Relaxing massage for adults
Do adults need a relaxing massage and can it be done at home? Is there any benefit or harm to the human body with such a massage? Discuss with experts

There is no doubt that a relaxing massage for adults is good for the mind and body. This is such an important part of a healthy lifestyle that you should do it as often as possible. But most of us think of relaxing massage as a pleasure that costs money and time. This is true if you go to a spa or to a private massage therapist. But the most remarkable thing is that such a massage can be done at home – for children, adults, a loved one, and it will not take much time. Just 10 minutes of rubbing a specific area can help relieve stress, improve blood flow, and leave you feeling relaxed and energized.

Massage forms both physiological and emotional reactions.

The physiological response to massage is the effects it has on the musculoskeletal and nervous systems.

The emotional response to a relaxing massage is a feeling of relaxation and calmness. Massage relaxes the body by increasing circulation and releasing endorphins. They are formed in the brain, causing a feeling of happiness and well-being.

There are many types of massage that can help you relax, but you can do without the help of professionals, just doing massage with your hands or home devices.

Benefits of relaxing massage for adults

Massage can help you relax in many circumstances. These include:

  • stress;
  • tense muscles;
  • high muscle tone;
  • preparation for competitions or intensive training.

Massage is an effective stress reliever. And stress is a physical and emotional reaction of the body, it can affect how you feel, think and how your body works. Stress is caused by an increase in stress hormones in the body, including adrenaline and cortisol.

Many types of massage help to relax the body and reduce stress by increasing soft tissue temperature, stimulating feel-good hormones, and reducing adrenaline and cortisol levels. Massage helps the muscles relax and induces feelings of calmness, contentment and happiness.

Massage also helps relieve muscle tension in the body. Discomfort, spasm and soreness in the muscles can occur for many reasons. The most common causes of muscle tension are poor posture and emotional stress. Poor posture causes tension or uneven stress on the muscles. When a muscle is loaded, it naturally resists the load by contracting into a forced position. Relaxing massage will help reduce muscle tension, increase temperature, blood circulation and lymph drainage.

Relaxation massage is used to treat people with high muscle tone. High muscle tone is an increase in muscle tension at rest. Increased muscle tone can cause a feeling of tightness, tension, and pain. Muscles with high tone are constantly contracting and moving less. Massage restores blood circulation and helps to relax the fibers. It also relieves muscle tension due to the accumulation of intermediate metabolites.

Massage is a useful practice before a sporting event, it helps to relax a person both physically and mentally. Relaxing the body before a competition can be important for improving performance. Massage relaxes the body by increasing soft tissue temperature and releasing hormones. Relaxing the body can reduce emotions such as anxiety and stress. The beneficial effect of muscle relaxation can also promote joint mobility. When the muscles relax, the joints can move through a full range of motion.

Harm of relaxing massage for adults

Actually, conducting a relaxing massage will not do any harm, especially if it is performed by a professional. But even at home, this practice does not form any negative effects.

Relaxing massage contraindications for adults

Among the contraindications to a relaxing massage are:

  • acute infections and febrile conditions;
  • open wounds, skin damage in the affected area;
  • acute thrombosis, phlebitis, if the massage is carried out over the surface of damaged veins.

How to make a relaxing massage for adults at home

When you feel the need to relax, ask someone close to you to help you. Make sure you are in a quiet environment, turn off all digital gadgets, take some soothing oil if necessary.

Relaxing massage can be done in different areas.

Shoulders. This is perhaps the most classic area of ​​the body where people feel tension, and massage here can lead to stress relief and is a great way to relax your muscles.

Place your hands on your shoulders so that your thumbs are on your upper back and four fingers are just to the side of your collarbone. Make circular motions with your whole arm and focus on circular motions with your thumbs on either side of the spine just below the collar line. For a deeper and more relaxing movement, use both hands on one shoulder at a time, keeping in a circular motion.

Head. Head massage is a great way to relieve stress. Traditional head massage originates from India and is based on an ancient Ayurvedic form of healing.

Place your hands, fingers apart, at the sides of your head and slowly lift your arms up as if you were shampooing your hair. Once at the top of the head, let the fingers slip gently, then lower the hands and move them to another area of ​​the head. Repeat this all over your scalp and then rub in with your fingertips.

Legs. This relaxing massage is great for those who are on their feet all day and also helps with headaches, insomnia and stress.

Add some soothing oil to the palm of your hand and gently swipe across your foot, repeating about 5 times with each hand. Then firmly grasp the foot with both hands and use your thumbs to press down on the bottom of the foot, moving from the heel to the toes.

Arms. This part of the body is often overlooked during traditional massage, so a hand massage can be a blessing for anyone who works with their hands all day.

With the person’s palm facing you, grasp the wrist and use your thumbs to gently but firmly press down on the palm and move upward with each finger. Turn your hand over and, starting with the little finger, rub it well, and then pull a little, repeating this for all fingers, including the thumb. Finishing, grab the person’s wrist between the wrists and shake the hand from side to side.

Face. Facial massage is a great way to improve blood flow to this area, making the skin look younger and fresher.

Place your hands on your forehead in a prayer position and move them down several times. With your index fingers, work through the nose, then bring all fingers to the jaw and rub in a circular motion. Place your thumbs just above the middle of your upper lip and swipe down a few times on either side, then repeat with the underside of your lips. Bring your middle and index fingers to your temples and move in a circular motion. Finally, place both hands on your forehead and smooth out your fingers a few times to end the session.

Popular questions and answers

We asked rehabilitation doctors to answer popular questions about relaxing massage.

How effective is relaxing massage for adults?

– Relaxing massage is quite effective if we are talking about the main goal – relaxation, – says physiotherapy and sports medicine doctor, traumatologist-orthopedist, rehabilitation specialist Georgy Temichev. – In principle, anyone can do such a massage, the most important thing is that a person would be subjectively comfortable from this massage, and he would relax. If a person goes to someone, to a professional, and relaxes after the session, then the goal has been achieved.

– I had experience in rehabilitation, and sports, adult and children’s massages for people with disabilities and I have experience in using such massage, – says endocrinologist, sports doctor, rehabilitation specialist Boris Ushakov. – Impact, from the point of view of the physical body, yes, it has a certain value, with proper conduct and qualification.

How often should adults have a relaxing massage?

– Regarding the frequency – this is a subjective matter, very individual. Someone likes to take relaxing massage courses when he is stressed, someone likes to go for a massage when something “boils” with him and needs to “blow off steam” and relax, and someone likes to go regularly, as part of HLS. Since the goal is relaxation, everyone can choose the frequency for themselves individually, – says Georgy Temichev.

– Everything that relaxes is effective, – I’m sure Boris Ushakov. – I think that on average you can do such a massage every other day, that’s enough. But again, it is necessary to determine the purpose of relaxation. If this is fatigue after a hard day’s work, you can do it every day. After training loads – every other day, like the loads themselves.

Can I do a relaxing massage myself or at home?

The main thing is to help you relax. Therefore, if one of the relatives or a partner knows how to massage and the person is pleased with it, he relaxes, then the goal has been achieved, – believes Georgy Temichev.

– Yes, you can, if you master the simplest massage techniques, – agrees Boris Ushakov. – Relaxing massage is done for both healthy people and people with certain problems. Within the framework of domestic influence, for example, parents – to children, spouses to each other, this is quite the place to be. The effect will be higher if warming creams are used during the massage, possibly even with subsequent cooling. You can do a relaxing massage using exercise equipment – electric and manual.

Can such a massage harm, to whom it can be prohibited?

– Given the contraindications that were previously mentioned, then such a massage cannot harm. The maximum that can happen is that the massage simply does not relax properly, explains Georgy Temichev.

– Self-massage or massage to a partner is not dangerous and has no contraindications, it certainly will not harm. And like any massage, it is aimed at improving blood flow and lymph flow, and has no side effects, – supports a colleague Boris Ushakov.

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