Whether you get a massage once a week, once a month, or once a year, making time for yourself is always beneficial! Not sure if you need a massage? Here are five tell-tale signs that your body is asking for some extra care and attention.
1. Pain in the back of the neck, aka."Text Neck"
Text neck is a type of overuse syndrome or repetitive stress injury, resulting from having your head hung forward and down looking for extended periods of time. Whether you are spending the day working from a laptop, or "doom scrolling" for hours on the phone, it's easy to fall victim to Text Neck.
Overuse of neck muscles causes them to contract and strain, and often they forget how to relax. A restorative massage focusing on the head, neck, back, and shoulders can help reverse muscle amnesia and bring you back to your natural state.
2. Unrelenting anxiety
In a society where we are measured by our productivity, it is easy to fall into the trap of pushing ourselves to the limit. This can result in being fueled by adrenaline and stress hormones, and an overwrought nervous system. When you operate in a constant state of anxiety, it can be difficult to unwind at the end of the workday or to quiet your thoughts before sleep. Massage helps to slow down your nervous system and to bring you back to a parasympathetic state.
More on the parasympathetic nervous system: it is also referred to as the "rest and digest system" as it functions to conserve the body's natural activity, and relaxes the individual once an emergency has passed.
After a massage, many of our clients tell us they feel feel lighter. A release of muscular and emotional tension occurs with a great massage.
Almost everything works better when you turn it off and plug it in to charge, including you!
3. Slouching
We all slouch sometimes. However, if you have difficulty sitting or standing up straight, you may be in desperate need of a massage.
Massage helps to elongate muscles through long kneading strokes, to ease stiffness and restore range of motion. To restore muscle function, your therapist may include gentle stretching in your session.
Pro tip: Avoid heavy shoulder bags (totes, purses, laptop bags, etc) as they can cause slouching and uneven stress on the shoulders. Instead, opt for a backpack to distribute the weight evenly.
4. Tightness around the sides of the head (Temporalis Muscles)
Massage therapy has proven to be profoundly efficient in treating headaches, migraines, sinus pressure, and TMJ pain. While painkillers can provide temporary relief from discomfort, massage can help get to the root of the problem. This is why we created our signature headache massage, called "Headache Relief". This treatment focuses on soothing tension exclusively in the head, neck, and face to bring you the comfort and relaxation you crave.
5. You can’t remember the last time you had a massage
Or, if you've never had one! Massage works best when you receive it regularly. We recommend at least once a month for general mind / body / spirit maintenance.
While the term "self care" may seem cliche at this point, it is important to take care of your well-being above all other things. A car needs fuel in the tank to run, and you need time to rest and restore yourself before you can take on the world!
Press pause on the bustle of city life and schedule some me-time. Give us a call, schedule through our app, or book through our website. We look forward to helping you feel your best.
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