the Chinese, Indians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. More recently, a French chemist named René-Maurice Gattefossé discovered the healing properties of lavender oil when he applied it to a burn on his hand caused by an explosion in his laboratory. He then started to analyze the chemical properties of essential oils and how they were used to treat burns, skin infections, gangrene, and wounds in soldiers during World War I. In 1928, Gattefossé founded the science of aromatherapy. By the 1950s, massage therapists, beauticians, nurses, physiotherapists, doctors, and other health care providers began using aromatherapy.
Aromatherapy is used in a wide range of settings, from spas to hospitals, to treat a variety of conditions. Healing benefits include relieving pain, improving overall mood, and promoting relaxation. Several essential oils, including lavender, rose, orange, bergamot, lemon, and sandalwood, have been shown to relieve anxiety, stress, and depression. Several clinical studies suggest that when qualified midwives used essential oils like rose, lavender, and frankincense, pregnant women felt less anxiety and fear, had a stronger sense of well-being, and had a decreased need for pain medications during delivery.
Physiological Effects
During a massage, endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine levels increase. These are neurotransmitters that offer different benefits.
- Endorphins can help relieve anxiety.
- Serotonin can help prevent depression and boosts your sense of well-being.
- Dopamine can increase motivation and self-worth.
A lack of these neurotransmitters can lead to increased levels of stress and anxiety.
Massage can also help to reduce levels of cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone that causes stress. When the levels of cortisol decreased, stress levels reduced. During a massage, positive hormones replace cortisol, which also helps to reduce stress and boost relaxation.
The Massage
The actual massage itself can help to reduce stress. Massage therapy targets areas of the body known to hold stress, and that can cause pain. The act of massage can reduce stress hormone levels by about 30 percent and can also help to reduce pain.
As we’ve all experienced at some point in our lives, pain can be caused by stress and cause stress. When reduced, clients can experience stress relief as well. Many people notice stress when their muscles are tense or tight. Massage helps to release tightened muscles, allowing for the release of the carried stress.
While massages may seem like a luxury treatment simply used to pamper yourself, the number of benefits is far greater. One of the most significant benefits is stress relief and reduction. On-going stress can have an extremely negative effect on the mind and body in both the short and long term.
Looking to experience a new way to reduce stress? Book a massage at Anda Spa today and nourish your spirit.
