Anti-Aging Benefits of Massage

Massages are more than just a relaxing treat (though that’s reason enough to get one). Massage therapy has been used for centuries as a form of alternative and complementary medicine, thanks to its many uses and benefits.

What’s one reason our patients keep coming back to Integrated Body and Medicine for professional massages? It’s the anti-aging benefits of massage therapy. 

This might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about massages, but anti-aging is certainly an advantage of massage therapy. Here are five ways massages can produce anti-aging benefits. 

1. Massages can help you relax and reduce stress

Stress causes all sorts of unfavorable changes to your body, and it can make you act in ways that aren’t beneficial to your health. For example, people with high stress levels might: 

• Experience elevated cortisol, which can lead to inflammation
• Have food cravings and make poor food choices
• Be too emotionally drained to exercise 
• Have difficulty falling asleep and sleeping through the night 

All of the above can detrimentally affect your appearance and lead to premature aging. Massage therapy can help combat the negative effects of stress and keep you looking healthy and young. 

2. Massages can encourage blood flow

A healthy circulatory system is essential for overall health. In fact, blood flow is one of the most important functions in your body. With every beat of your heart, blood delivers essential oxygen and nutrients to all of your body’s tissues, resulting in healthy muscles, joints, organs, and skin. 

On the flip side, limited blood flow can lead to stiff muscles and joints, dull skin, indigestion, and poor nutrient absorption, among other symptoms. Regular massages can encourage blood flow and keep your circulatory system in check. 

3. Massages can stimulate your lymphatic system

Your lymphatic system is a complex and dynamic network of tissues, nerves, and vessels that transports fluid throughout your body. It’s responsible for delivering a fluid called lymph, which contains proteins, vitamins, and minerals, as well as damaged cells and toxins. 

Your lymphatic system works twofold: It carries nourishing lymph to tissues that need it, and it drains toxins and foreign particles through ducts. 

Much as massage therapy can encourage blood flow, it can also stimulate your lymphatic system and improve the circulation of lymph fluid. But this isn’t a typical massage: Lymphatic-specific massages feel different from traditional massages. 

If you think you have problems with your lymphatic system (fluid buildup is a key characteristic), ask if lymphatic drainage massages are right for you. 

4. Massages can help you sleep at night

Everyone knows that beauty sleep is a real thing. Just one night of poor sleep can make you look tired and aged. Research shows that chronic loss of sleep can contribute to premature skin aging. 

Because massages are so relaxing, they can help you sleep better at night. Just be sure to schedule one for later in the day so you reap all the benefits closer to bedtime. 

5. Massages can improve your posture

You might be wondering how posture affects aging. This benefit of massage is more indirect than the others, but can still have an exceptional impact on your appearance. 

Think about someone who has poor posture: They may look hunched over, tired, and old. Good posture, on the other hand, looks youthful and healthy. 

Massage therapy loosens tight muscles in your chest, neck, shoulders, and upper back, promoting good posture. Often those muscles become tight and tense due to everyday habits such as sitting at a computer or slouching over a smartphone. 

Are you ready for a life-changing, anti-aging massage? Schedule an appointment with us at Integrated Body and Medicine today by calling our Highland, Indiana, office or by booking an appointment through our online system.