massage for fatigue

by Jodi Cullen, LMT

Do you wake up feeling tired and spend your day just trying to find the energy to get through it? Are you a late-night clock watcher, or is your life an emotional tug-of- war with the exhausting effects of stress, anxiety, and depression getting the best of you? If you answered ‘yes,’ you’re not alone. Recent studies by the National Sleep Foundation estimate insomnia affects over half of U.S. adults, and more than one in ten has chronic insomnia.

Insomnia is a condition characterized by trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. And for those afflicted with chronic insomnia, getting a good night’s sleep happens infrequently, if at all. Many suffer from insomnia due to stress, which, by definition, is anything that demands change from our bodies. Common stressors that can cause insomnia include illness, dietary issues, hormonal changes, and emotional problems.

So what if getting a massage not only felt great, but could help you get those restful zzzzz’s to combat your lack of energy? While most people think getting a massage is just a luxurious way to pamper themselves, therapeutic massage provides sleep-deprived souls with an all-natural sleep aid that’s good for both body and mind.

Massage is a holistic therapy, using the application of rhythmical pressure and movement to systematically manipulate the body’s soft tissue. Considering that the skin is the body’s largest sensory organ, therapeutic massage can be very beneficial in treating chronic insomnia. It produces mechanical, physiological, and psychological effects that stimulate the circulatory, integumentary, immune, muscular, and nervous systems to help restore balance within the body and aid relaxation.

When stress robs us of a good night’s sleep, it interferes with the body’s ability to re-energize and repair itself properly. Disrupted or insufficient sleep can leave you feeling worn out, irritable, emotionally drained, and unable to function coherently. Massage calms the nervous system, lowers blood pressure, and promotes deeper, more rhythmic breathing, helping to create an awareness of the mind/body connection and induce a near-meditative state of relaxation that encourages the body to rest. It increases circulation, allowing the body to pump more oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs. This surge of oxygen-rich blood helps relieve muscle fatigue by flushing tissues of metabolic waste produced by exercise and strenuous activities. Increasing circulation also enables the brain to function more efficiently, helping to improve mental clarity and shake from your head that fog you feel like you’ve been walking around in.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is essential for ensuring peak physical performance and mental clarity. Therapeutic Massage offers a non-invasive, drug-free approach to good health and personal wellness.

So whether you want to soothe your sore muscles, naturally re-energize your body, or simply escape from your stressful day… massage can help you feel better and live well.

ROCHESTER RESOURCE
Encore Therapeutic Massage
871 Monroe Ave. Suite 200, Rochester
(585) 727-2398

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jodi Cullen is a Licensed Massage Therapist and the owner of Encore Therapeutic Massage. She works with clients to determine wellness goals and tailors each session around individual treatment needs. She encourages clients to indulge themselves in a few minutes of peaceful sleep during their massage.