HOW DOES MASSAGE WORK

 

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Massage works on physical, mental and sometimes spiritual levels. It restores balance and harmony to a troubled mind and tense body, it helps us to feel better about ourselves and it leaves us with a fresh, optimistic viewpoint of life.

 

It is the ultimate antidote to the damaging effects of chronic tension and it prevents stress from taking root in the first place. This may sound miraculous, yet experience shows that massage offers all this and more.

 

The human body is extraordinary in its capacity to renew and regenerate itself. Its own self-regulatory mechanism returns the body to a state of internal balance and harmony even after we stretch all its systems to cope with excessive pressures, a process known as homoeostasis.

 

Chronic, long-term stress inhibits this natural rebalancing. By constantly exploiting the body with unrelenting demands we deprive it of the time and energy to repair and restore itself to harmony. Massage intervenes, allowing the body to carry out its own healing by regulating the actions of the autonomic nervous system.

 

The nervous system divides into two processes that govern our reaction to our surroundings in complementary ways. The sympathetic system deals with the 'flight or fight' response when the body gears itself up for stress.

 

Hormones such as adrenaline and cortisone pump into the blood stream, the heart beats faster and the digestive functions close down.

 

This is fine if we relax once the emergency has passed. If we carry on responding to pressure, we end up on permanent alert, wearing the body out and heading towards illness.

 

The parasympathetic system, which reverses the 'flight or fight' reactions, is then blocked. Massage stimulates this restorative effect and induces relaxation.

 

We would be wise not to underestimate the importance of containing stress and replacing it with relaxation. The stress hormones released when we feel under threat can damage the body's nervous system, organs and immune system in a self-perpetuating sequence of effects.

 

When the pituitary gland is stimulated it releases adrenaline and cortisone. If, due to unrelieved stress, cortisone continues unchecked, it suppresses the immune system, leaving the body defenceless against viruses.

 

Relaxation also works on the mind. In the course of our day, when we are awake, thinking or concentrating, our brain waves resonate on the 'Beta' frequency.

 

The more anxious or angry we become, the higher we go into Beta and if we stay there for too long, we not only undermine our immune system, but become fatigued and accident-prone.

 

Deep relaxation takes us into the much slower 'Alpha' frequency - a meditative, trance-like state that recharges us even more than sleep. Research has shown that regular meditative rest such as massage can increase immunity, improving white-cell response to stress.

 

Massage is probably the easiest way of inducing such rest, as a chronically stressed individual may find it difficult to relax alone.

 

Deep relaxation is also intensely pleasurable. While in this quietened state, our body produces endorphins - hormones that relieve pain and induce feelings of contentment and even euphoria. In my experience endorphins are more effective than any drug for pain relief.

 

Touch is a great source of pleasure in itself. The skin is covered with nerve receptors that, when stimulated, feed the brain with enjoyable sensations. Massage is powerfully therapeutic and a life-affirming route to real pleasure.

 

Author - Thomas McKail - (c) Copyright 2004