How Massage Therapy Can Help You Reduce Stress

25 Apr 2024

In today’s fast-paced world, stress has become an epidemic. From emotional turbulence,
physical discomfort to mental distress, stress manifests itself in a variety of ways, often leaving
us feeling overwhelmed and depleted. While short-term stress is essential for survival and has
been shown to enhance mental, cognitive, and physical performance (Dhabhar, 2018), chronic
or long term stress can have significant consequences. It can disrupt how our genes function
within the central nervous system (Stankiewicz et al., 2013). Furthermore, the development of
many illnesses such as cardiovascular dysfunction, cancer, autoimmune syndromes, and
mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety disorders have been found to be linked with
both stress and inflammation (Mariotti, 2015). In this blog we touch on how massage therapy may help to reduce stress.

Symptoms of stress differ from one individual to another. Listed below are some examples of
how stress can manifest physically, emotionally, cognitively, and behaviourally:

Physical symptoms of stress include:

● Low energy
● Headaches
● Upset stomach, including diarrhea, constipation, and nausea
● Aches, pains, and tense muscles
● Chest pain and rapid heartbeat
● Insomnia
● Frequent colds and infections
● Loss of sexual desire and/or ability
● Nervousness and shaking, ringing in the ears, and cold or sweaty hands and feet
● Dry mouth and a hard time swallowing
● Clenched jaw and grinding teeth

Emotional symptoms of stress include:

● Becoming easily agitated, frustrated, and moody
● Feeling overwhelmed, as if you are losing control or need to take control
● Having a hard time relaxing and quieting your mind
● Feeling bad about yourself (low self-esteem), and feeling lonely, worthless, and
depressed
● Avoiding others

Cognitive symptoms of stress include:

● Constant worrying
● Racing thoughts
● Forgetfulness and disorganization
● Inability to focus
● Poor judgment
● Being pessimistic or seeing only the negative side

Behavioural symptoms of stress include:

● Changes in appetite — either not eating or eating too much
● Procrastinating and avoiding responsibilities
● More use of alcohol, drugs, or cigarettes
● Having more nervous behaviors, such as nail biting, fidgeting, and pacing

(Marks & Sachdev, 2023)

Understanding the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous System

The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems are the two complementary branches of
the autonomic nervous system; they work together to maintain balance within the body (Ebel,
2024). The sympathetic nervous system, also known as the “fight or flight” system, is activated
as a stress response during real or perceived threats. Among many other processes, activation
of this system increases heart rate, releases stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline,
and prompts the liver to release stored energy to meet the body’s increased metabolic demands
(Sympathetic Nervous System, 2022).

While the sympathetic nervous system prepares the body for action during times of stress or danger, the parasympathetic nervous system plays a role in promoting relaxation and restoring balance once the threat has passed. Often referred to as the ‘rest and digest’ system, among other processes, the parasympathetic nervous system helps to lower cortisol levels and inflammation, stabilize blood glucose levels, activate digestion and absorption, and slow heart rate to conserve energy allowing the regeneration necessary for growth and healing (Ebel, 2024).

Massage Therapy Benefits

During times of chronic stress, our sympathetic nervous system can become overactive and
remain in a heightened state of arousal (Sympathetic Overload: The Key to Managing Stress,
n.d.). As mentioned, short term stress is necessary, but when stress becomes long term, that is
when the negative consequences occur. By actively engaging the parasympathetic nervous
system, massage therapy facilitates relaxation and counteracts the effects of the stress-inducing
sympathetic nervous system. Research has found massage decreases levels of cortisol (the
primary stress hormone) and increases levels of serotonin and dopamine – neurotransmitters associated with mood regulation, feelings of happiness, and overall well-being (Field et al., 2005). Furthermore a study conducted by the University of Konstanz in Germany found that just 10 minutes of massage activates the parasympathetic nervous system and also leads to a reduction in perceived mental stress (Pruessner, 2020).

Conclusion

As the prevalence of stress continues to grow, the need for effective coping mechanisms
becomes increasingly important. Through its ability to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous
system, reduce cortisol levels and increase serotonin and dopamine levels, massage therapy
not only promotes relaxation but also contributes to overall mental and physical wellness. If
you’re ready to take a step towards greater health and vitality, consider booking your next
massage therapy appointment with us at Natural Choice Medical Clinic in Guelph! We’re here to support you.

By: Clara Chen, RMT

References

Dhabhar, F. S. (2018, March 26). The Short-Term Stress Response – Mother Nature’s
Mechanism for Enhancing Protection and Performance Under Conditions of Threat,
Challenge, and Opportunity.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5964013/#:~:text=Short%2Dterm%20stre
ss%20may%20also,training%2Dinduced%20stress%2Doptimization.

Ebel, T. (2024, March 13). Parasympathetic Nervous System: The Key to Healing Your
Child’s Chronic Health Struggles. PX Docs. Retrieved March 26, 2024, from
https://pxdocs.com/article/parasympathetic-nervous-system-the-key-to-healing-your-
childs-chronic-health-struggles/

Ebel, T. (2024, March 13). Parasympathetic Nervous System: The Key to Healing Your
Child’s Chronic Health Struggles. PX Docs. Retrieved March 26, 2024, from
https://pxdocs.com/article/parasympathetic-nervous-system-the-key-to-healing-your-
childs-chronic-health-struggles/

Field, T., Hernandez-Reif, M., Diego, M., Schanberg, S., & Kuhn, C. (2005, Oct). Cortisol
decreases and serotonin and dopamine increase following massage therapy.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16162447/

Mariotti, A. (2015). The effects of chronic stress on health: new insights into the
molecular mechanisms of brain–body communication. 10.4155/fso.15.21

Marks, H., & Sachdev, P. (2023, October 8). Stress Symptoms: Effects of Stress on the
Body. WebMD. Retrieved March 26, 2024, from https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-
management/stress-symptoms-effects_of-stress-on-the-body

Pruessner, J. (2020, September 8). Ten minutes of massage or rest will help your body
fight stress. Universität Konstanz. Retrieved March 25, 2024, from https://www.uni-
konstanz.de/en/university/news-and-media/current-announcements/press-
releases/press-releases-in-detail/stressabbau-in-nur-zehn-minuten/

Stankiewicz, A. M., Swiergiel, A. H., & Lisowski, P. (2013, Sept). Epigenetics of stress
adaptations in the brain. Brain Research Bulletin.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0361923013001172

Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS): What It Is & Function. (2022, June 6). Cleveland Clinic.
Retrieved March 26, 2024, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23262-sympathetic-
nervous-system-sns-fight-or-flight