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The Benefits Of Massage Therapy

March 21st, 2017 / By Eastern College

It would be tough to find someone who does not enjoy a good massage, but have you ever thought about just how important massage therapy is? A massage therapist physically manipulates areas of a patient’s body in order to reach a desired outcome. This can increase blood flow, which is important for normal bodily function. It can also release nerves, which aid in the person’s comfort and pain reduction.

massage client enjoying a head massage

Besides reducing anxiety and depression, massage also improves sleep quality, something some people struggle with.

 

Not so long ago, it was believed that only athletes made regular use of massage, but many different types of people also now enjoy this ancient art’s benefits.

Office Workers Need Massage Therapy, too!

If you work in an office, your doctor may have used the phrase, “Sitting is the New Smoking.” It is becoming increasingly apparent that spending large amounts of time seated is bad for you, even contributing to the risk of heart disease and cancer.

Massage therapy will not help with those, but it is tremendously beneficial in easing pain and stiffness caused by lack of physical activity. It is also valuable in reducing the likelihood of repetitive stress injuries, like tendonitis and carpal tunnel, caused by typing and computer mouse work.

Stress Management

We live in an increasingly nerve-wracking world and while there are many outlets for stress, few are as healthy as massage. The human touch is a natural relaxant when applied by a trained massage therapist. Physically manipulating just the right parts of a particular individual’s anatomy eases them, promoting stress reduction.

Massage also reduces anxiety and depression by lowering the subject’s levels of cortisol. An added benefit of which is better quality sleep, something else that some people struggle to achieve.

Spend Less Time Sick

Massage is an excellent supplement to the steps you regularly take to avoid getting sick. One of the body’s prime defenses against illness are white blood cells. Massage actually boosts your white cell count, thus making it tough for any invading germs to make an impact on you.

After a nice relaxing massage, you also have decreased levels of cytokines, molecules that help to cause inflammation. If your body consistently suffers from inflammation, this increases the chances of cardiovascular issues and asthma.

Massage also helps to lower blood pressure by as much as 6%. That can mean the difference between a healthy blood rate and the need for medication.

Those interested in learning this valuable profession could hardly do better than Eastern College’s Massage Therapy program. Endorsed by the Massage Therapy Association of Nova Scotia (MTANS), the Association of New Brunswick Massage Therapists (ANBMT), the New Brunswick Massotherapy Association (NBMA) and the Newfoundland and Labrador Massage Therapist Association (NLMTA), the program runs a comprehensive 88 weeks. In addition to thorough classroom instruction, students receive invaluable real-world experience via clinical outreach sessions. Sign up today and get started on a career that can be the most relaxing job in the world for both you and your clients!

 

Click to learn more about the Massage Therapy program offered at Eastern!