Ways That Massage Combats Anxiety & Depression

Both anxiety and depression are the most common mental health problems reported in the UK and USA. These problems can carry both physical and mental symptoms, leaving you feeling lifeless and with negative thoughts. What’s more, is that these mental health illnesses can also lead to other stress-related problems that then go on to affect the immune system. As well as helping anxiety, massage is a natural way of targeting some depression symptoms too. Here are some of the ways that massage helps and benefits those with mental health problems. Relieves Muscle Tension When you suffer from depression and anxiety, you can feel the tension throughout your entire body. Massage can help decrease the build-up of tension so that your body feels more relaxed. In turn, this helps to relax the mind as well and uplift the spirit to improve mental health. Reduces Anxiety and Improves Mood During anxiety attacks or stressful episode the sympathetic nervous system bursts into reaction, causing a fight-or-flight response in your body. Massage can help to calm the nervous system down because it lowers both your blood pressure and heart rate. In turn, this then reduces the feelings of anxiety you feel in your body. Massage Produces ‘Feel Good’ Chemicals Serotonin and dopamine are both feel-good chemicals produced in the brain. During the massage the production of these is boosted by up to 30%, helping those with mood fluctuations. This, in turn, can alleviate pain. Rather than using drugs to reduce pain, you could try a massage in Cheshire instead. Boost the Immune System Anxiety and depression cause stress. The effects of stress on the body can be terrible, lowering your immune system so that the likelihood of contracting an illness vastly increases. Many studies have shown that touch and massage can help how your immune system functions. It also improves your general well-being and encourages you to take better care of yourself. Less Anxious Thoughts It’s nearly impossible to have anxious thoughts or feeling during a massage because of how relaxed your body is. Even if you find it hard to switch off your mind, a massage may be the key to stopping your anxious thoughts from flowing. If you’re not thinking negatively, your body will also respond and help you feel better. Better Self-Care Many people who suffer from these mental health issues have a difficult time focusing on themselves and won’t spend time on themselves. This is something that can actually worsen the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Massages can be booked as an appointment and you can concentrate on receiving the care you need, taking that all-important step of making yourself a priority.