S WELLNESS SPA

That feeling of calm after a massage can aid in reducing stress and anxiety, a study found. Your body has two nervous systems: a sympathetic nervous system that drives your “fight or flight” response in stressful situations and a parasympathetic nervous system that focuses on routine and day-to-day operations that lead to relaxation and rest. A massage is thought to increase your parasympathetic response, which can decrease feelings of anxiety.

A knot in your neck or a tight spot in your back is known as a trigger point. A trigger point is a tiny muscle spasm or tight spot in the tissue. In a trigger-point massage, the massage therapist uses focused and direct pressure to target those spots. This increases blood flow to the areas, helping them release. This type of massage can also be helpful for people with chronic pain.

Your muscles can get tight from repeated use — even from something less active like sitting, driving or hunching over your laptop. Deep tissue massage gets into your muscles and tendons to release that tightness. It’s good for people with injuries, general muscle tightness and chronic muscle pain.

Massage is a great tool for relaxation, pain relief, easing muscle tension and more. With a goal of slowing down your nervous system, massage therapy can be used to release stress and tension, provide relief from symptoms, heal injuries and support wellness.

Studies of massage benefits have found massage can:

★Help reduce stress.

★Lessen pain and muscle tightness.

★Increase relaxation.

★Improve the work of the immune system.

Massage therapy is a type of treatment that involves moving the soft tissues in your body to achieve relaxation and overall well-being. There are many types of massage therapy that are done by licensed professionals ranging from hot stone massages to specialty treatments for when you’re pregnant. Massage therapy is proven to improve several health conditions.

Before you can decide which massage style is best for you, you need to ask yourself a question. Do you simply want a massage for relaxation and stress control? Or do you need symptom relief or help with a certain health condition? Before booking a massage, let the therapist know what you’re looking for and ask which style the therapist uses. Many use more than one style. The therapist may customize your massage, depending on your age, condition, or any special needs or goals you have.