Massage Chair Benefits: Your Physical & Mental Health
Massage Chairs and Your Health
Massage has long been associated with relaxation. When someone says they’ve booked a massage for themselves, vivid images might come to mind: a perfumed room filled with flickering candlelight; swaying palm trees at a tropical getaway for two; hot stones, facials and warm towels. Many of these are things that might accompany a massage to help set the mood for relaxation — but what about the massage itself?
Studies have shown that the benefits of massage therapy are many and varied. They include physical benefits like improved circulation, better sleep and headache relief, but massage has also been linked to improved mental and emotional health.
Best of all, you don’t need to visit a massage therapist to experience these benefits — with a premium massage chair, you can enjoy them in the comfort of your own home. Advances in technology have enabled the makers of massage chairs to create an at-home massage experience that rivals (and sometimes surpasses) the real thing.
Read on to discover the many benefits of today’s leading-edge massage chairs.
Massage Chair Health Benefits: Physical
We mentioned that regular massage chair use is linked to improved circulation and better sleep — but how? Here are the top 9 physical health benefits of massage, and the science to back them up.
Improved cardiovascular health: Massage has been seen to improve cardiovascular health, both in active individuals and those who rarely exercise. It’s also been shown to help with lowering blood pressure and reducing hypertension. – Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation & Hindawi
Lower back pain management: Individuals who suffer from chronic lower back pain report decreased pain levels following massage that targets the area. – Pain Medicine
Better posture: By relaxing the muscles between the shoulders and across the upper back, massage can naturally encourage your spine to straighten. This results in a healthier posture, both seated and standing. – Physio.co.uk
Headache relief: The full-body effects of massage therapy extend to your head, easing the symptoms of both tension and vascular headaches, including migraines. Swedish (i.e., slow-stroke) massage can relax the muscles in your face and neck, common factors that contribute to headaches. – American Massage Therapy Association
Stimulates the lymphatic system: The lymphatic system is a network of nodes just under our skin that produce a fluid called lymph. Lymph moves through the body, filtering toxins out of our bodily fluids. When this system is not working properly, it can cause swelling, sluggishness and pain. Certain massage techniques, like rolling and Swedish, stimulate the skin with rhythmic, circular motions that can help lymph fluid flow more easily. – Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals
Increased mobility: Regular massage therapy has been shown to relieve muscle tightness, which leads to increased range of motion. Ease of movement can help prevent injury or muscle strain. – BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
Stronger immune system: Since massage can stimulate the toxin-filtering lymphatic system, this can improve the body’s ability to fight off infection. – Cedars-Sinai’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences
Better sleep: Massage therapy can reduce levels of the hormone cortisol, which causes stress. Less cortisol means less physical and mental signs of stress, which can lead to deeper, easier sleep. – American Massage Therapy Association
Clearer skin: Even without added heat therapy, massage warms the body up, which in turn causes your pores to open and release impurities from your skin. The release of heat from the body also leads to increased cell regeneration, shortening the healing time for skin injuries. – Health Status
The benefits of massage aren’t merely skin-deep; read on to learn about the positive effects massage can have on your inner well-being.
Massage Chair Health Benefits: Mental
Cue the spa music: sinking into your massage chair means it’s time to relax. But it’s not just the sound therapy and ambient lighting that inspire your peaceful state of mind — it’s science.
Improved mood: We don’t need to run any studies to prove that being relaxed leads to a happier state of mind. But research performed on those suffering from more serious mood disorders such as depression show that massage has a legitimate long-term effect on mental health. – Iran Red Crescent Medical Journal
Brain function/focus: Any office worker will tell you that there are many benefits of a massage chair in the workplace. What better way to recharge your brain before your next meeting? But it’s been noted that massage has a positive effect on sufferers of ADHD, leading to a decrease in symptoms and better all-around focus. – Complementary Therapies in Medicine
Anxiety: Regular massage leads to lower overall stress levels, which can reduce the mental and physical manifestations of anxiety. Less anxiety can have a whole host of positive effects: better sleep, digestion, reduced hair loss, fewer headaches and more. – Depression & Anxiety
Time management: There are no studies associated with this benefit, but anecdotal evidence isn’t hard to find! A massage chair prevents you from missing an appointment and experiencing the added stress that comes with the pressure to be on time. A massage chair is always there when you need it, and won’t penalize you if you have to reschedule.
Financial Benefits of Massage Chairs
Even though a massage chair is a significant investment, it can help you save money in the long term.
- Owning a massage chair for a period of several years is less expensive than a standing appointment with a masseuse. A typical full-body massage session in the U.S. can range from $50 to over $150, depending on the specific treatments used (hot stone, deep tissue, etc.) — and the more frequent the appointments, the faster those expenses will pile up! Fortunately, financing is available for most massage chairs, and the longevity they guarantee will save you money over time.
- Owning a massage chair can save you time, which is almost as valuable as money these days. The cost of a massage appointment alone can be prohibitive, plus you have to spend time to get yourself there — and you’d better hope you don’t find a masseuse you like only to have them move farther away! Visiting your massage chair costs as much time as it takes to reach the room it’s in.
- You can multitask in a massage chair: read a book, listen to a podcast, make your grocery list or even learn a new language. When not in use, your massage chair can function as a comfortable recliner — sit in it while you call a friend or work from home. Better than any office chair!
How to Choose the Right Massage Chair
A massage chair is an effective, low-effort investment in your long-term health. Where else can you find all the benefits listed above in one convenient place? When it comes to putting your health first, massage has been proven time and again to be a low-intervention therapy for all sorts of physical and mental health concerns.
At Massage Chair Store, we’re committed to educating our customers on the many benefits of owning a massage chair — not least of all the fact that it brings an amazing massage experience right into your home!
If you’re ready to experience the rewards that a massage chair can offer, explore our Buyer’s Guide. Our certified massage chair specialists will be happy to talk details, and help you find the massage chair that matches your needs.
