Powerful Effects Of Massage Therapy On The Nervous System
Gone are the days when massages were considered fluff and unnecessary. Massage activates your nervous system; that part of your body that stimulates and regulates your muscle activity. It is the master controlling and communicating system of your body. Every single one of your thoughts, actions and emotions reflect its activity. Your nervous system is the one that maintains your body´s homeostasis, which is the state of equilibrium, balance or stable internal environment of your body.
Therapeutic massage encourages balance, by stimulating the blood flow and lymph throughout your body, which in turn removes the toxins and wastes in a more efficient way, helping oxygen to flow without difficulty through your body´s systems, restoring vitality and energy. Massage does not only affect your body´s physical state, but it also has a dramatic effect on your nervous system.
The nervous system has a Structural Classification and a Functional Classification
Structural classification:
-Central Nervous System (CNS): The brain and spinal cord
-Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): Nerves that extend from brain and spinal cord
Functional Classification:
-Sensory Division: Keeps the central nervous system informed of events going on inside and outside of your body.
-Motor Division: Carries impulses from the central nervous system to effector organs, muscles and glands.
The Motor Division has two subdivisions:
-Somatic Nervous System: Allows you to voluntary control your skeletal muscle (Voluntary Nervous System)
-Autonomic Nervous System: Regulates events that are automatic or involuntary (Involuntary Nervous System)
And finally, the Autonomic Nervous System has two very important parts:
-Sympathetic or Fight or Flight Division: This part mobilizes your body during extreme situations, it prepares your body (Fear, exercise, danger, rage) It can increase your heart rate, raise your blood pressure, decrease digestive system, increase sweat, etc.
-Parasympathetic or Craniosacral Division: This division allow you to relax, unwind, and conserve your energy. It relaxes your body. It can slow down your heart rate, decrease your blood pressure, promote your energy storage, etc.
.:. The Autonomic Nervous System governs your ability to balance and cope with stress. The Sympathetic Division controls your fight or flight reflex, which is the one that prepares your body for stressful situations. When you get stressed, your heart rate and breathing increases, and your adrenal glands and sweat glands can go into overdrive. Remaining in this state for too long can place enormous strain on your mind and body, it can have damaging effects on your inmune system and can lead you to stress related illness.
Massage therapy can help engage the Parasympathetic Division, which is the balancing side of your nervous system, the one that can calm your body. Having regular massage therapy enables your body to restore balance and flush out toxins. It can help you sleep better, increase concentrations levels and improve your mental alertness, it improves your mood and ease your anxiety. Massage provides you also with that amazing relaxing sensation which has benefits well beyond the treatment room. Your body is resilient but it is not built to cope with too much stress for too long.
I ask you now, are you prioritizing your health, mind, body and soul? And, what act of self care can do for yourself today?
Myself, Catherine, Jessica and Brandy at Halo are proud to work with women, men and young adults to help them reduce their stress and tensions, find calm and reconnect with their best self. I am passionate about massage, wellness and balance. If you have any questions, or you think Halo can help you in any way, send us a message, let´s connect!
Kat Chrisman Halo Day Spa Owner/Operator, C.M.T, Quantum Healer, Reiki Master, Myofacial Decompression Specialist, Bachelors in Business Administration with CPIM Certification
