Swedish massage stimulates your central nervous system to sooth and calm your nerves. By doing so, it reduces stress and tension in both a physical and psychological sense. This is why Swedish massage is often recommended as an important part of a stress management program for people who are otherwise naturally predisposed to suffering from elevated stress levels.
Your body’s nervous system is responsible for sending, receiving and carrying nerve impulses around your body. It is the main control unit in your body and these nerve impulses allow your organs and muscles to work efficiently.
Nerve impulses are electrochemical signals carrying information, which travel from your brain to nerves around your body. The stresses and strains of everyday life can affect the smooth running of the nervous system and this where massage therapy can help alleviate the problems this causes.
The skin is the body’s largest sensory organ of the body, and when it is touched thousands of tiny nerve receptors send messages to the brain. These are interpreted and returned to the muscles. When the muscles are massaged the body’s natural painkillers, endorphins, are triggered which send messages of calm and relaxation. If vigorous massage strokes are applied, the skin’s underlying muscles are stimulated, easing tension and stiffness.
Massage can have a very powerful sedative effect on the nerves and problems such as headaches can be relieved, patterns of insomnia broken, tension, stress and anxiety relieved, as well as encouraging relaxed muscles.
The effect of a Swedish massage on the nervous system depends on the reaction of the nerves stimulated. Depending on the type of massage strokes used, the nervous system can be stimulated or soothed creating a calming and relaxed state of well being in the receiver.
The Benefits of massage on the nervous system are:
1. Stimulates blood circulation and the nervous system’s response enhancing your well being and boosting your energy
2. Reduces stress, tension and anxiety which can result in headaches, backaches, neck pain, eyestrain, poor concentration, depression, irritability, anger
3. Improves nerve function
4. Massage therapy relaxes contracted muscles which press on or pinch nerves, causing tingling, numbness and pain.
5. Helps treat insomnia caused by tense muscles. Massage therapy relaxes them and allows you to have a good night’s sleep
6. Helps balance the nervous system
7. Stimulates the release of endorphins which are the body’s natural painkillers thus decreasing pain
8. Massage relaxes and tones the muscles due to its effect its effect on the neuro-muscular reflex pathways.
9. Depending on the type and length of a massage given it will leave you relaxed yet stimulated
10. Massage stimulates the touch, pressure, and receptors of the skin and underlying tissue.
If anyone suffers from any problems caused by the dysfunction of their nervous system then a Swedish massage is the answer to their problems. With a little practice anyone can learn a few strokes to alleviate and improve a person’s health and well being.