How Massage Improves Body Awareness
A massage session is one of those rare circumstances where your body can be at rest for an extended period of time. Where you are encouraged into a state of stillness. A massage is one of the only times a person with an overwhelmed schedule and a fast-paced life will have the chance to remain nearly motionless for the sake of their health.
Another time this occurs, is when you’re getting ready for sleep. Unless you’re on the brink of exhaustion, your brain finds this twilight period a bore and you begin to think about work, school and a long list of responsibilities you’re convinced which were neglected that day.
Because our visual senses are assaulted with information every day from multiple devices, our minds are working in a state of overload. Trying frantically to dissect which information is worthy of our attention creates a burden that adds stress to our minds.
In the massage room, I can only hope you are able to turn off your cell phone and enjoy the peace and quiet.
If you fall asleep, don’t get upset and believe you have “missed” your experience. Trust your body’s cues and allow yourself to nap during your massage. This is a common signal that you are most likely sleep deprived.
I am continuously surprised at the responses of the majority of my clients when I ask them how many hours of sleep they get each night. There are certain periods of life and or professions like a new mother, that is having to nurse every two hours or a surgeon that is on-call at a hospital. However, most people can fit in a healthy amount of sleep time.
If this is a difficult task, consistent massage can be utilized as a therapy that allows you to embrace a state of awareness with your body. Why is this important?
When we bridge the gap between mind and body, we can more easily recognize our body’s natural signals.
Massage therapy could help you to heighten your sensitivity to such clues as:
- when we are hungry
- have to use the bathroom
- when we are tired
- when we need to sleep
- when to have a good cry
- when to get up and move
When we are in a constant state of negative stress due to our work and or responsibilities, we are more inclined to disconnect from our bodies and suppress these hints that help us function at our best. Pain, inflammation, fatigue are all symptoms of a deeper cause and if left untreated can prove to be serious and sometimes fatal.
Fortunately, convincing someone to get a massage is not difficult. With the right therapist, it feels wonderful. It has a pleasurable aspect to it that most health provider visits do not.
Often, a new client will tell me, “I had no idea I was so sore!” That’s because your mind is racing at a mile a minute and hasn’t been given the chance to zero in on what your body feels. Some people have guilt about the way they neglect their your body. But is quickly replaced with feelings of gratitude of the incredible system that helps you function each day.
If you feel disconnected to your physical self, you can change and reoccurring massage sessions can help by:
- Helping you sleep better
- Increasing your circulation
- Create body awareness of what feels urgent and what doesn’t
- Motivate you to explore additional healthy habits such as eating better and exercising.
Maybe you have been disconnected with your body’s signals and have been neglecting it. Massage will help you perceive your body in a healthy and more sensitive way.
