Benefits of a “Self-Love” Massage
True confession, I rarely watch TV with the exception of a show here and there,so, the phrase “treat yo self!” was completely unfamiliar to me. Then I looked it up and after a few laughs, I noticed that these two comedic actors included “massages” as treating “yo self”. In my mind, I high-fived them because once in awhile you just want a feel-good massage. A guilt-free, I-love-myself massage for the reason of just be kind to your body.
As a massage therapist, I nearly always choose a 90 minute massage session.
Professionally, I treat people that are injured. They visit me with physical pain and it’s a privilege to be able to be part of that healing process.
However, I have that smaller population of clients that uses massage to de-stress and I admire them greatly. As a care-taker and service provider, I fully understand the need let someone else step in and take care of you. So, here are my bullet points as to why massage is a legitimate way to just “treat yo self” and all the mental health benefits it has:
- No responsibility- if you’re an average working adult, you have many responsibilities, but guess what? Not on the massage table and anyone that feels overwhelmed with adulting a massage can feel like a dream come true.
- You’re care free : if you’re like most people I know, you’re an expert worrier. On the massage table, your therapist is hopefully skilled at getting you to let go and cast worries away, which is a lovely thing once you experience it.
- Take a nap and drool: You won’t be the first. I’ve been guilty of dozing off as well as many of my clients because of the intense relaxation massage provides. If you don’t sleep well, this will be a haven of snoozing for you.
- Endorphin Kicker- ahhh… the brain and its chemicals. we get endorphin kicking into high gear from things like running and yes, you guessed it, massage! Not only is it physically relaxing but you feel lighter as if you’re floating on cloud nine when you’re done.
- Tech free moments : in today’s tech age, computers, tablets and phones rule our world in day-to-day activities and many of us haven’t received a warm, nurturing ,safe touch from another in some time. We could have wonderful memories of being very young and having mom massage lotion on our back or rocking us to sleep. Make no mistake, certain massage techniques can trigger these good memories and make for an amazingly nurturing experience.
- Pleasurable- not the sexual kind but the kind that you can indulge in certain aspects of life. We derive pleasure from a smile, wearing beautiful clothes, watching a movie or eating a decadent dessert. Massage has been known to trigger the pleasure senses in our brain similar to a rich piece of chocolate and it’s one of the things that makes life so great.
Most people are in desperate need of healthy relaxation routines and choose to invest part of their budget into regular high quality massage. It could be
- Once a week
- Twice a month
- Once a month
- Once every three months
Enjoying massage for the sake of stress management, physical muscle maintenance and flexibility is absolutely valid.
