Valentine and Mother’s day Day are approaching and people rush to buy gifts that have hearts and love messages. But it would be much simpler to get a voucher for a massage for a loved one. Although I am not usually a massage type of person, I recently booked two sessions for myself and my best friend at The Massage Company in Putney.
The benefits of that hour spent getting a Swedish massage was priceless and lasted a whole week afterwards.
Massage is a fantastic aid to mental health, too. It’s scientifically proven that’s because, as well as improving circulation and blood flow, massage releases endorphins (just like exercise) that improve your mood and contribute to reducing depression.
Massage has been growing in popularity – in fact, in a recent survey to the customer base at The Massage Company, 31% of people ticked one of their main reasons for going there for a massage as mental health.
The crux of the issue is this – you can’t afford to put your own needs at the bottom of your priority list. If you want to improve your mental health, you need to commit time and effort to the goal. It’s not unmanly, it’s not weak and it’s not vulnerable – it’s putting yourself back on the path to a happy state of mind.
I chose a Swedish massage, one of the most popular forms of massage therapy to provide relaxation, energy and to relieve muscle tension.
Before the massage began, my therapist talked me about my health and lifestyle. He asked me to lie on a specially-designed massage table and covered me with towels to protect my privacy and to keep me warm. He used creams and essential oils to massage my skin smoothly.
He asked first if I had areas of tension in my body and I asked him to focus on my neck and my lower back. As a writer, I spend many hours sitting in front of the laptop so my lumbar area and my shoulders are those that suffer the most.
Swedish massage involves long, kneading strokes combined with rhythmic tapping strokes and movement of the joints.
This type of massage targets the uppermost layer of muscles and aims to relieve muscle tension.
I should be doing this at least once per month.
My friend opted for a deep tissue massage which uses a massage technique that’s mainly used to treat musculoskeletal issues, such as strains, sports injuries or chronic pain. A deep tissue massage targets deep layers of muscle and the surrounding tissues. It works to lengthen and relax deep tissue. This type of massage may help manage pain and increase a person’s range of motion.
Deep tissue massage can also help reduce lower back pain in pregnant women.
Massage increases serotonin, which can relieve pain in the legs and back.
Massage therapy can support better sleep, improve sports performance, and break up scar tissue.
To summarise, therapeutic massage, including Swedish massage and deep tissue massage, can help with:
- Mental health: Massage may help reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression. It also provides relaxation and improves coping mechanisms.
- Chronic lung disease: Massage may help improve respiratory function.
- Digestion: In addition to other therapies, massage may help with chronic constipation.
- Pain relief: Massage may help manage pain in conditions such as arthritis and sciatica. It may also help treat headaches and control pain during childbirth.
Since its inception in 2016, The Massage Company has continued to challenge common pre-conceptions of massage and the stereotype of the industry. Their vision is simple: to bring high-quality massage to the wellbeing mainstream. They want people to see massage as accessible to everyone and good value for money, so it can become a vital and routine part of a better and balanced quality of life. Their centres in Putney, Camberley, Tunbridge Wells, High Wycombe and Sutton Coldfield are in highly convenient locations, with franchise opportunities available and plans to expand on a national scale.
