While the Holidays may be a time of joy and excitement for most people, there are millions of Americans who suffer with depression around the holidays. Sometimes expectations for the big holiday season are not met, tensions within relationships are highlighted, and demands for keeping up with the Joneses can be too much. Take time this season to prevent the holiday blues. Massage therapy greatly reduces feelings of depression and anxiety. Keep the headaches and body aches at bay. Remember to gift yourself with massage therapy as you gift others this season.
When December rolls in and the holidays creep up on us, it is easy to find yourself overwhelmed with shopping lists, parties to attend, less time for yourself to exercise or do the things you love, and lack of sleep. The stress begins to build and build and suddenly you find yourself with a shortened temper, tight muscles, and raging headaches. Suddenly you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders. A great way to fight back against the holiday blues is to get a massage! According to an article by massage today one of the ways depression can ail you physically is by causing a structural collapse in your posture. This occurs when there is a shortening of abdominal muscles, tightening of the diaphragmatic arch, causing the chest to be pulled forward and downward, making it difficult to expand with each breath. In turn, the head, neck, and the shoulders will also roll forward and inward causing even greater physical discomfort and troubled breathing. Massage therapy will release this collapse of posture and help the body return to stronger more capable posture. This will help to reenergize the system. Along with reenergizing the system, the upright posture will help you to feel more confident in your day to day activities during the holiday season.
During the holidays it can be hard to stay positive. You might begin to miss lost loved ones, or remember better times. It is easy to fall into sadness and not see a way out. Holiday depression affects people not only physically but also mentally. Massage therapy has been proven to reduce the cortisol levels, the stress hormones, which will decrease feelings of anxiety, lower heart rate, and lower blood pressure. Working together with lowering cortisol levels, massage therapy will also increase levels of serotonin and dopamine. These are the feel good hormones. You will certainly leave your massage feeling an overall sense of positive energy with mental clarity and alertness. Massage therapy is a perfect way to find relief from all the ways depressions can hurt. You do not need a prescription or to wait weeks in order to get much needed relief.
In the final days of our holiday season, remember how much you deserve to feel good. Make it a priority to maintain your health and well-being. Massage therapy will help you feel great mentally, physically, and emotionally. Give yourself the gift of wellness. Try a relaxation massage today.