The Benefits of Massage for Stress

Taking a simplistic view, our bodies have two basic responses.

At one extreme we have the stress response, which is also known as the fight or flight response. This is where we are faced with a very stressful situation, we are likely to experience a rush of adrenalin, and amongst other physiological responses, our blood is directed away from what are in the moment non-vital functions and towards the major muscle groups, preparing the body to fight or run.

This is not a switch that is turned on, but a slidiing scale that we will always be at some point along. It is a very handy response that can save our lives in certain situations and on a smaller scale it allows us to focus and get things done! It could be argumeud that the stronger the experience of the stimulus or stress, the further toward the fight or flight end of the scale we go.

At the other extreme and the opposite end of the sliding scale we have the relaxation response. This is where blood and nutrients are sent to the more regenarative parts of the body, for example the digestive system, which helps us bring extra nutrients for the whole body repair itself. We need to take the time rest and relax at the end of each day when we sleep to prepare us for the stimuli of tomorrow!

Our bodies are a physical history of all that happens to us based on the chemicals we release through physiological responses, the nutrients we feed it, the patterns we create through building nerve pathways, muscular tensions we create through our daily activities and how we hold ourselves, and also the our bone structure which changes and adapts to the stresses placed on it.

As all of the systems of the body are interrelated, making up an amazing little bubble of homeostasii within the larger homeostasis of the planet or the universe, we can manipulate the whole body through massage. With Massage we most commonly work on the soft tissues of the body, releasing tension and therefore moving the physiological balance towards the relaxation end of the scale, allowing recovery and rejuevination to take place.