Why Massage Therapy is Good for Mental Health
While massage can be deeply relaxing on a purely physical level, research also indicates that it produces profound neurochemical changes that increase psychological well-being.
Recent studies concerning massage and mental health have found that massage therapy effectively reduces symptoms associated with:
- Anorexia nervosa
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Stress
- Other mental health conditions
How Massage Therapy Can Reduce Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression?
Massage therapy has been proven to reduce trait anxiety and depression with a course of care providing benefits similar in magnitude to those of psychotherapy. Increase neurotransmitters associated with lowering anxiety and decrease hormones associated with increasing anxiety. Significantly decrease heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure. And, reduce depression in individuals with HIV, lessen anxiety in cancer patients, reduce anxiety and depression in military veterans and lower work-related stress for nurses.
Although researchers don't know exactly why massage therapy has such marked benefits for depression, anxiety and other mental disorders, it's believed that it reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the body, lowers blood pressure and heart rate and increases serotonin and oxytocin levels.
