News: May 2023

Is Your Anxiety in the Driver's Seat?

You may already know that massage is ideal for lowering anxiety. People who get massage therapy enjoy anxiety relief, stress reduction, enhanced well-being, and improved quality of life. Personally, these benefits increase my happiness, productivity, and add meaning to my life.

But why massage?

1. Anxiety is stored in our bodies and can manifest as muscle tension, pain, and restriction. Massage relaxes muscle tension, calming the nervous system and often yielding an emotional response. In other words, you can't separate the body from the mind. As physical therapist and leading authority on Myofascial Release John Barnes says, "Your issues are in your tissues."
2. Research suggests that massage therapy can lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that can be damaging in cases of chronic stress and anxiety.
3. Research suggests that massage therapy increases vagal activity. The vagus nerve is responsible for our parasympathetic nervous system ("rest and digest"), and controls specific body functions such as digestion, heart rate, and immune system.
4. Massage therapy stimulates areas of the brain involved in stress and emotional regulation.
5. Pain causes anxiety, and vice versa. Massage therapy is known for alleviating anxiety as well as many types of pain, thus breaking the destructive cycle.
6. Sleep deprivation is a main perpetuator of anxiety. You guessed it - massage therapy is a fantastic sleep aid.
7. Massage therapy is a holistic practice, meaning it treats the whole person - body, mind, and spirit, as opposed to treating parts of the body, illnesses, and symptoms in isolation.
8. Massage therapy is one of life's most pleasurable and transformational experiences!

If you can't get massage therapy as often as you would like, self-massage is a fantastic way to reduce anxiety on your own. It's easy and always available to you. If you'd like to learn some simple but surprisingly effective self-massage techniques, breathing exercises, meditations, and gentle stretches, visit my YouTube channel. Follow along with my anxiety-relieving videos, and discover the joy of knowing that you have the power to help yourself.

Managing high levels of anxiety takes persistence and dedication. Schedule time for yourself every day. Practice self-massage, and get massage therapy as often as you can. If you're worried you don't have enough time for self-care, I'm here to tell you that self-care saves time. Taking time to reduce your anxiety will give you the energy, clear-headedness, and motivation you need to maximize your efficiency and productivity. You can accomplish more in less time and, more importantly, feel satisfaction and fulfillment.

With anxiety in check, we can live in the present moment rather than constantly worry about the future. Without anxiety hijacking our brains, we find room to learn new skills, make new memories, show up for the ones we care about, live with purpose, and make the most of our lives. I'd say that's time very well spent.

That's not to mention the time you save down the road. High anxiety is linked to a myriad of diseases and health conditions. Practicing anxiety reduction regularly can mean better health, wellness, and longevity.

Massage therapy is a powerful stress-buster and can be a life-changer for those suffering from anxiety. Take the first step towards happier, healthier living. Make your massage appointment today and look forward to blissful relaxation.

Turn a Bad Day Around In 15 Minutes: Self-Massage to Restart Your Day

Maybe your alarm didn't go off, maybe you woke up on the wrong side of the bed, maybe you had an unwelcome schedule change, maybe you didn't get the news you hoped for, maybe you have a headache, maybe you're out of milk ... Whatever the reason, your day isn't going so well. Perhaps you're tired, frustrated, and wish you could go back to bed.

But what if I told you that you can restart your day? Put away the day thus far, and join me for some wonderful self-massage, acupressure, and stretching to revitalize, renew, relax, and energize yourself, so that you can turn around your mood and make it a great day!

What's new with me ...

I was delighted to attend a weekend massage therapy workshop taught by a brilliant instructor and accompanied by colleagues eager to advance our work with new ideas, approaches, and techniques. I found it to be one of the most inspirational massage continuing education classes I've taken - and I've taken a LOT of classes.

Sienna is full of ideas and always creating videos, books, magazines, stories, plays, presentations, drawings, comics ... Jesse and I can hardly keep up!