Swedish Massage
Do you feel stiff? Tense? Stressed? It sounds like you need a swedish massage. This is the most common type of massage, due to its popularity and extensive benefits for all individuals. Whether you’re recovering from an injury or you just want a little self-care time, the swedish massage is for you.
What is swedish massage?
A swedish massage focuses on relaxing the body and mind, to relieve tension and promote feelings of tranquility. The swedish massage therapist achieves this by using gentle massage techniques, rubbing along the muscles in long strokes towards the heart, and in deep circular motions to increase blood flow and encourage healing.
For this massage, you will remove your clothes, leaving your underwear and lying on your stomach with a sheet covering you. The therapist will discuss with you whether you have any areas that require extra attention, such in the case of an injury, muscle tightness or tension, which will be addressed during the massage to help relieve you of any pain. A swedish massage is a lighter massage – compared to deep tissue – so if you are experiencing any severe pain or muscular tension from sports, you may be better suited to deep tissue. However, the therapist will ask you which pressure you prefer, ranging from light and gentle pressure to strong, more intensive pressure.
During the 60 to 90 minute session, you will progressively get more relaxed; untensing your muscles as more blood flow starts to circulate, healing areas of pain or tightness and helping you to let go of the stresses of the day to fully enjoy the present moment.
What are the benefits of swedish massage??
The primary benefit of swedish massage is deep relaxation, which makes it a suitable and recommended massage for all individuals, particularly those experiencing mental or physical stress. The long massage strokes of swedish massage help to increase blood flow, which improves circulation and encourages lymphatic drainage. This increases the level of oxygen in the blood to promote healing in areas of trapped nerve or muscular tension. Aside from boosting circulation, the massage alters brain chemistry to leave you feeling deeply relaxed. Studies show that swedish massage decreases cortisol levels – the stress hormone – and increases the concentration of white blood cells which are responsible for immune health.
To understand the benefits of swedish massage, a study was conducted and published in the journal of Advanced Mind and Body Medicine in 2017. The researchers conducted a systematic review of 117 separate studies on swedish massage. They found that in these studies, the main benefits were improved nasal breathing, reduced lower-back pain, improved adrenocortical function and prevention against disease. This shows that the benefits of swedish massage go way beyond relaxation.
Another study found that in a group of participants, swedish massage was able to decrease blood pressure, pulse and respiratory rate, proving its ability to calm down the central nervous system and increase feelings of calm. This makes it a beneficial treatment for individuals experiencing stress or anxiety.
If you are interested in trying swedish massage, click here to book an appointment with us.
-
Therapeutic massage spa in Houston that can help you recover from injury or even rejuvenate and obtain optimal health benefits for your day-to-day life.
