Massage Therapy & Mental Health
Massage Therapy & Mental Health - The Mind Body Connection
by Lindsay Dynes, RMT
It is estimated 1 in 5 Canadians will experience mental illness in their lifetime and current research indicates that in collaboration with more conventional treatment methods, massage therapy offers relief for the symptoms they may deal with on a daily basis. Massage therapy is an amazing solution to support patients with physical pain and fatigue commonly associated with disorders such as anxiety, depression, PTSD and eating disorders. Massage therapy techniques can increase the production and release of our ‘happy hormones’: serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin and endorphins.
Body Awareness
It is often seen that patients with mental illness experience a disconnect between their mind and body where certain areas may have sensory perception issues or distressed muscles and tissues. Human touch via massage therapy is an extremely effective tool in reconnecting people with the sensations of their body and improving their body awareness. The experience of therapeutic touch during a massage treatment helps our nervous system and brain reconnect and strengthen the neuropathways that could be limited or blocked due to trauma, anxiety or other psychological stress.
Breath & The Nervous System
The nervous system regulates all physiological processes of the body as well as our emotional responses so a focus on balancing the nervous system is key in terms of the internal functions of the body as well as the interaction with the external world. A stable nervous system allows us to be more resilient to daily challenges in our lives when it comes to stress, illness or fatigue. From a state of parasympathetics, commonly known as “rest and digest”, our body processes change to slow down and focus on repair and restoration. If we are unable to regulate our nervous system into this state, we remain in a sympathetic state, known as “fight or flight”. Excess time spent in the sympathetic state has many negative consequences such as immune system suppression, insomnia or issues managing emotions and behaviours. A balance of these basic states of our nervous system is required for healthy function in both our mind and body.
Conscious & aware breathing patterns are powerful tools in self regulation and connecting to our internal environment, allowing us to balance our nervous system. Massage therapy treatments offer a time away from other distractions that can impede mental focus on your breathing pattern. Balanced, rhythmic breathing improves the flow of energy and communication of our cells. Implementing abdominal, deep belly breathing into a massage therapy treatment can promote regulation of the nervous system and a parasympathetic response. Breathwork also helps patients connect to the present moment where the benefits of massage therapy are increased.
Expressing Gratitude
Showing our body gratitude and love during mentally challenging times can initiate further changes toward improving our health and self love journey. Massage therapy is the perfect bridge to connect our physical and mental health to support overall healing. Consistent practice of gratitude by taking care of our bodies helps us to feel better and therefore engage with life in a more fulfilled, healed way.
The therapeutic benefits of massage therapy are experienced most when treatments take place on a consistent basis. If you are going through times of mental or emotional challenges, a weekly or bimonthly massage therapy treatment can help support you and your mental health.
Interested in experiencing the benefits of massage therapy for your mental health? Book with Lindsay!