In today’s fast-paced world, stress has become normal for most people. It can be due to unhappy events, as well as to the joyful ones. Nonetheless, almost everybody has experienced it. It often results in overthinking and anxiety, as well as some minor physical discomfort—sweaty hands, an upset stomach, etc. But are you aware that stress can also cause serious risks to the heart?
Too much stress can produce adrenaline, which can cause the heart to beat faster and raise blood pressure. After some time, this can damage the heart. It can also result in serious heart problems such as coronary artery disease, which can eventually lead to a heart attack, or worse, heart failure.
As worrying as it may sound, no adult would want to experience such problems, especially on their own body. This is why finding ways to manage stress is important. And one of the best ways to reduce stress is a relaxing, soothing massage session!
How Massage Benefits the Mind and Heart
✓ It triggers a relaxation response: A quick 10-minute massage is enough to ignite the body’s natural happiness and relaxation hormones. This will activate the natural happy hormones of the body, such as serotonin and dopamine, which will leave you feeling refreshed and relaxed. It can also help with basic everyday functions such as eating, digestion, and sleeping.
✓ It helps with muscular tension: Stress causes the body to involuntarily tighten, causing the muscles to become tense. Massage therapy can help in making the muscles relax or loosen up, which alleviates the chronic pain that comes with it. It increases the elasticity of the muscle tissues and promotes better movement and flexibility.
✓ Supports heart health: By reducing the tension in both the body and mind, a massage session reduces stress hormones that put unnecessary strain on the cardiovascular system. The calming effect after the session not only helps the heart function more effectively but also protects it from long-term damage caused by stress.
✓ Helps with blood pressure: It has been proven that the pressure applied to the muscle during massage sessions improves blood circulation and helps lower the blood pressure. It soothes the sympathetic nervous system, the system responsible for raising the blood pressure.
✓ Improves sleep: The act of massage can help in reducing the cortisol or the stress hormone, which greatly affects sleep patterns. The dopamine that is released during the massage session also stabilizes your mood and will bring you to a state of calmness, which is needed for good sleep.
At the end of the day, stress is something that we can’t completely avoid, but we can choose how we manage it. Massage helps in achieving both relaxation and prevention—it reduces stress, soothes the body, and gives your cardiovascular system the care it deserves. Beyond the calming experience, its lasting effects on blood pressure, circulation, and overall heart health, it is a powerful ally in living a healthier, stress-free lifestyle. Investing in moments of massage is, in many ways, investing in a longer and stronger life.
PUP Intern, Raven Gabriel S. Cruz