7 Ways Massage Therapy Can Help Relieve Stress

Massage therapies can help you reduce stress daily. Whether you have a job that makes you sit at the computer all day, or on the contrary doesn’t let you sit down for a minute, you most likely end up coming home with some major muscle pain. Stress only builds up and you don’t know how to get rid of it, or the pain. Well, massage therapy comes to the rescue. But before we start, let’s talk about what massage therapy actually is.

What Is Massage Therapy?

So, what is massage therapy? It is a type of therapy that includes manipulating the muscles by kneading, pressing, rubbing, or patting different muscle groups on the body. To make it more effective, massage therapists use their hands and different massage oils. This is how they work through various groups of muscles. Some of them also like to include aromatherapy oils and soothing music to make the experience even more relaxing.

Professional massage therapists often offer various kinds of massage therapies that you can try out. They vary in style, pressure and muscle group focus. Some of the most popular massage therapies are Swedish massage, deep tissue, sports massage, and shiatsu.

Massage Therapy to Relieve Tired Eyes

One of the many benefits massage therapies can have is relieving tired eyes. If you’re someone who spends a lot of time in front of the computer because of the job, massage therapy can help bring circulation to that area and relieve sinus pressure, headaches, and eye strain. There is a specific routine that you can try out for a few days and see whether it works for you.

All you need to do is close your eyes. Then place your thumbs under the eyebrows and start making motions from the inside corner of both eye sockets. Press that area with the tip of your thumbs and gently move them in tiny circular motions. Start working slowly towards the outsides of your eyebrows and continue doing this movement around your eyes. End the motion right back at the bridge of your nose. Try to repeat this several times. Consider spending some extra time at the indentation of the inner eye socket, which is an especially tender and sensitive point on many people.

Massage Therapy to Ease Headaches and Tension

Another massage therapy can help you ease string headaches and tension. You need to start by placing your thumbs on your cheekbones as close to your ears as possible. Then, use your fingertips to gently apply pressure and rub temples gently. That is the soft spot between the corner of your eye and your ear. Use firm pressure and start making tiny circular motions. You need to start moving your fingers up along your hairline and let them meet in the middle of your forehead. Massage your entire forehead and scalp, and then repeat this part a few times.

Massage Therapy to Relax the Hands

Massage therapy can also be great for helping you relax your hands after a long day spent typing the keyboards. These several easy moves will help you out. Stretch your hands and fingers out as much as you can. Then, start rubbing your fingers from the base to the tip. Gently pull and twist every finger as you go. After that, rest your left hand, with the palm facing upwards, on your lap. Start squishing the fleshy part of your palm between the right thumb and index finger. Move from your wrist to the base of the thumb. Then, squeeze that web between the left index finger and thumb. Repeat this part several times and make sure you are looking for the tender points. Lastly, rub the entire palm with the right thumb. Apply firm pressure and use gliding strokes. Then, repeat the same for the right hand.

Also, massaging the hands can relieve the headaches too. That is because our hands, just like our feet, contain reflexology points that correspond to the whole body, which includes the neck, head, eyes, ears, mouth, nose, and sinuses.

Massage Therapy to Relieve Neck Tension

It’s very easy for you to get a pain neck, especially if you are sitting on the computer daily. So, as you’re sitting there, try to mold your hands over your shoulder. Slowly exhale and let your head drop back. Try to slowly squeeze your fingers towards the palms, and glide the back and shoulder muscles towards your neck. After that, rest your elbows on the desk and let your head fall forward slightly. Massage your neck starting from the shoulders to the base of the skull. Use your fingertips and make small deep circles into the muscles on both sides of your spine. Lastly, place your hands on the back of your head and interlace your fingers. Let your elbows pull your head gently down as you drop the head slightly forward. This way, you will be stretching the muscle of your neck.

Massage Therapy to Loosen Tight Shoulders

To use massage therapy for loosening tight shoulders, you will need a tennis ball or a rubber ball. What you need to do is stand about 18 inches away from the wall and keep your feet hip-distance apart. Then, lower down in a partial squat with your buttocks pressed against the wall. Place the ball behind your back at the top of the shoulder and lean forward. After that, you need to start slowly standing up and pressing against the wall. This movement will let the ball roll slowly down the spine muscles. Stop when you find a tender spot and wait for the pain to disappear.

Next, reverse the process and start slowly sitting down in a squat again. Switch sides and try moving the ball to the other side of your body. Repeat the same steps a few times. However, if you have any other health issues that could prevent you from doing this “exercise”, investing in a practical massage chair can be a lifesaver. Not only will it release the shoulder tension, but it will also help you soothe other muscle pain so that you can start doing some more advanced massage therapies.

Massage Therapy to Release the Lower Back

Lower back pain can also be solved by massage therapy. You just need to stand up, put your hands on the waist and place your thumbs behind you and your fingers facing forward. Start pressing your thumbs gently into the lower back muscles, but try not to press the spine too. Keep pressing your thumbs as you start making tiny circular motions. Go up and down, but also around in tiny circles. Give some extra love and attention to those tender points. Move your fingers up the sides of your spine as far as you can reach with your hands. Then, move back down and press the bony surface of the sacrum.

Massage Therapy to Soothe Tired Feet

Lastly, massage therapy can help you soothe tired feet. To do this type of massage, you need to place your left foot on the seat of your chair. That way you can see your instep. Then, with your right thumb, apply firm pressure along the side of the foot. Work from the heel to the big toe. Move the thumb across the ridge, at the spot where the toes meet the ball of your foot. Once you reach the small toe, use your thumb and index finger and squeeze and twist along the whole surface of your toe. Dedicate some time to each and every toe individually, and then get back to the large toe once again. Place your hand over all of your toes and stretch them back and forth. Bend and flex them as much as you can.

As you’re supporting the top of your left foot with your left hand, try using knuckles of your right hand and apply some pressure to the whole surface of the bottom of your foot. Start from the heel and work your way towards the toes and then go back again. Stretch your toes again, flex and extend your feet, and then do some ankle rotations at the end. Lastly, repeat the whole process on the right foot as well.

Conclusion

In conclusion, massage therapy can help your whole body relax which is something that will largely affect the way you relieve stress. Whether you’ve been stuck in front of the computer all day because of your job, or you didn’t have a single chance to sit down, stress gets to you and it’s locked in your muscle pains. Once you release those pains, you will reduce your stress significantly.