What is a Swedish Massage?
Swedish Massage is a traditional treatment that continues to inspire many other popular massage techniques around the world. The purpose of a Swedish Massage is to relieve muscle tension usually caused by stress. It can offer a wide variety of benefits for the whole body.
The most common areas a therapist will focus on are:
- Head
- Back
- Shoulders
- Arms
- Neck
- Legs and feet
5 Health and Wellness Benefits Of A Swedish Massage:
#1 Enjoy a Better Night’s Sleep
If you are having difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, a Swedish Massage can certainly help. Your body has something called ‘serotonin levels, which help you feel calmer and more relaxed, and these are regulated at all times. During a Swedish Massage, Serotine levels increase, enabling you to enjoy a better night’s sleep while increasing your mood.
A good night’s sleep is vital for a healthy functioning immune system, optimal blood pressure, a healthy cardiovascular system, and can even reduce the risk of numerous diseases. It also allows our brain to function better and can make us feel much more alert!
#2 Pain Reduction and Management
Blood flow increases during a Swedish Massage, and this is a vital factor when trying to maintain good health. Increased blood flow ensures that blood and oxygen flow efficiently throughout the body. It can also make your skin look lovely and fresh while contributing to proper organ function.
When someone suffers from stress, their muscles can become very tense, often resulting in headaches. Swedish Massages alleviate this muscle tension and allow the body to relax, which can help ease headaches. When it comes to pain, this is the body’s way of indicating that something’s not right or not functioning as it should be. This happens when muscles become too tight, and blood doesn’t flow through them as efficiently as it should. However, when a Swedish Massage is carried out, blood can cleanse naturally and flow much more efficiently. Any damaged muscles can be restored by healthy blood flow.
#3 Improved Flexibility
During a Swedish Massage, muscles increase in temperature, allowing fibers to loosen. Muscles are elongated during the treatment, which helps joints become more fluid and can potentially reduce swelling. This results in increased flexibility and can even help improve your posture.
The more flexible you are, the less likely you are to injure yourself when carrying out physical exercise. This can be especially helpful if you are highly active and love to exercise. Therefore, reducing the likelihood of injury is important, and putting prevention steps in place can be extremely beneficial.
# 4 Energy Boost
Although a Swedish Massage can be beneficial for relaxation, it can also give you a much-needed energy boost. This is due to increased circulation, allowing more oxygen to move throughout the body. Nutrients can reach the muscles more efficiently, and toxins can move outside the body quicker.
Increased energy is great for your mental health and well-being. It improves overall efficiency and helps you become more productive throughout the day. The more you are able to achieve, the more likely you are to feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of each day.
Happiness is something we are all looking for, and a Swedish Massage can enhance this by increasing serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain. The combination of these two chemicals can leave you feeling happier, more content, and even less anxious.
#5 Reduced Stress
Swedish Massages are an excellent way to reduce stress. It will allow you to experience total relaxation due to the calming environment. Stress can negatively affect your overall health and is something we need to keep in check.
Is a Swedish Massage Right For Me?
If you are new to massage therapy, Swedish Massage is a great introductory treatment. During this treatment, therapists use a gentle technique and it’s a great way of reducing unwanted muscle tension.
If you have suffered an injury, Swedish Massages can help aid in recovery and potentially even speed up the process. Please check with your doctor beforehand to avoid any possible complications (deep tissue massage is another brilliant option to help with recovery).