6 Surprising Health Benefits of Massage Therapy

1. It counteracts all that sitting you do.
   Most individuals are dealing with some kind of postural stress. More often than not that stress tends to manifest in the shoulders and neck. It shows up as pain or weakness in the low back and gluteals caused by prolonged period of sitting. Massage can counteract the imbalance caused from sitting.
2. It eases muscle pain
   Massage increases and improve circulation and help to relieve the pain.
   According to a 2011 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, it found that massage therapy is as effective as other methods of treatment for chronic back pain.
3. It soothes anxiety and depression
   According to a 2005 study published in the International Journal of Neuroscience, Women diagnosed with breast cancer who recieved massage therapy 3 times a week reported being less depressed and less angy.
4. It improves sleep
   Not only can massage encourage a restful sleep, it also helps those who can’t otherwise comfortably rest.
5. It boosts immunity
   A 2010 study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that massage boosts patients’ white blood cell count which plays a large role in defending the body from disease.
6. It relieves headaches
   Massage decreases frequency and severity of tension headaches. Research from Granada University in Spain found that a single session of massage therapy has an immediate effect on perceived pains in patients with chronic tension headaches.