For more than 120 years, experts have been researching the benefits of massage therapy. And besides the obvious stress-free feeling that people experience following a massage, there are plenty of other benefits to this ancient healing procedure.

Below are several different ways that massage therapy can make you feel better physically and mentally.

Physical Benefits- There are a number of physical benefits associated with massage. A benefit of massage therapy that researchers have found is a decrease in blood pressure. Massages also help to alleviate the pain of those who suffer from migraine headaches. It can also: reduce your heart rate, increase blood circulation and lymph flow, relax your muscles, improve your range of motion, and increase endorphins.

Research has also shown that while massage therapy does not increase your muscle strength, it can stimulate your weak and inactive muscles and can thereby aid muscles that you may not have worked out in quite some time. Massage therapy can also speed up your recovery process if you do have an injury.

Some other physical benefits of massage therapy include: relieving muscle tension and stiffness, alleviating discomfort during pregnancy, reducing muscle spasms, promoting deeper and easier breathing, enhancing the health and nourishment of your skin, and improving your posture.

According to MSNBC almost 30 percent of those who had a massage in the past five years said that they did so for medical or health reasons other than stress relief. Their reasons included recovery from an injury, pain reduction, headache control and overall health and wellness.

Mental Benefits- Massage therapy, while a physical act, is not all about physical benefits. There is also an array of mental benefits. Some mental benefits include: promoting mental alertness, relieving mental stress, reducing levels of anxiety, improving motor skills, creating body awareness, and fostering a feeling of well being.

Stress Management- Massage can also help with stress management. According to CBS News massage can relieve tension in your muscles. It can also boost your immune system and cause a release of endorphins, which is the body’s natural painkiller. In addition, it may also increase joint flexibility, improve circulation, reduce spasms and cramping, and help athletes prepare for or recover from a strenuous workout.

While this article only touches on a few benefits of massage therapy, both physical and mental, there are plenty more out there that researchers are learning about each and every day. So, whatever your reason may be, pamper yourself today and reap all of the benefits of a great massage.

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