We often sing the praises of massage, here at MyFitList, and there is a very good reason for it — there are numerous benefits for athletes and non-athletes alike! We’re all at least somewhat familiar with the well-known benefits of clinical massage, like releasing muscle tension and knots, reducing soreness, preventing injury and promoting injury recovery. We wanted to get even more information about some of the other ways clinical massage benefits your body – and your mind!

We reached out to clinical massage therapists of The Austin Bodyworker, Kate Ripley and Michelle Hittner, for their take on the benefits of clinical massage. Here is how they explain some of the top benefits you may not yet know about:

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1.  Increased mind-body connectivity. Its amazing when a client really commits to consistent massages over a period of weeks/months, how quickly they will become better at LISTENING to their body’s signals and patterns (even if they don’t try or really notice really). Here is an example of conversations I often have with clients:

First visit:
ME-”So do you notice when this happens? Is it when you’ve just run 20 miles, does it happen all the time or just randomly?”
THEM- “Gee, I don’t know, I haven’t noticed”.
Third visit and beyond:
ME- “So do you notice when this happens or have you have discovered if there is a pattern or something that sets this off?”
THEM: “YES! I noticed it happens when I run 10-15 miles and then don’t do any self-care and then wear high heels all week to work!”

I know–silly example–but it really can be quite an “ah-ha” moment for A LOT of people.

2.  Increased awareness of healthy habits. Many people will start making changes with regard to their environment (office set-up, car driving, bed and sleeping) and physical well-being (exercise, nutrition, hydration) to keep the benefits of massage going daily. I dare say it can really open people’s minds to the idea that little changes all add up to bigger, more life-affirming changes. This is really common among clients! Massage opens their minds to the connection between lifestyle and physical well-being. This encourages people to make small changes like improving they the way they sleep or the pillow they sleep on. Then, visit-after-visit, they start to connect the dots and ask questions like: “Do you think my back issues could improve if I got better shoes to work or run in?”, “Is yoga  a good option for me as recovery between workouts and massages?” and it just keeps spiraling from there (in a good way!).

3.  Increased circulation in your body – and not just blood. Massage increases lymphatic flow and will affect other systems of your body to help flush you out. Not in a “detox” kind of way, but because you are tapping into the parasympathetic nervous system (aka flight or fight system) it releases endorphins/hormones into your body to allow things that might have been “trapped” somewhere to get pushed thru to the filters of your body (kidneys/liver/pancreas). I tell clients if you are just on the cusp of getting sick, it will bring it on quicker and speed it’s duration. If you are just getting over sickness, massage can, in the process of “flushing” the system–pick up bits of what’s left and you might feel like your getting sick again as those remnants of virus clear the body (it usually passes very quickly). With massage, we are in effect “wringing” the tissue out and a lot of the metabolic “waste” left in the muscle and other tissues is picked up and re-routed through your body and (hopefully!) eliminated with using the bathroom. This is why we all push getting fluids ASAP after a massage–we want you to get that “crap” out of your body vs. letting it re-settling in the tissue again and making you feel sick or sluggish.

4. Better sleep. It has been by many clients that regular massages help them to sleep better. If massage produces this result for you, it can be such a huge benefit because of the all of the positive results of good sleep like promoting recovery, rejuvenation, healthy metabolism, and more!

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If you’re still procrastinating on making that massage appointment before the holidays, don’t wait. There are so many benefits for athletes and non-athletes alike. Plus,  you can give the gift of relaxation, improved mind-body connection, improved circulation, and better sleep to anyone on your holiday gift list this year! Gift certificates make the perfect gift and start at $55. More details here: www.austinbodyworker.com or call 512-459-0500.

Learn more about The Austin Bodyworker, here on their official MyFitList page. Plus, MyFitCard members get their first massage with The Austin Bodyworker upgraded from a 60-minute to a 90-minute massage for free. A $30 value!

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