Advanced Stress Management

If you have stress, you are certainly not alone. Stress is simply the response our bodies have from all the demands placed on it. We have all felt the effects of a stressful day. We may have sore, tight or tense muscles, especially in the neck and back. Research studies show that getting a massage really helps to relieve all that built up stress. You may not have time to slip off to the day spa, but there are other options. One particularly effective option is to have your own massage chair.

Our bodies respond to stress with the fight or flight reaction. When we come under stress, the body prepares itself by mobilizing the major organs to support the body taking immediate action. The hands and feet are supported to take action. Trouble is most of the stress we now have is more mental than physical. This means our bodies are ready for physical action, but it never really occurs. We usually don’t fight or flight, but sit there with a pile of stress on our minds. The chemicals released by our body to take action do not have a proper release.

We are all hearing the new economic doom and gloom and it is scary. OK, so we know our stress levels are going up because we are faced with more troubling situations. This just means we need to recognize the balance is changing and we need to change with it. We need to find more effective ways to relieve and reduce its presence and affects. In other words, we need to find a new balance.

A massage has the attributes of the relaxation response. A massage helps your body to relax. Certain massages like a reflexology massage, for example, can actually reverse the stress reaction. Reflexology massage targets the trigger points in your feet or hands which help relax and calm the major organs. As the major organs relax, the rest of the body follows bringing total body relaxation. A massage also helps to bring greater mental awareness and clarity.

Let us take a quick look at two of the most important massage therapy techniques. Swedish massage and Shiatsu massage. These are different schools of through with slightly different benefit sets. Swedish massage uses a variety of 6 techniques to relax and energize the muscles and the body. Shiatsu massage uses a combination of acupressure, kneading and rapid chopping to invigorate the muscles increasing blood and lymph flow, while increasing mental awareness.

Now these two techniques have been masterfully reproduced by modern technology. Welcome to the new age of the machine! Top companies like Panasonic, Omega, Human Touch and Sanyo have massage chairs that provide these massage therapies and many more. They have acupressure, reflexology, deep tissue, sports massage. They also got you covered from head to toe. Stress has met its balancing partner with the touch of a button.

Additionally, massage chair companies are adding capabilities such as stretching, heat therapy and music. You can create a virtual spa in your own home. Remember your stress builds up on a continuous basis. You must create a relaxation response on a continuous basis as well. A massage chair is the most convenient and economical methods to achieve this. If you got stress, then start a relaxation response with your own massage chair recliner.

Tags: Stress Management