The Relaxation Effects of Hand‐Massage Therapy on Autonomic Nervous System Function and Emotions: Increases in Eye Contact and Communication
Authors: Sato Tsuyako , Bao Sarina , Hoshi Junko , Yang Hong‐xia , Tanno Hiromasa , Kanno Emi , Maruyama Ryoko 
Published: November 2023

BACKGROUND

In integrative oncology, it has been suggested that massage can activate the immune function, and alleviate pain and anxiety. Recently, touching has been reported to activate skin sensory nerves and stimulate the secretion of oxytocin. And as an effect of oxytocin, the possibility of the effective social interaction. However, there are no studies that clarify the social interaction between the massager and the recipient in hand massage implementation.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to verify the changes in autonomic nervous activity and emotions resulting from the application of our hand‐massage method (HM) to a participant, as well as to clarify the physiological and psychological effects of HM. Also, we explore the possibility of effective social interaction between massager and HM‐receiver.

METHODS

The participants included 4 female and 5 male patients, who are young healthy person. Our HM was a modified version of Tatsumura's pair‐hands‐healing method, consisting of a 7.5‐min only right‐hand HM session, both preceded and followed by a 10‐min rest period, while the participants lay in a supine position. The massager and the participants were the first meeting. The effect on the autonomic nervous system activity was evaluated by measuring the heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP), and limb terminal skin thermogram. Additionally, relaxation was evaluated using the visual analogue scale (VAS). And moods were evaluated using the Profile of Mood States‐Brief Form Japanese Version (POMS‐J). Data were analyzed using the paired t‐test (Befor HM vs HM, after HM, Significance level less than 5% (p < 0.05) is significant). In addition, we observed frequencies of “eye‐contact” and “talk to massager” about attitudes of the participants to massager before and after HM.

RESULTS

The major findings of this study are as follows: (1) the HR significantly increased during HM (vs. HM p=0.042); (2) The frequency analysis of HRV (ratio of low frequency to high frequency LF/HF; sympathetic nervous system activity) significantly increased after HM (vs. after HM p=0.013); (3) the left‐foot skin temperature significantly increased during HM (p=0.058); (4) DBP trendy decreased after HM (p=0.034); (5) relaxation levels significantly increased after HM (p=0.000); (6) POMS‐J: tension‐anxiety, depression and fatigue levels significantly decreased after HM (p=0.000, p=0.012, p=0.011). In comparison between subjects' attitudes before and after HM, after HM, we have more “eye‐contact” and “talk to massager” positively.

CONCLUSION

The decrease in HR, LF/HF and DBP, and the increase in left‐foot skin temperature reveal the physiological relaxation effect of HM. The decrease in relaxation, and tension‐anxiety, depression and fatigue (POMS‐J) show that physiological and psychological responses exist in parallel. Also at after HM, the increase frequencies of “eye‐contact” and “talk to massager” suggested that social interaction was promoted. Future, we would like to investigate social interaction with oxytocin.