Massage therapy has been around for centuries. The ancient texts of many languages, including Chinese, Indian, Greek, and Egyptian mention it. While the exact roots of massage therapy are unknown, it is known that getting regular massages is beneficial in many ways. Massage can treat everything from aches and pains, digestive issues, insomnia and more.

But there is one area that seems somewhat counterintuitive when it comes to massage, improved energy. For many, this may seem contradictory because getting a massage is typically relaxing in nature. While this is true, the aftereffects can be quite different. Many individuals report increased or improved energy when they receive regular massages. Let’s look at some ways that massage can improve and increase energy.

Increased circulation – Massage improves blood flow and circulation, which in turn increases the oxygen in our cells. When cellular oxygen levels are higher, the body feels less fatigued. A study conducted at the University of Illinois at Chicago showed massage improves circulation in people who don’t exercise, thus improving oxygenation at the cellular level.

Faster muscle recovery – Muscles will recover on their own after a workout, but the addition of massage can improve the muscle recovery time. Massage helps flush out lactic acid build up in the muscles, which causes them to feel sore and fatigued.

Pain reduction – When the body is sore and achy, we are less likely to feel vibrant and alive. In fact, quite the opposite. We usually want to stay in bed or lay around the house all day. But relieving that pain can increase our energy levels. This is something that massage excels at…relieving pain. This can indirectly improve our energy.

Less stress – Just like when we feel pain, stress can zap us of our energy reserves. Stress affects everyone from time to time, but chronic stress shows up at the cellular level. Massage therapy can decrease stress in the joints, muscles, and cells, thus indirectly improving our energy levels.

Fights off depression – When a person is feeling depressed, they tend to have less energy. Regular massage sessions have been shown to increase hormones like serotonin and dopamine, which help stabilize moods. So yet again, massage can indirectly affect the energy levels of people suffering from depression, acute or chronic.

Improves sleep – This is a bit of a no brainer. When people aren’t sleeping well, they wake up feeling tired and irritable. Massage can improve sleep in several ways. Regular sessions may help with pain and stress, consequently improving sleep. Massage also relaxes the body and mind and allows those suffering from insomnia to fall asleep and stay asleep more consistently.

Improves digestion – This one may seem a little out of place but think about what happens every Thanksgiving. When we overeat or our digestion is sluggish, we feel fatigued and tired. Massages can improve our digestion by stimulating the production of digestive enzymes, thus decreasing our feelings of fatigue.

No matter why you’re experiencing fatigue or decreased energy, getting a massage might just be the easiest solution. As you can see, there are plenty of reasons why massage improves energy levels and helps combat fatigue. At SOL SPA, the World’s First 24 Hour Day Spa, our members can get unlimited massages in our state of the art, zero gravity massage chairs any time, day, or night! Don’t let fatigue negatively affect your life. Make massage a regular part of your routine!

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Written By: Paige Stuart, VP of Spa Operations