It is my experience that regular massage can reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression.  This is borne out in my own personal experience and that of my clients.

A significant part of my recovery was massage and that’s one of the main reasons why I now do this myself – because it works to support people in a similar position to myself 10 years ago.

What causes stress and anxiety?

Outside stresses cause the body to react as if there were a threat to our safety – it’s an ancient, evolutionary response.  Levels of Cortisol– the “stress-hormone” – rise in the body getting us ready for fight or flight action.  This is why we get stressed.  The other effects of this hormone however are to slow down the digestive system, hype-up the immune system and shut off the memory and the higher executive functions of the brain so that we become reactive creatures rather than rational ones.

Long-term, this all adds up to a person who may have digestive problems, be unable to concentrate, plan properly, sleep properly and tends to snap at people and things that go wrong.  Does any of this sound familiar?  It was me – just before my nervous breakdown in 2008.

Regular massage can reduce the symptoms of stress and anxiety because it helps us to be soothed and comfortable.  As soon as that happens, the body responds by flushing the stress hormones from the system.  A good massage is a sign to the whole body that all is well in the world – we are safe.  This is shown by scientific research too.

A study in the US National Library of Medicine (read the abstract here) reports that regular massage reduces Cortisol levels by an average of 31%.  Studies that also measure the “feel-good” hormones Serotonin and Dopamine show that these INCREASED by an average of 28% for serotonin and 31% for dopamine.

So what does that mean for me?

You will be more relaxed day to day and your body will be able to function better – digestion improves and you will be able to think more clearly.  Obviously, when we can think better and remember things, you make fewer mistakes and are better at solving problems, so there’s fewer things to get stressed about and life follows the positive spiral upwards to better things.  You will be less reactive and more able to breathe and count to 10 before responding – so others will notice the improvement too!

Here’s my offer to you.  If you feel anxious or are depressed, try some massage for relaxation and see how much better you feel.