Benefits
Pregnancy Massage
Improves circulation : This has been one of the greatest benefits of massage! Improving your circulation means your body is better able to deliver more nutrients and oxygen to your body & baby. This is super important, because the more nutrients and oxygen your body & baby receive, the better they can grow and develop while keeping you healthy too!
Can help labor time: A study published in the Expert Review of Obstetrics and Gynecology revealed that women who received a prenatal massage regularly had shorter labors (three hours shorter on average!) and less demand for pain medication. This is likely due to lowered stress levels.
Reduces risk of premature labor: One study noted that, in China, where prenatal massages and other forms of complementary medicine are regularly practiced, the rate of premature birth is only 1 percent (it is 14 percent in America!). Prenatal massage is thought to reduce your risk of premature labor, because it reduces cortisol levels.
Therapeutic Massage
It Can Help Strengthen the Body’s Immune System: Some might wonder how massage therapy benefits the immune system. Studies have indicated that regular massage sessions not only help reduce stress, but can also boost the immune system’s cytotoxic capacity (activity level of the body’s natural “killer cells”) and enhances the body’s ability to deliver nourishment. Much like regular exercise can keep the body fine-tuned, regular massage therapy can help keep the immune system strong and resilient.
Improves Posture: Massage Therapy helps to relax tense body muscles through the use of pressure and long strokes along the body. During a massage knots in your musculature are worked out and able to release tension so they can go back to their natural state. When the muscles are not forced into a contracted state, they are not pulling down on your spine, allowing you to comfortably straighten your back into a healthy posture.
Relieves fatigue and indirectly improves our energy levels: Studies have shown that massage therapy can reduce pain and fatigue both from illness and muscle use. Studies in the clinical setting have shown that massage reduced pain levels and improved function by analyzing qualitative data. Overall pain was reduced significantly and improvements in emotional well-being, relaxation, and ability to sleep were all associated with the reduction in pain. We have all experienced pain that interrupts our ability to focus and even sleep, and can understand how this results in feeling exhausted by the end of the day.
