The word Massage can conjure up lots of different thoughts – from a soft, gentle, candle lit, relaxing experience to a quick ‘rub down’ at the side of a muddy pitch!

There are certainly lots of different types and styles of massage; deep tissue, aromatherapy, Swedish, hot stone………..whatever your preference, the overall aim of massage is to spend some time focused on you, away from every day stresses, helping you feel refreshed, physically relaxed and rejuvenated!

Life can be pretty hectic and more often than not, there is another priority that rises above getting a massage. But, before you prioritise everyone and everything else, let’s explore the benefits that massage can bring you!

Massage is a great way to promote your physical and mental well-being.

Here are our Top 5 Benefits of Massage

1. Massage Helps Relaxation – This is one of the most immediate and noticeable effects of massage. Massage helps with the release of endorphins, the body’s natural chemicals that produce feelings of calm and well-being. It can also help reduce levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline and nor-adrenaline. The impact of this on our general health, wellbeing and longevity can be massive.
2. Massage Reduces Stress – Stress appears in everyone’s life to some extent. It isn’t always a negative thing, it’s a natural response to help us get through life. However, there are times that stress can become too much or overwhelming and it’s good to have strategies to both help us reduce the feeling of stress and also manage stress day to day. Massage is a fantastic way to both ease your feelings of stress and also manage stress long term. It enforces you to take time out, chill for an hour and will physically help you cope by easing any stress induced tension your muscles are holding.
3. Massage Helps You Sleep Well – The importance of the quality of our sleep and it’s impact on our life is becoming increasingly recognised. Sleep is an ultimate way to recover and having a massage can undoubtedly help improve your quality of sleep.
4. Massage Helps Recovery – Physically, massage is a key tool you can use to help not only tour mental but also physical recovery. If you’re training for an event, taken part in a race or competition or just exercise regularly, your body needs recovery to help it perform. The physical effects of a massage can help encourage and promote recovery and ward off injuries. Regular massages part of a training programme is a great investment as it can play a key part in helping prevent injuries and optimising your physical performance.
5. Massage Improves Circulation – The manual techniques that are used by your massage therapist, will physically encourage circulation by moving blood through your tissues which can help flush the lactic acid through your muscles. It will also help with circulation of lymph fluid which carries metabolic waste any from muscles and internal organs. Enhancing your circulation will help promote healing as oxygen rich blood is circulated to damaged, tense muscles.

How often should I get a massage?

There’s no doubt that having a massage is good for our health and well-being. Whether you’re busy Mum, work at a desk most of the day, training for a marathon or spends hours commuting, a massage will help you feel great!

We often get asked how often people should have a massage. The frequency of a massage comes down to many factors. If you’re training intensely for a physical event, a weekly massage is ideal. If you build up tension in your neck and shoulders over time, once a month may be enough. Generally, once a fortnight is great – as it helps keep top of those stresses and strains, without them building up and becoming a problem.

Whatever works for you, if you can set aside time for a regular massage your body and mind will thank you for it!

What type of massage do you do at goPhysio?

At goPhysio, we practice Sports and Remedial Massage. This is a ‘clinically’ based massage, that involves working on deep tissues to promote recovery and ease tension. Your Therapist will always ask you a series of questions before they start, so they can tailor the experience to your exact needs and the areas you want to focus on. Appointments are available 6 days a week, as early as 8am and as late as 8pm. You can book appointments  or give us a call on 023 8025 3317. We often have same day appointments available!

So, if you’d like to experience the benefits of regular massage, book your appointment today!