Willow Massage And Health

About

How Does Massage Work?

Massage causes physiological changes in your body through:

•The relaxation response, which is an involuntary, yet predictable response of the nervous system to massage techniques and touch

•Mechanical responses, which are physical effects that occur in the body when pressure is applied to the soft tissues

Together, these responses can produce physical and emotional benefits.

What is the relaxation response?

In a massage, a caring, safe touch is an invitation to relax. This, together with pain relief, generally produces a "relaxation response."

The relaxation response is a state in which your heart and breathing rate slow, your blood pressure goes down, your production of stress hormones decreases, and your muscles relax. The relaxation response also seems to increase the available level of serotonin, which is a chemical in the body that positively affects emotions and thoughts. While this information is promising, more studies are needed to directly confirm the relationship between massage and levels of serotonin in the brain.

The relaxation response may decrease the physical effects of stress and reduce the risks associated with stress, such as hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, anxiety, insomnia, persistent fatigue, sexual dysfunction, digestive disorders, and psychological issues--to name a few.

What are mechanical responses?

The physical manipulation in massage has two major physical effects:

•Increase in blood and lymph circulation

•Relaxation and normalisation of the soft tissue (muscle, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments), which releases nerves and deeper connective tissues

Improving Circulation

Massage is believed to improve blood and lymph circulation. This is probably due partly to the physical manipulation of soft tissue and partly to the chemicals released as part of the relaxation response.

Improved circulation can enhance the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to muscle cells. As cellular health improves, tissues function more efficiently. More efficient functioning leads to the removal of waste products and may increase the absorption of excess fluids and reduce swelling in soft tissues.

Find out more about massage on our website.

Trauma Release Exercises (TRE)

What Is TRE

TRE utilises simple exercises to activate physical tremors in a controlled manner to help the body return to a balanced and healthy state. While TRE was originally developed to deal with mass scale trauma in the 3rd world, it perhaps has most relevance to the way stress affects all of us - regardless of whether it is physical, emotional, psychological or even anticipatory in nature.

The TRE exercises invoke intentional tremors in a safe and controlled way as they are the body's innate way to release stress and tension. Commonly experienced during trauma (such as after a car accident, operation or giving birth) or even during stress (such as public speaking) we all tend to suppress them thinking they are a sign of being out of control or frightened. This means it is very self empowering for people as once learnt they can continue to use the process on their own for the rest of their lives. (and also potentially makes it of interest to men who might not want to discuss any issues)

How Does TRE Work?

The body responds to stress & trauma - regardless of the external cause:

Regardless of whether stress or trauma is physical, emotional or psychological in origin, our body responds by automatically creating ‘defensive states’ consisting of physical tension including tight back, shoulder, neck and jaw muscles that must be physically released in order to return to a calm and relaxed homeostatic state.

Stress & trauma is only a problem when it isn’t released from the body:

Find out more about TRE on our website.