What Is The Relaxation Response

In a Massage, a caring, safe touch

 is an invitation to Relax. 

This, together with pain relief, 

generally produces a "Relaxation Response."

The relaxation response is a state in which your heart and breathing rate slow, your blood pressure goes down, your production of stress hormones decreases, and your muscles relax. The relaxation response also seems to increase the available level of serotonin, which is a chemical in the body that positively affects emotions and thoughts. While this information is promising, more studies are needed to directly confirm the relationship between massage and levels of serotonin in the brain.

The relaxation response may decrease the physical effects of stress and reduce the risks associated with stress, such as hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, anxiety, insomnia, persistent fatigue, sexual dysfunction, digestive disorders, and psychological issues--to name a few.

During acute stress, the fight-or-fight response occurs naturally. This response worked well for us in our ancient humanoid history, when the stress response was triggered as a means of survival in order to flee from fast-moving physical threats like predators. However, in modern times, the fight-or-flight response is triggered multiple times throughout the day due to a wide range of stressors, many of which are probably more situational than they are based on survival. As such, we may find ourselves in a prolonged state of fight-or-flight, which overtaxes the nervous system and is potentially detrimental to our well-being.

An example, in times of chronic stress, the body is in a constant state of physiological arousal over perceived threats that are numerous and not life-threatening, and the body's relaxation response doesn't always have time to activate before the next stressor occurs. This can lead to decreased immunity and increases in negative emotional consequences like anxiety and burnout. When our bodies are in that chronic stress state, people start getting sick and perhaps experiencing other health issues, including high blood pressure, stomach ulcers, and other problems.

I encourage you to make Massage regular part of your life. There are also other techniques such as meditation and yoga that can be used to reduce stress and increase relaxation. When you regularly practice these techniques, your body may become more adept at reversing its own stress response when necessary, so you don't remain in a state of stress for an unhealthy length of time.

These techniques may feel awkward or as if they are not working at the beginning. Like any behavioral change, or anything new for that matter, it takes time and practice to begin seeing results, so be patient.

Book your Relaxation Response Today. 

Nancy

mcshane.massagetherapy.com
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