We all know the importance of massage in relaxation. It just feels good to take some time to sit in a luxurious chair and tune the world out for just a few minutes while it soothes you to serenity. As if that isn't reason enough, we've come up with 10 more reasons for you to have a massage chair in your home or business.
1. Stress Relief
When we are stressed, our muscles tense up. Having your own massage chair not only gives you a reason to take a break and tune the world out, it also eases your tense muscles so you can relax.
2. One Time Investment, Years of Relaxation
Buying a massage chair is certainly an investment, but you will receive the benefits for years to come! Countered with monthly payments (and tipping) to a masseuse, a massage chair can save you money long term. For this reason, our Relaxation Experts are ready to assist you in finding the perfect chair that will fit your needs and budget.
3. Improved Sleep
Regular massage sessions have been found to decrease depression and anxiety levels and improve sleep quality, because they trigger the release of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that can help you feel calm.
While many people get plenty of sleep in hours, the quality is less than optimal leaving you tired, dull, and unfocused. Massage encourages more time spent in the deep, restorative stages of sleep, where your body hardly moves.
4. Boost Immunity
Your immune system is affected by your emotional state. When you are stressed, natural defenses - white blood cells - decrease resulting in greater susceptibility to illness.
Massage reduces stress by forcing the whole body into deep relaxation and stimulating natural detoxification. Research has shown that people have an increased number of lymphocytes (white blood cells) after receiving a 45 minute massage.
5. Alleviate Headaches
Massage therapy relaxes tense muscles, relieves muscle spasms, improves blood flow and aids relaxation, so it can be helpful for relieving the pain of both tension and vascular headaches.
When muscle tension eases, there is less pressure on the nerves and blood vessels that supply them. Oxygen-rich blood circulation improves, which also relieves pain. Massage not only helps the muscles of the body to relax but also effectively reduces the anxiety and mental stress that can cause or exacerbate headaches. Regular, ongoing massages can also help to prevent headaches by helping to reduce overall stress and the muscle tension that can trigger headaches.
Read more here.
6. Improve Circulation
Better blood circulation is part of the chain reaction that occurs in the body as a result of receiving massage therapy on a regular basis.
A person with poor circulation can suffer from a variety of discomforts including pooling of the fluid in the extremities, cold hands and feet, fatigue and aches created by an accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles. Good circulation brings damaged, tense muscles the oxygen rich blood they need to heal.
Massage facilitates circulation because the pressure created by the massage technique actually moves blood through the congested areas. The release of this same pressure causes new blood to flow in. The squeezing and pulling also flushes lactic acid from the muscles and improves the circulation of the lymph fluid which carries metabolic waste away from muscles and internal organs, resulting in lower blood pressure and improved body function.
7. Lower Blood Pressure
High blood pressure occurs when your heart has to work harder to move blood throughout your body. The blood pushes on your artery walls, causing them to become hardened over time. Getting a massage has been proven to reduce blood pressure by stimulating the pressure receptors to your nerves.
8. Increase Flexibility
Massage chairs help combat decreased flexibility caused by a trigger point. A trigger point is a painful condition caused due to strenuous exercise and over-exertion that leads to a restricted range of motion and sore muscles.
The major benefits of massage for the muscles include greater relaxation, a decrease in knots, a decrease in tension, and an increase in blood supply to help flush out toxins. All of these benefits perfectly prime the muscle to achieve an increase in muscle length during a stretch.
9. Raise Endorphin Levels
Raised endorphins are the trigger for most of the above points. Scientists have found that endorphins enhance the immune system, relieve pain, and reduce stress. It also helps in reaching deep relaxation - respiration slows, heart rate decreases, eyes dilate, and blood circulates from the extremities to the body's core, which improves digestion and venous flow to the internal organs.
Candace Pert, the founder of endorphins, is enthusiastic about the release of endorphins during massage. "From my research with endorphins, I know the power of touch to stimulate and regulate our natural chemicals, the ones that are tailored to act at precisely the right times in exactly the appropriate dosages to maximize our feelings of health and well-being."
Source
10. Speed up Recovery from Sports Related Injuries
Here at Wish Rock, we love an active lifestyle! Our Top Rock, Joanna, can often be found either in the pool or on the bike trails. After her workouts, she recovers in her massage chair.
Massage helps: improve circulation, improve range of motion, shorten recovery time, prevent over-training, and prevent and even heal injuries. By stretching connective tissue, massage improves circulation to help prevent or break down adhesions. It also influences the excretion of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur necessary for tissue repair.
Conclusion
We're pretty sure that most people would have a different reason why they love their massage chair! In short, it just makes you feel great. With benefits that extend well beyond the chair, you'll find having a massage chair in your home a well-worthy investment to your health.
