How to Relax: Stop Being Busy, Take a Break and Get Better Results While Doing Less

by Martin Meadows

Chances are your entire body is rigid and tense, causing you pain every single day. It’s not only physical pain we’re talking about – inflexibility and decreased range of motion will also affect your mental health. Your physiology reflects your state of mind. A single massage therapy session can almost instantly change your state from overstressed and exhausted to refreshed and happy. Studies on military veterans show that massage reduces anxiety, worry, depression, physical pain, irritability and tension25. Another study, conducted on nurses during work hours, shows that even simple 15-minute chair massage reduces stress-related symptoms26. Massage can also significantly reduce chronic low-back pain, reducing the use of anti-inflammatory drugs for pain27. Regular massage therapy is also beneficial for older adults. It produces a relaxation effect for the entire body, lowers blood pressure, decreases stress, and improves balance28. Massage is also effective at controlling blood pressure, lowering it for up to 72 hours after massage29. Massage is one of the most effective ways to reduce your stress and improve your well-being.