We all felt anxious, stressed, and overwhelmed during the pandemic. That’s why it’s no surprise that there has been a heightened focus on health and well being since then. As a result, products and services like essential oils and massages have grown in popularity over the last few years because they offer a holistic approach to physical and mental wellness.

An aromatherapy massage, a type of massage that incorporates essential oils, is one of the most sought after ways to relax today. Let’s find out the top benefits of aromatherapy massage, and the power it holds to make you healthier and happier.

Photo Credit: www.secretoasisspa.co.uk

Eases Anxiety and Stress

Getting a massage is one of the best ways to improve your mood and reduce feelings of anxiety and stress. Using essential oils in your massage can do wonders for your mind and body. Their scents alone provide a calming effect and their therapeutic properties penetrate the skin, removing tension from the body, therefore easing anxiety and stress.  

When combined with the power of touch, our bodies will release the love hormones called oxytocin and the happy hormone endorphins, which are natural painkillers and mood boosters. This also lowers the levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which can help you return to a state of calm. Essential oils that are popular for promoting relaxation include lavender, chamomile, and bergamot.

Relieves Muscle Pain and Tension

Massage techniques and the gentle manipulation of muscles work out knots and help release built up tension from the muscles. When combined with the aromatic benefits of oils such as lavender, peppermint, or eucalyptus, aromatherapy massage can provide targeted relief to areas of discomfort. When oils are used in a massage, they have the potential to penetrate through the skin and receive the therapeutic benefits of the oils.

In terms of pain relief, certain essential oils have been proven to be effective pain relievers. Lavender, for example, has shown anti-inflammatory and pain relief properties comparable with tramadol.

Promotes Quality Sleep

NHS says that anxiety, stress, and depression are among the most common causes of insomnia, and as mentioned, an aromatherapy massage can help ease these symptoms. The calming scents of essential oils can induce a state of deep relaxation for the mind and the gentle massage techniques can promote muscle relaxation, easing any physical tension that may interfere with sleep. In turn, you will feel less anxious and stressed, and your body will be more ready for rest.

If these negative feelings are reduced, it will be easier to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night. If you’re suffering from insomnia, you can begin by getting a regular massage from a trusted massage spa and see if it improves your sleeping routine.

Boosts Immune System

Each essential oil provides the body with some health benefits. Eucalyptus, lavender, and tea tree, for example, have powerful antimicrobial properties that can help boost the body’s defense mechanisms against pathogens that cause illnesses. 

According to the Southern California Health Institute, regular aromatherapy massage has also shown to help increase the body’s white blood cell count. White blood cells play an important role in fighting diseases and infections. As a result, not only will getting an aromatherapy massage help relax the mind and the body, but it also helps strengthen the immune system.

Improves Digestion

A healthy digestion is essential for our overall health and well-being because it directly impacts our energy levels, our immune function, how we absorb nutrients from the food we eat, and how we eliminate waste. If these functions are optimal, we will become resilient against illnesses.

Holistic medicine experts believe that an aromatherapy massage is an effective digestion aid. When it comes to smelling essential oils, Karina Stewart, the co-founder of Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa and a Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor, says “When we sniff a food-related essential oil, molecules emitting from it travel through the air and enter the nose. Our sensory receptors then signal the brain that food is on the way, and the brain reacts by alerting the digestive juices to be released in preparation for the incoming food.” As a result, the quality of our digestion will be improved.

Conclusion

Getting an aromatherapy massage is more than just a relaxing activity that you can do when you’re feeling stressed or tense. The combination of aromatic essential oils and gentle massage techniques can do wonders for both the mind and body, including easing negative emotions, relieving muscle pain and tension, promoting quality sleep, boosting immune system, and improving digestion.