The Healing Touch

JUNE 5, 2019

The Healing Touch

Massage is one of the oldest healing modalities. It’s our natural instinct to know that touch is a crucial part of human wellbeing.

When you stub your toe, you apply pressure to it. When you have a muscle strain or spasm, you rub it. When you’re anxious or in pain, simply having someone put their hand on your shoulder can provide relief.

In our fast-paced, achievement-oriented culture the importance of relaxation is often disregarded or even seen as a weakness. Most of us are familiar with the undercurrent of stress that plagues our society and has become an almost “normal” state of being.
Whether surfacing from a pattern of chronic stress, multi- tasking, the pressure to have it all, worry, fear, expectations, health or a myriad of other reasons we feel the ramifications. Our bodies true to nature respond on a very physical level. The body shuts down all systems that are not a priority in the moment which includes digestion, elimination, growth, repair and reproduction.
We need to slow down so that we can heal. We need to stop the cycle. Chronic stress isn’t a badge of honor and therapeutic touch isn’t just a luxury. Massage creates a relaxation response that engages your parasympathetic nervous system, allowing your body to use its natural healing capabilities.

This, along with the direct mechanical responses can improve both physical and mental health in many ways. Science is now able to explain many of the reasons why our natural instincts were right all along. Here are just a few more benefits of massage:

• Speeds post-exercise recovery
• Increases circulation
• Improves lymphatic flow, increasing immune function and detoxification
• Rehabilitates sprains & strains
• Improves range of motion (flexibility)
• Decreases fascial restrictions (which cause pain and immobility)
• Rehabilitates scars from surgeries, burns and other injuries
• Decreased depression and anxiety
• Relieves headaches
• Decreases chronic pain
• Increases muscular engagement (better recruitment= increased strength)
• Decreases blood pressure
• Improves sleep quality
• Counteracts postural imbalances (desk job, anyone?)
• Improves digestion for adults and infants (we can teach you to do infant massage with your baby!)

There are so many reasons to book in for a massage.
Have you ever noticed our cozy Healing Room at the Mission location? In addition to offering yoga and meditation, Yoga Santosha has two in-house massage therapists, Kat and Stephanie. They’d be happy to discuss the ways that massage can help improve your health and wellbeing. We offer our members 10% off massage services and both therapists can be claimed under insurance plans. Bookings can be made through Mindbody or in the studio. We look forward to seeing you there!

Check out the Wellness page on our website.