Does this describe you?
Massage is probably the oldest and most effective form of treatment that we are able to give to, and receive from one another. Watch animals in their natural environment and see how they spend time grooming one another. Think about how your pet loves to be stroked and the calming meditative state it stimulates.
Humans also enjoy this deeply relaxing form of body contact. Just think about the last time you had an ache in your neck and shoulders. You instinctively rub the affected area to make it feel better, or ask a loved one to rub the area for you. Massage causes changes in numerous bodily systems that promote a relaxed and healing state.
It physically changes our physiology causing a decrease in heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate helping us to relax. It creates heat and friction and increased blood flow into the tissues that are being massaged. This can relieve muscle pain and tension.
It also increases lymphatic drainage from the massaged tissues that can help remove waste products and enhance detoxification. It is important to drink lots of glasses of water after a massage to aid this process.
All massages are delivered by a Chartered Physiotherapist, Registered Osteopath or Massage Therapists in Wandsworth Town, Putney, Clapham Junction, Battersea Nine Elms and Chelsea.
Massage changes our state of mind. Much like acupuncture, it causes a change in the activity of our brain taping into the limbic emotional system and changing our brain wave production. The brain is an electrochemical organ, generating up to 10 watts of electricity. The brain has 4 categories of brain waves, all with different frequency and amplitude. When we are fully alert we exhibit alpha waves and when we are in deep sleep we exhibit delta waves. A relaxing massage stimulates brain activity closer to the state of sleep and dreaming, thus promoting relaxation and restoration.
Stress is a big problem today, be it emotional, physical, chemical or electromagnetic. Any type of stress causes an increase in you stress hormones – cortisol and adrenalin being the major ones. These stress hormones disrupt the production of your growth and repair hormones which make it hard to recover from the rigours of everyday life, such as recovering from a work-out, a physical day at work or from an injury.
Massage helps to reduce stress hormones allowing you to recover from your daily activities. It also stimulates the brain to release serotonin, your brain’s neurotransmitter that makes you feel happy and relaxed.
Our bodies are designed to be in a rhythm with the sun. As the sun begins to set, the production of melatonin (from serotonin) – a sleep hormone – begins to rise, making us sleepy.
During the first few hours of sleep there is an increased production of growth and repair hormones, such as DHEA, testosterone and growth hormone.
This fine balance in the hormonal system is what keeps our body in rhythm; however, modern lifestyles upset this finely tuned hormonal rhythm.
Massage promotes deep restorative sleep that leads to optimal growth and recovery.
