Stress

Tension also sets off a "fight or flight" reaction in the body. I'm not going to get into the specifics of "fight or flight" or the chemistry of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system on this page (it's a long explanation... better to do a search for a page that deals specifically with that topic), but essentially, emotional stress releases a chemical called adrenaline in the body.

This is the chemical that gives you that hyper, wired feeling and keeps you up at night when you know you need sleep.

Extended periods in this state will release constant excessive amounts of adrenaline.

There are a number of adverse health effects from being under constant stress. Some of them include poor digestion, faster heart rate, shorter life span of cells, increased risk of age related disease, muscle aches, clouded thinking, shortness of breath, etc.

I have found that sometimes people (including myself) have periods of running in this permanent adrenaline mode for so long that they don't even realize it until a serious health problem acts up (ulcer, heart attack, insomnia, etc) or they are shifted into a state of relaxation, often accidentally.

Massage is wonderful at producing an accidental relaxed state!

About five minutes into a massage, about 50% of my clients will say "Wow, I didn't realize I was so tense".

None of us do. But it's a fact of life in this modern world.

The interesting thing about stress is that it is often a choice in perception.

Something that might be cause anxiety for one person, may not in another. For example, some people find going to the dentist stressful, while others aren't even phased by it.

Even though perception is a choice, it might not seem like it at the time and it can be difficult to shift perspective in the moment.

But it's still worth it to try because I have also found that stress usually begets more stress.

So the next time you are feeling tension, take a few deep breaths, ground your energy, and quiet your mind.

Then deal with the situation with the faith that the universe will sort everything out in time (I find that prayer helps a lot).

And if you are still feeling tense, massage is a wonderful option!

Massage encourages the body to release endorphins, which is the body's natural feel-good and feel-happy chemical.

Massage also helps to relax those muscles that you may or may not realize are held tight.

And in the long run, regular massage can help build ones tolerance for stressful situations.

I have had several regular clients mention that their weekly massage has helped them become more resilient when facing difficult situations. They find they are much more calm when facing these situations than they had previously been before they started getting regular massage.

Other lifestyle changes in addition to massage that can encourage relaxation are exercise (especially yoga, stretching, walking and tai chi, but any form will do), breath work and meditation, and healthy eating.