The heart rate increases and blood is diverted from the skin and internal organs to the skeletal muscles, giving us power to act quickly. Digestion is inhibited, breathing is shallow, the mouth is dry and the pupils dilate. After the challenge has been met, your bodily functions return to normal, you relax and resume normal activities. A prolonged period of stress with no relief is the cause of the physical and mental ills associated with stress. Chronic stress has been proven to impair the function of the immune system, leaving us vulnerable to many diseases from the common cold to cancer.
Therapeutic massage helps to restore balance and return the body to normal.
The long smooth strokes used in Swedish Massage activate a relaxation response by activating the parasympathetic nervous system. The heart rate and blood pressure are lowered, breathing is deeper, the muscles relax and the blood flow returns to the skin and internal organs, resuming normal digestion and blood circulation. Chronic stress often leaves persistent muscular tension and painful trigger points. These problems respond well to Deep Tissue Massage. The therapeutic effects of massage are cumulative.