Why A Good Massage Is Self Care
When people think of self-care, they might think facials, or a soak in the bath, or a good massage. Often, you’ll hear people say ‘self-care is not just getting a massage!’
While we agree that there is more to self-care than just getting a regular massage or myotherapy treatment, we think that people underrate what a good massage has to offer. That’s why we’re sharing our top reasons why massage is a great self-care practice for you to incorporate.
Why A Good Massage Is Self-Care
Massage can relax your physical body
This might seem obvious, as it is probably why you book yourself in for a massage in the first place! Massage helps to relax your body. It does this by releasing tension in the muscles and calming the nervous system.
If your massage is part of a myotherapy treatment, other techniques such as cupping and dry needling can also help to relax the body.
If your muscles and nervous system are relaxed, then you can relax too!
Massage can relieve stress naturally
One reason that everyone can benefit from self-care is that it can help to relieve stress. This is particularly important for those of us who experience chronic stress or even anxiety.
Research has shown that a massage can reduce cortisol, the major stress hormone, by 31%. It can also boost feel-good brain chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin.
That means a good massage will relieve elevated stress levels and leave you feeling happier!
Massage gives you time to focus on you
Do you struggle to find time to deal with all of the racing thoughts in your head? Never have a spare minute to figure out those challenges ahead? A good hour or two on the massage table might be just what you need.
A massage gives you time to focus on yourself, your needs, your thoughts and your feelings. During your massage, you don’t have to answer your phone, reply to those nagging emails or listen to screaming children. All you need to do is lie there and relax.
Find yourself getting emotional while getting a massage or myotherapy treatment? We see this all the time - it’s perfectly normal, and nothing to be ashamed of! That’s why we have tissues and make-up wipes handy in our little post-treatment section.
A good massage can be the perfect opportunity for a doze!
Have you been skimping on sleep, or tossing and turning all night? Sleep is a massive part of self-care, but many of us struggle to get a good night’s rest when we’re stressed, busy or overwhelmed. The good news is that a nap can help to make up for some of that lost sleep.
Because a massage helps to relax the physical body, calm the nervous system and relieve stress, it can also make you feel sleepy. Clients will often fall asleep on the massage table - particularly new mums or people who have gone through an intense period of stress.
Want to use your appointment to catch up on some shut-eye? Just let us know at the start! After we’ve checked to make sure the pressure is right for you, we’ll only wake you when it’s time to turn over, or once your appointment is done.
A Wellness Nest Woman appointment can incorporate tools such as cupping, dry needling, essential oils and crystals.
Massage can be just one piece of the puzzle
Many places will offer massage as a stand-alone treatment. But there are clinics that incorporate massage into a holistic approach to your wellbeing.
At The Wellness Nest, massage is just one of the tools that we have to offer. Our founder Rhianna has created appointments that are specifically designed to be used as a means of self-care.
Our 90-minute Wellness Nest Woman appointments and our 180-minute Take 3 sessions for women combine massage techniques with other options such as cupping, needling, essential oils and crystals.
You’ll also find calming herbal teas on offer whenever you arrive at The Wellness Nest.
Want to book yourself a massage treatment that supports your physical, mental and emotional self-care?
To book a 90-minute Wellness Nest Woman appointment, head to our booking page and select Rhianna as your practitioner.