 Stress impacts all of us at times, and sometimes it can seem inescapable. Whether it's a family crisis, the cost of rent, or that coworker who is driving you up the wall, most of us have at least one source of stress in our lives. Can massage therapy in Jacksonville help with stress management? Introduction to Stress Stress is a natural response to any kind of difficult situation. Our bodies move into a mode that gets us ready to run or fight. We experience acute stress any time another car nearly hits us, if we get into a fight, etc. Acute stress helps you manage the situation. The problem is when you can't fight or flee. For example, your rent is going up, but you can't afford to buy a house and everything else around is also too expensive. Or you can't quit your job, but your boss is a micromanaging freak. In this case, levels of stress hormones, particularly cortisol, stay elevated and stress becomes chronic. Your body will not go off alert, sometimes when there's no danger, and sometimes when there is but it's at a low level and won't go away. Stress can lead to a variety of physical and mental health problems including:
Stress can also make any kind of chronic condition worse. On top of that, it makes us miserable. It can also be caused by positive life events such as getting married, getting a promotion, or having or adopting a child. Finally, some people turn to negative coping mechanisms to manage stress, such as alcohol, drugs, smoking, and excessive consumption of baked goods. Why Should You Consider Massage Therapy To Help You Manage Stress? Obviously, the best way to manage stress is to reduce your sources of it. However, it can take months to, for example, get a new job. And, of course, you don't want to get rid of positive events that cause stress. The second best way is to take steps to help you cope with it better. One of these is massage therapy. Studies show that massage therapy boosts the parasympathetic nervous system. This is the part of your nervous system that helps you relax. Spending time on a massage table also forces you to slow down and rest. Massage therapy is an affordable way to manage stress and has no negative side effects. It can help you keep from resorting to psychiatric medications, which can cause all kinds of problems. On its own, massage is not going to get rid of your stress. But as part of an overall stress management plan, it can absolutely help. Research on Massage Therapy and Stress A growing body of research shows that massage therapy really can help with stress. It's not just in your head. One study showed that only ten minutes shows results, reducing physical stress and perceived mental stress. The latter basically means it helps you feel better, if only for a while. Massage therapy increases heart rate variability, which is a biomarker for relaxation. It can lower the amount of cortisol in your body, which reduces all of your stress symptoms. Lower back massage has even been shown to reduce blood pressure. All of this shows that massage therapy in Jacksonville can help you deal with stress. If you know you are facing a stressful event, such as moving or getting married, consider scheduling massage before the event as well as after. Make sure to tell your massage therapist about your need to reduce stress and any stress-related symptoms you might be having. The Wellness Hub offers Jacksonville Florida residents massage therapy to help you relax, including couples massage! Schedule an appointment today! ----- We are pleased to serve the following Florida communities with massage therapy, chiropractic, organic skincare, acupuncture, red light therapy and more: Jacksonville, Orange Park, Fleming Island, Mandarin, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St Johns, Ponte Vedra and more. Call Us (904) 512-7551
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AuthorThe Wellness Hub Center for Massage Therapy, Acupuncture, Organic Skincare and Holistic Health in Jacksonville, Florida. A place for wellness, healing and renewal. Categories
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