What is it about getting a massage that relaxes us?
Question:
The day after, I was so sore i could bareley get out of bed and i could barely pick up a glass of water. I could not even lift a book up to read. The day after that i went for a massage. The massues stood on me and applied a LOT of pressure all over my body. After the massage i was completely relaxed and only my arms are slightly sore.
What exactly is it about a massage that relaxes us? Is it the pressure applied to our bodies? Once the pressure is applied it's really uncomfortable but once it's released there is releif. Or is it the kneading of the muscles that causes releif.
Answers:
Besides the relief of relaxing tight muscles, massage causes the release of endorphins into the system. If you don't know what endorphins are, they are the body's natural pain killer...actually similar to morphine in composition. So, obviously, you are more wonderfully relaxed when that happens.
And I hate it when people automatically have to ask about "happy endings" with massage. It really is an insult to professional therapists.
On an even more basic level, everyone has the need for touch! It has been proven that babies who are not held and loved can die. The need for touch doesn't go away once the baby becomes an adult. Having someone give their undivided attention to you for an hour can be really comforting both physically and emotionally. No matter what technique is being applied, even simply holding someone's hand, it can still satisfy that need.
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