Key Massage Therapies for Our Mental Health

Body, mind, spirit... The three fundamental aspects of our existence that are inextricably intertwined and integrated to keep us healthy, balanced and centralized... Massage, one of the oldest healing modalities, has been considered by many physicians, healers and philosophers since ancient times as an envoy of true well-being

Yes, at first glance, it may seem like just a physical support that relaxes our tissues. But when we dig deeper, we realize that massage is a therapy that not only replenishes our body, but also connects our spirit and mind with our physical being, facilitating balance and health. And in fact, it is one of our versatile companions that helps us get closer to our quintessence on our journey of life...

In this article, we address the mental and spiritual benefits of massage therapies and types of therapeutic massage that promote well-being by supporting our mental health.

How Massage Therapies Benefit Our Spiritual and Mental Health

Undoubtedly one of the greatest virtues of massage is its pain and stress relieving effects on the body, but its contribution to our emotional and mental being is also undeniable...

Deepens Our Connection To Our Aspects

To achieve spiritual and mental health, we need to connect with our core, and this starts with connecting to our physical body. So how can we have a healthy relationship with our physical aspect? First of all, it is essential to relax in our body and be centered in the moment.

Our body tends to absorb the way we perceive life through our senses, blending it with their emotional projections. Sometimes what we experience in our inner and outer world can prevent us from seeing the potential for resolution. It can blur the reality of the present time. As our mind focuses on the problem rather than the solution, our body experiences tension and pain and drifts further and further away from the sense of ease. The most obvious and widespread example of this today is stress.

Let's delve into some science here... As stress builds up in our body, our brain prevents our systems and functions from breaking out of the "fight or flight!" response. Our muscles and nerves remain tense, our breathing constricted, our blood pressure high and our circulations slow. Our cortisol levels, the stress hormone, gradually spike. And our happiness hormones, which help us relax and unwind, completely stop working. On the one hand, our accumulated stress releases an intense but complex energy, while on the other hand, we feel unwilling and exhausted, unable to consume this energy. This can lead to anxiety and depression in our being over time.

Under the guidance of an experienced massage therapist, massage calms our senses with therapeutic touches, allowing us to remember where and in which moment we are. While relaxing our tissues, it also helps us connect to our breath and slow it down with a deliberate consciousness. It enables us to focus our accumulated energy not on waste but on issues seeking solutions with a positive outlook. It also aids in regulating our nervous system, lowering our blood pressure and stress hormone levels. In fact, according to a study published in the International Journal of Neuroscience, massage therapy lowers our cortisol levels by an average of 31%, while increasing our serotonin and dopamine secretion at least at the same level. If you would like to know what happens in our body during massage in more detail, you can also take a look at our article “What Happens To Your Body During a Massage?“

As our body de-stresses and returns to the moment, our thoughts and emotions trapped in physical tension are released. As our mind becomes clearer, our approach to the problems haunting us begins to transform. As our anxiety decreases, our spirit moves closer to love and our mind-body-spirit balance regains momentum.  

Enhances Our Self-Love

The physical contact of massage, which may appear the most superficial to us, is actually one of the features that can heal our mental framework the most... 

Touch is perhaps one of the oldest healing methods in history. When we see someone we value upset, we instinctively want to hug them. We squeeze their hands and shoulders when we wish to encourage them. Touch is the most human and connective approach inherent in our genetic makeup...

Now imagine these reassuring, compassionate touches being extended to you. Massage dedicates this empathic power of human touch exclusively to our relaxation and well-being. Immersing ourselves in our therapist’s hands, we feel safer and more cared for, with a sense of love radiating to our core (which also increases our levels of oxytocin, the “cuddle hormone”, in our bodies). Add to this the serene ambiance of calming scents, vibrant plants and soothing melodies, and our sense of love for nature and life is reinforced, promising us the same positive energy flowing back to us in harmony.

Self-love is also deeply connected to seeing and accepting us as we are, which is another contribution of massage. 

Our mental and emotional discomforts often cause us to judge ourselves as much as our surroundings. When we do fall short of our expectations, we begin to blame our physical and mental aspects and put a distance with our soul. A therapeutic massage, on the other hand, allows us to see ourselves in all our strengths and weaknesses. In a massage, we gently entrust our bodies to a stranger. And as a result, we find that the stranger accepts us as we are and offers nothing but care and compassion to our being. This also guides us to see our body as it is with the eyes of our heart and not through the complex lens imposed on our soul.

A relaxing massage is like meditation. When we focus on the moment under reassuring touch and let our minds clear, we can look inward and see with clarity whatever we are projecting onto our aspects. We feel more deeply the courage to treat our body and soul with the love and respect we deserve, and we become more aware of our true potential and power. This in turn enables us to withdraw from depressive feelings and move closer to emotional healing.

A 2010 study from the University of Washington shows that after a relaxing massage, we can experience a 50% reduction in common anxiety symptoms such as tension, fear and lack of self-confidence.

Massage offers us the chance to accept and appreciate ourselves as we are, to relax holistically and make space for our soul. It encourages us to integrate with the Self without worry and anxiety, judgment or expectation. 

We have mentioned it before, but it bears repeating... Massage is not a "miracle" where we can get perfect results in a one-time experience. A single massage session may not allow us to immediately connect with the self and unlock the healing power within. At first, we may only observe the benefits of massage on a physical level, but when it becomes a regular ritual, we may experience how it helps us go deeper, connect with our mental and spiritual aspects, and release emotional blockages. But even the level of these effects can vary, depending on the depth of our relationship with our inner self, our body and nature, as well as our unique attributes.

Some Outstanding Massage Therapies for Our Mental Health

Swedish Massage: With its gentle and relaxing approach, Swedish massage is one of the most preferred massage therapies, especially in the combat against stress. Long soft strokes, kneading and circular movements are applied to the muscle layer on the top surface of our skin accompanied by massage oil. Since it can instill confidence and relaxation in our consciousness in a short time with soft and gentle touches, it can provide considerable improvements to our mental and spiritual health.  

Aromatherapy Massage: Aromatherapy massage is a massage therapy with essential oils selected to meet our needs. Our therapist can add relaxing, energizing, stress-reducing or balancing oils to our massage depending on our requirements and state of mind. With the addition of healing scents to our sense of touch, our mind gets awakened and we become more aware of the moment more swiftly. This reinforces our sense of self-worth and allows us to examine our aspects and stressors in a more positive frame of mind.

Hot Stone Massage: This massage, which is applied by placing heated smooth stones on the energy centers of our body called chakras, calms us with both the elements of nature and warm touches that reflect compassion. Our therapist focuses on relaxing our muscles with light pressure similar to a Swedish massage. In these winter days, when our bodies are stiff from the cold weather covered in gloomy grays and our souls can be prone to dreariness, hot stone massage can help us retreat from physical and mental stress by regulating our circulation and improving the quality of our sleep.

Shiatsu: Originating in Japan, Shiatsu is a therapy that blends traditional Chinese medicine with acupuncture. Using localized finger pressure in a rhythmic sequence on the meridians where Qi energy flows freely in our body, pressure is applied to our acupuncture points for two to eight seconds to restore our Qi balance. This therapy, which helps to remove our energy blockages with its light firm pressure, is a technique that we can particularly resort to in stress situations where we are exposed to head and muscle pain due to emotional accumulations, and where we feel exhausted and vulnerable.

Thai Massage: Thai massage has a similar philosophy to Shiatsu. In this therapy, which focuses on our 'Sen lines', we align and stretch into a series of yoga postures under the therapist's guidance such as pulling, shaking and stretching. This type of massage, also known as assisted yoga, is more vigorous and energetic than other types of massage. As we safely entrust ourselves to the therapist's movements, we can feel more deeply that our mind-body-spirit connection will regain its balance as a result of the flexible relaxation our body receives.

Deep Tissue Massage: Deep tissue massage, which applies techniques similar to Swedish massage but with a stronger and deeper pressure, can be of great benefit to us when we face an exhausting life and heavy emotional experiences. It helps us to resolve the traumas we've been bearing on the lower layers of our muscles (fascia) and strengthen our connection with our body. Though we may experience pain for a few days after the session, afterwards we feel more centered and “grounded”. This can lead to longer lasting and more effective reductions in our nearly deep-rooted stress levels.

You can also take a look at our article “Popular Massage Techniques for an Efficient SPA Experience” for other types of massage that are also aidful for our holistic health.

In summary, massage therapy can strengthen our physical, mental and spiritual connection, reinforce our self-love and help us rebalance, re-center and ultimately achieve a well-being lifestyle on the journey of life where we aim to meet up with ourselves.

May the benefits of massage be with us always and all ways...