The new year brings a new start and a new opportunity to create a happier, healthier you. Every year many of us ring in the new year and set out our New Year’s resolutions. Often, goals focus on business success, love and health.
The reasons behind these resolutions vary from person to person and may be reactions to the various stresses we have in our lives. Massage can be part of a proactive plan of preventative medicine in the same way as exercise and healthy living!
Here are my thoughts on a resolution to your good health.
What is your New Year’s resolution?
Year after year, you resolve to exercise more. Conquer clutter. Save money. And while these aren’t bad resolutions, there’s an even better one you could be making: Self-indulge – taking care of yourself.
Do you find yourself making the same New Year’s resolution every year? Are you thinking about making the same one again for 2019? How about considering 2019 as “the” year to take real measures to improve your personal health and wellness?
If your New Year’s resolution has been to improve your health habits every year in the past, and it appears to be the same choice for 2019, let’s join together to ensure it truly does become the year you improve your personal health and wellness. When we decide on a goal, it is much easier to accomplish your goal with a friend who shares your same goal to help with accountability.
A recent study from Emory University found that indulging in massage therapy once or twice a week can lower levels of stress hormones. Massage can also increase white blood cell counts, which play a key role in fending off illness and infection, and can improve sleep quality, reduce migraines and curb low back pain.
At A Valley of Vitality Wellness Studio, it is always our goal to join in another’s desire for attaining optimal health. Doctors recognize the benefits and often recommend regular massage to their patients for reducing stress. Studies have measured the stress hormone cortisol and found that massage decreases cortisol levels dramatically! Therapeutic massage has a myriad health benefits that can help you stay on track with your goals for the new year. Resolve to include massage therapy in your 2019 health regimen!
One of the most known health benefits of massage is stress relief. One of the most effective ways to relieve stress and keep stress hormone levels in control is to get regular massages.
Massage to Support Exercise Goals
If this year you are choosing to get fit by incorporating exercise, a new study found that massage really does work to ease those sore muscles after a tough workout. Massaging lengthens the muscle fibers so after your hard workouts the muscles don’t bind up and shorten your muscle fibers.
Massage to Support Well Being Goals
If your goal is to be happier this year, massage can assist by promoting relaxation. It can also soothe anxiety and help to lift depression. Massage also increases circulation, which balances the endocrine systems to maximal function. By reducing stress hormones, massage can result in lifted spirits and often lower blood pressure. It can also boost the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine, which are helpful in minimizing depression.
Massage makes you feel and perform better; increases circulation; enhances the immune system; promotes nervous system functioning; reduces blood pressure; relieves pain and muscle tension; improves mood, intellectual reasoning and job performance; has a positive effect on conditions such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, diabetes and migraine headaches. Massage also stimulates the nervous system to help reduce muscle atrophy; increases muscle tone; sedates the nervous system to help ease muscle tension, spasticity, stress-related symptoms and headaches; boosts the functioning of the immune system and maintains health when done regularly. Receiving a massage regularly throughout the year will lessen the risk of being sick or not at all, an added benefit is reducing medical costs and lost time at work. Overall, the cost of massage is a small price to pay to have great health and to take personal care of yourself.
Integrating massage is a positive addition to achieving your New Year’s resolution of well-being with so many benefit which complement other healthy activity choices. Let’s do this together! QCBN
By Amanda D’Agosto
Amanda D’Agosto is the owner and operator of A Valley of Vitality Wellness Studio. She can be reached at 928-442-6026. Those interested may book a massage, or other service right now using the online scheduler at: MassagePrescott.com.
A Valley of Vitality Wellness Studio is located at 2074 Willow Creek Road in Prescott.