You live an active lifestyle, play sports, love the outdoors and have a rich social and family life. Your diet is fairly healthy, you floss your teeth and see your doctor regularly. You might even indulge in a massage occasionally to chase away sore muscles and reduce stress. Good for you … and good for your body.

Research shows that therapeutic massages have multiple benefits beyond loosening your neck or relieving back pain — benefits that can increase your quality of life by preventing injury, disease and even increasing your life span. 

Massage therapy is often recognized as a luxury; an indulgent, stress-reducing spa experience. However, massage therapy is also a physiological maintenance of the body that helps many of the body’s vital health systems return to their optimal, flourishing states. Just as you take your vehicle to the dealer for an oil change, rotate and balance the tires and wash it every once in a while, your body can benefit from a pit-stop on a regular basis. Like your car, to “stay in shape” requires exercising regularly, and your body needs to relax and return to biological homeostasis on a regular basis as well.

Here are 10 lesser known reasons for why you should feel good about visiting you massage therapist today:

1. Massages improves your skin’s appearance and function. The increase in circulation and stimulation of the dermis is a contributor to healthier looking skin.

2. Massages can prevent constipation. When you are stressed, your blood flows to your skeletal muscles and your digestion slows or pauses. Relaxing massages reverse the stress response. 

3. Massages lower your blood pressure.  Massages benefit the circulatory system in several ways. Temporarily lowering the blood pressure is one great and healthy reason for getting a massage today.

4. Massages can reduce pain. A tight muscle has less blood flow. Massages increase blood flow and bring fresh oxygenated blood to the muscle, thus reducing spasms and pain. Massages also help increase the natural flow of endorphins, a natural pain killer.

5. Massages lessen the symptoms of arthritis. Massages reduce the acidic buildup in the body.

6. Massages reduce chronic inflammation. Inflammation is being linked to maladies like heart decease and cancer.

7. Massages aid in recovery from emotional trauma. A good massage gives you a temporary feeling of ease and relaxation that can help you return to a better emotional state.

8. Massages help with urinary function. During the “fight or flight” stress state, the kidneys retain fluid. Massages reverse this stress response, allowing your  kidneys to return to normal function.

9. Massages increase your cerebral function. By decreasing the negative effects of stress, memory and focus improves.

10. Massages can increase self-respect and heighten self-esteem. Receiving a massage in a nurturing and caring environment can help an overly self-critical person facilitate a powerful optimistic and forgiving view of oneself.

Amanda Rebollar is a Licensed Massage Therapist at The Clubs of Cordillera Ranch. She can be reached at 773.701.1797.

Tammera Aranda is a Licensed Massage Therapist at The Clubs of Cordillera Ranch. She can be reached at 817.909.2152.