Your nerves have been feeling frazzled and everyone’s been getting on your nerves!! How can massage help? The combination of physical touch, muscle and fascia manipulation, and a soothing environment contribute to an overall sense of wellbeing and relaxation. Along with reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol this positively influences various physiological processes that are regulated by the parasympathetic nervous system.
The nervous system controls what your body does such as walking, speaking, breathing, learning and memory. Basic body functions like the beating of your heart, breathing, digestion, sweating and shivering as well as our senses, sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell are all controlled by the nervous system and so are our feelings. It also controls how the body reacts in an emergency.
The brain and spinal cord make the central nervous system CNS and the peripheral nervous system PNS connects the rest of your body to the CNS. The spinal cord carries motor and sensory signals between the brain and nerves. Peripheral nerves carry messages between the brain and other parts of the body. Nerves have different kinds of pathways within them, these are motor pathways which carry messages from the brain to the muscles so you can move and sensory pathways which carry information to the brain. Cells called neurons carrying messages to and from different parts of the body.
A part of the nervous system, called the autonomic nervous system, controls a lot of the body processes we don’t think about, like breathing, sweating or shivering. There are two parts to the autonomic nervous system, these are the sympathetic and parasympathetic.
The sympathetic nervous system regulates involuntary bodily functions, such as heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and digestion and is often associated with the “fight, flight or freeze” response, as it prepares the body for rapid, intense physical activity in response to a perceived threat or stressor. Blood flow is also redirected away from the digestive organs, conserving energy and it stimulates the release of glucose into the bloodstream, providing additional energy.
The parasympathetic nervous system promotes a state of rest, relaxation, and recovery. When activated, it conserves energy and directs resources toward activities that occur during periods of rest, such as digestion and nutrient absorption, as well as slowing down the heart rate, promoting a more relaxed state.
The balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems is crucial for maintaining equilibrium in the body. In situations of stress or danger, the sympathetic nervous system prepares the body for action, while the parasympathetic nervous system helps restore the body to a state of rest and recovery once the threat has passed.
Massage works to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, helping to release tension in muscles, signals are sent to the brain that it is safe to enter a more relaxed state. Endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers are released and mood elevators contributing to a sense of well-being and can counteract the effects of stress on the nervous system. All the treatments I offer will promote a state of deep relaxation and help calm your nerves.
