Massage is one of the most famous methods for healing and relaxing the body. The word comes from the Arabic word “massa” meaning touch. It plays a major role when it comes to our health. For thousands of years around the world, especially in India, mothers have massaged their children with different oils as they grew and progressed faster. In ancient Greece and Rome, it was used after battles, various physical activities or sports, for quick recovery, healing of wounds or other ailments.
Regardless of the technique, massage is a stretching, pressing, pulling out of muscle and connective tissue with varying intensity and duration. Most often it is performed with hands and fingers but various aids such as stones, warm towels and other devices are also used.
Today, if you want a massage, you can choose from over 70 types of massages. They all aim to eliminate tension, pain, stiffness, increase endurance of the body, improve circulation and eliminate stress.
What are the health benefits of massages?
The health benefits are well-known for a long time, but in the modern world, commercial spa centers provide excellent conditions for relaxing your body. In addition to relaxing the whole body, massages also improve mental health.
Massage has a positive effect on our health, mood and mobility of the body, especially if it is daily exercised. You can massage yourself as well, as you do not have to massage the whole body but individual parts of the body (back, arms, feet, head, face). Whole-body massage is liberating. Afterwards, you feel stress-free, without stress or worry, with reduced pain if you have had it. It is important to choose a massage that suits you.
Application of essential oils for massage
Vegetable and essential oils are used for massages. Their scents further relax the body but they also have a stimulating effect on certain organs, depending on what we need at that moment. Essential oils are always diluted in base oils. The composition of massage oil depends on your needs or problems you have. Note that these are high-quality oils, whether base oils or essential oils. Their quality affects how your body will react and whether the problem will be completely eliminated. It would be best to take organic, unrefined vegetable oils as well as high-quality essential oils with the necessary evidence that this is a quality product.
We need different oils for different purposes. Sometimes you will need to relax, sometimes you will have a spasm in your body and sometimes you will need to get extra energy. An experienced masseuse must listen to you and your body and apply the oil that is best for the current situation.
Essential oils also exude their scent on emotions and spirit. Specific aroma massage movements have positive effects on stimulating blood and lymph circulation, thus eliminate accumulated toxins and relax muscles and connective tissue.
With the synergy of pleasant ambience, music, silence, the therapeutic effect of human touch and the therapist’s empathy and the ability to listen to the client before and after treatment, the client will relax and feel relieved and physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually restored.
The benefits of aromatherapy massages:
- improve blood circulation and stimulate lymph, thus helping to remove harmful substances from tissues
- improve digestion, prevent constipation
- they can prevent and eliminate headaches
- enable deep sleep and prevent insomnia
- lower high blood pressure
- provide deeper breathing and relieve respiratory problems (deep breathing creates a sense of relaxation reducing stress)
- trigger encephalin and endorphin that are responsible for mood swings and have the ability to relieve pain and improve mood
- feelings of pleasure strengthen the immune system, and thus our defense against disease
- provide deep relaxation that helps eliminate mental and physical fatigue
- free us from chronic tension in the shoulders, neck and back
- help to eliminate headaches caused by diseases of the stomach, gallbladder, liver and PMS
- deep relaxation of the organism at the physical, emotional and mental levels.
The most commonly used essential oils for massage are:
Neroli – a natural aphrodisiac, acts soothing, sedative, nourishes the skin;
Ylang-ylang – a soothing effect, a strong aphrodisiac, nourishes dry skin;
Lavender – soothes the body, against stress and insomnia, care for all skin types;
Rosemary – soothes rheumatic pains;
Sage – eliminates nervousness, depression, stress, insomnia, increases libido;
Peppermint – cools the skin, relieves cramps and pain;
Black pepper – improves circulation, reduces cramps and fatigue after training, has a strong analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect;
Cinnamon – antiseptic, relieves pain;
Apricot – skin problems, anti-inflammatory.
Caution!
Essential oils have a wide range of positive effects, however, because of the toxicity of certain organic compounds, they should be used under the supervision or recommendation of a trained person.
