Why does massage help so much?

In a previous post I outlined some of the benefits of the 15 minutes Seated Acupressure Neck & Shoulder massage including the scientific evidence for these claims.

But I think their is one benefit that stands out above these.

I know in my previous life as an IT project manage, several times I spent most of a day trying to fix a problem and I just couldn’t find a solution.  I had a tendency to get caught up in a problem and its just frustrating — it can literally stress you out. When you’re stressed out, it’s harder to think clearly. Emotional stress can send your problem-solving skills into a tailspin.  To make matters worse I used to flip over that fine line between being focused on solving the problem and obsessing over it.

The trick to break this cycle is to shift your focus. The purpose of shifting your focus is to temporarily get your mind off whatever challenge has it tied up in knots.   So when you come back to it you have are re-energised and have a fresh perspective.

Going for a massage, shifts your focus to your body releases anxiety and the seated acupressure massage energises you & improves your mental alertness.  So I found it an ideal way of breaking the cycle of mentally obsessing over problems when I worked in IT.

 

Related Posts

  • Are acupressure points the same as trigger points?

    In last week's article entitled Why do your muscles hurt? I explained what trigger points were.   In this article I want to explain the difference between acupressure points and trigger points. Acupressure points (are the same points used by Acupuncturists) are situated on the meridians.  With acupressure they are stimulated by the application of pressure from the fingers & elbows to relieve

    • pain
    • muscular tension
    • headaches
    These points are naturally occurring points in the body that are stimulated to release endorphins (the body's pain killers) and assist the body to heal itself.  When you book a Seated Acupressure Massage treatment we are applying pressure to the acupressure points to release muscle tension and release endorphins. On the other hand, trigger points are highly irritated points or bands of skeletal muscle that is painful to the touch and that can give rise to referred pain & tenderness. So acupressure points are good and trigger points are bad as they cause pain!

  • What is the difference between sports and deep tissue massage?

    Deep tissue is a very descriptive name and is self-explanatory.  The confusion comes when it is compared to sports massage.  The big difference is the focus. Sports massage is dedicated to

    • improving sports performance
    • prevention of and treating sports injuries
    The reasons for booking a sports massage are:
    • You work out religiously, but aren't as relgious about stretching
    • You cycle or run to work and don't think to stretch
    • You play sports but don't cross train so have specific trouble spots
    • Your performance (in a particular sport) has dropped
    • You have a history of injuries and want to reduce the likely hood of further injuries
    Deep Tissue massage is a problem solving massage for everyone. The reasons for booking a deep tissue massage are:
    • You work at a computer all day and your neck, shoulders & back are chronically sore
    • You are so tense your back feels like concrete
    • You have tired achy legs
    • You are in pain
    • You are stiff (or are unable to move your neck/arm/leg freely)
    • You are stressed or anxious
    • You have a knot or a muscle spasm
    To book a treatment click here.  

  • Stretches for Head, Neck and Shoulders

    These stretches can either be done as a complete series or individually and most of them can be done at your desk.  Some will ease tension in specific parts of the body whilst others are generally relaxing.  Please remember stretching should always be relaxing and never painful! To get maximum benefit from these stretches you should do them daily and hold each stretch for 15 seconds and repeat twice. Head And Neck

    • Head rotation - keeping your head level, slowly turn from side to side.
    • Slowly drop your head sideways moving your right ear towards your right shoulder and push down with your left shoulder - repeat on other side.
    • Stand with your feet shoulder distance apart; look down towards your right foot (hold for 15 seconds),  dropping left shoulder - repeat the exercise looking towards your left foot.
    • Drop the lower jaw and open the mouth wide.
    Shoulders
    • Shrugging shoulders in a circular movement - forwards and then backwards.
    • Raise your shoulders high and let them drap heavily; whilst letting breathing out.
    • Clasp hands behind your head, with elbows back - push your chin back.  Hold for 15 seconds.  From this position look down and push your elbows together at the front and hold for a further 15 seconds.
    • Clasp you hands and push up towards the ceiling, palms up now look down.
    • Sit upright in a chair with a firm seat.  Raise your arms as high as possible and remaining seated drop forward letting your head and arms hang heavily towards the floor.