So maybe your New Years Resolution didn’t quite work out. You meant to start taking care of yourself, you vowed that you would make some “me time” … but let me guess, life got in the way, and before you knew it, spring had sprung. Well ,it’s not too late. Spring is in the air and it’s the perfect time for New Growth, Fresh Starts, Renewal, and Rejuvenating your health and wellbeing for spring. Yes, we can do this anytime of the year, but something about spring that makes you want to go “out with the old and in with the new”. Usually this term refers to spring cleaning your home, but I say that spring cleaning should also apply to Body, Mind and Spirit as well. Take this opportunity to focus on you. Now I also am speaking to myself here, because I am guilty of the same exact thing, but I am going to do this with you. Focus on myself more, get more massage, start stretching daily, eat better and take care of this “one” body I have … it’s got to last me for the rest of my life, so for me it’s time to make the commitment. How about you?
Here are just a few reasons this season to spring into wellness with massage therapy:
Pain Management: Chronic pain or ongoing health issues can be a drag. Massage Therapy is a way to reduce and manage your pain. Massage releases endorphins from your brain the body’s natural painkiller. For many people, massage offers relief from their pain both during and for a prolonged period after a massage. Maintaining a regular massage schedule helps manage that pain and sometimes can eliminate problem pain areas altogether.
Flexibility and Range of Motion: If you’re an active person, you can enhance your fitness through massage therapy. Athletes use massage to enhance their performance, improve muscle repair and reduce pain. The same benefits of massage can be gained by anyone with an active lifestyle giving your muscles the care necessary for flexibility and range of motion
Depression and Anxiety: Studies have shown that massage increases your feel good hormones (dopamine and serotonin), while reducing cortisol (which is the stress hormone). Mental health is important to your overall health as being physically fit. Massage helps body and mind relax. Give your body and mind a boost through regular sessions of therapeutic massage.
Decrease Stress and Tension: Massage increases circulation, which in turn gets your blood vessels to dilate. which then lowers your blood pressure and heart rate improving your cardiovascular health. Combined with exercise and healthy eating gives you a great start to a healthy lifestyle.
Immunity Boost: Springtime can bring on allergies, colds and flu. Massage can increase circulation and reduce tension aiding the body’s immune system allowing it to heal faster through an increase of lymphocytes. Those are the white blood cells whose job is to defend the body from disease. People with medical conditions including heart disease and asthma have noticed improvements in their health through regular massage.
On another note, for our clients that will do a spring-cleaning this year in and around your home … be aware of the possibility for injury. Just sayin’, in the wintertime we don’t use a lot of our “spring-cleaning muscles” so we want to remind you to stretch to avoid strains and sprains, stay hydrated and TAKE REGULAR BREAKS! So many of our clients do get injured because of household chores believe it or not! They either take on a project by themselves or they try to do everything in one day. DON’T DO THAT! Overworking neglected muscles can result in injury, and having to abandon your project until your feeling better. When all is said and done, your garden is underway, you’ve cleaned out the garage and made your home sparkle, we urge you to do some much-kneaded maintenance for yourself and set up and appointment for a massage.
With all that being said, are you ready to include massage therapy in your health and wellness plan this spring? Great! We’ve made it easy you can book online at: www.IslandMassageOnline.com if you’re not tech savvy or just like to talk to a human, we’d love to hear from you: (727)864-6688. Make Your Appointment Today!
Written by: Patricia Iorio, Licensed Massage Therapist and Certified Thai Yoga Practitioner. FL MA64528 She has been spreading the power of touch for 12 + years and is now using the power of words to encourage massage and living a healthy lifestyle.