Massage is loaded with health benefits and is just what the doctor ordered
It’s time to stop thinking of massage as a luxurious indulgence, but rather a research-backed tool that can improve your health.
"The notion that massage is ‘just an indulgence’ is antiquated,” says Brent A. Bauer, M.D., director of the complementary and integrative medicine program at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. “There are over 1,000 studies and published reports that offer scientific evidence on the health effects of massage therapy. There are certainly direct effects like changes that happen at the muscle level and pain pathways and a reduction in stress hormones, such as cortisol. But there are also indirect effects like being in a comfortable setting and a compassionate human presence that can all lead to profound effects on our stress levels and emotional state.”
Don’t just take Dr. Bauer's word for it. Here, research reveals five health benefits to a good rub down.’s time to stop thinking of massage as a luxurious indulgence, but rather a research-backed tool that can improve your health.
"The notion that massage is ‘just an indulgence’ is antiquated,” says Brent A. Bauer, M.D., director of the complementary and integrative medicine program at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. “There are over 1,000 studies and published reports that offer scientific evidence on the health effects of massage therapy. There are certainly direct effects like changes that happen at the muscle level and pain pathways and a reduction in stress hormones, such as cortisol. But there are also indirect effects like being in a comfortable setting and a compassionate human presence that can all lead to profound effects on our stress levels and emotional state.”
Don’t just take Dr. Bauer's word for it. Here, research reveals five health benefits to a good rub down.
1. Massage decreases stress, depression and anxiety.
2. A rub down reduces lower back pain.
3. You’ll sleep better.
4. Massage may ease knee pain.
5. The therapy alleviates carpal tunnel syndrome.
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