Massage Can Help with Depression and Anxiety.

Two of the most commonly reported mental health issues in the US and beyond are depression and anxiety. Studies have been hopeful in suggesting that massage may play a part in helping relieve the symptoms while you address the cause.  Researchers at Taiwan’s E-Da Hospital and College of Medicine looked at 17 separate scientific studies and came to the conclusion that massage had many positive benefits for people experiencing depression – and that regular massage could potentially lead to a reduction in their symptoms. Another study found that massage seemed to activate the sympathetic nervous system, which helped to improve mood and reduce anxiety levels.

Experts think that massage therapy works by activating neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) that naturally decrease anxiety and lower the levels of stress hormones in your body. Researchers at the University of Miami School of Medicine, revealed that massage therapy also worked well for people who were dealing with eating disorders and stress too.

The research team found that brain chemicals serotonin and dopamine levels increased by an impressive 30 per cent or so in the people who had massage therapy as part of their treatment, and that their levels of the stress hormone cortisol dropped. Experts seem to agree that massage increases the feel-good hormones while zapping the stress related ones.