Massages have long been regarded as one of the most effective means of relaxation. The health benefits you can experience from a body massage have been enjoyed for centuries, with the oldest recorded massage taking place over 4,000 years ago.
However, they are also a luxury treatment and not an activity which many people can reward themselves with very often. Not only can they be pricey, but they can be time-consuming, which is not ideal if you are a busy professional looking for a quick relaxation method.
After all, there are plenty of other relaxation techniques you can try – including meditation, cold shower therapy and deep breathing exercises.
However, while these are all effective methods, there can be no doubting the multitudinous benefits of massage – for both the mind and body.
This is what you need to know about whether massages are still suitable for busy professionals:
Massages can help you focus better at work
If you work long hours day after day, then you will know the challenge of trying to stay focused for considerable periods of time. The daily stresses of life can quickly compound and leave you unable to focus on a single task at any one time. Not only does this stress leave a disrupted mind which will struggle to function to its full capabilities, but your body will start to feel the strain, too.
You would be surprised how directly your body reflects your mental health, and vital muscle groups (such as your back, neck and shoulders) can tense up and cause you pain when you are overly agitated.
On top of this, if you sit in a sedentary position for hours on end (as in most office jobs, for example), you may start to develop poor posture and other muscle-related issues. This is where a massage – such as those offered at Health by Science – can help. By massaging key muscle groups, you will often experience less muscle-related tension, a more relaxed demeanour, improved sleep and less anxiousness.
Massages don’t take up much of your day
Contrary to popular perception, massages don’t have to take up much time out of your day. The average massage takes between half an hour to an hour, which you can easily fit in as long as you are organised with your weekly schedule.Â
What’s more, you can often find masseuses in and around gyms and other fitness centres, making it easy to slot in a session around your fitness routine.
At the end of the day, your mental and physical health must be a top priority because they can directly affect both your personal and professional lives. Fitting in a massage during your lunch break, after work or on weekends can make all the difference to your quality of life and performance at work.
You will feel less stressed or emotionally drained
A key benefit of regular massages is that they will revitalise your mind and body. When you start to develop bad mental and physical habits – such as repetitive anxious thoughts, poor posture and a lack of aftercare when training in the gym – you can quickly begin to feel drained.Â
You are carrying around baggage that, if not addressed, will only snowball into wider issues. Instead, by booking in regular massages, you can help keep these problems in check and prevent them from becoming unmanageable.
Everyone feels stressed or suffers aches and pains from time to time, but it is important to take them seriously if you want to lead a healthy lifestyle.