Massage therapy is a powerful tool for your health and is especially effective for reducing stress. I have gotten a massage once a week for many years. It makes me feel better mentally and physically, reduces my stress and relaxes my sore, tight muscles. I feel refreshed and renewed after my regular, midweek massage. I am convinced my regular practice of massage therapy has increased my energy level, productivity, and passion for life.

Americans visit massage therapists more than 114 million times every year. Massage therapists are the second most visited complementary and alternative medicine providers behind chiropractors. We spend up to $11 billion a year on massage.

Chronic musculoskeletal tension can affect your health. Your tense muscles can restrict blood circulation therefore valuable nourishment is prohibited from getting to your organs. Tension also affects your breathing and your posture.

Christopher Moyer, a psychologist at the University of Wisconsin–Stout, published a meta-analysis on massage therapy and discovered research subjects who received massage had a lower level of anxiety than those who did not. He also showed it can reduce symptoms of depression.

Almost one in three Americans suffer from insomnia these days. Massage therapy stimulates the body’s parasympathetic system, the relaxation response for your nervous system, thus reducing physical and mental stress that helps induce sleep. Some studies also show massage can lower blood pressure and reduce back pain.

There are many low-cost massage services in most communities. Massage therapy is an investment in your mental, physical and spiritual health and well-being.