Stress Management with Massage Therapy
With countries all over the world on lockdown, a lot of people are spending time in isolation. There has been a significant decrease in the number of face to face interactions along with a growing sense of uncertainty for the future. People worry about the economy, about how it might affect their jobs, education, etc. People who are away from home are constantly worried about their loved ones.
All of these things and more can cause stress to build up unknowingly. It won’t be obvious at first, but when the symptoms start, it can be really difficult to manage. In this article, we’re going to identify the symptoms of stress and the ways we can manage it.
We all know that massages are a great way to deal with stress. Massage treatments like Aromatherapy, Thai massages, foot reflexology all help with stress management. If you’re looking for a massage spa in Dubai, Protone Day Spa is definitely the place for you. But since your favourite massage place is closed for the time being, here are some great ways you can use massage techniques to deal with stress. Before we talk about the massage techniques, let’s learn more about stress, its effects on the human body, and how massages can help.
The first thing you need to control stress is to identify symptoms of it. This can be hard as stress is a day to day occurrence for most of us. It can affect all aspects of life including physical health, emotions, behaviour and more. Here are some of the symptoms of stress:
Emotional: feeling irritated, moody, lonely, overwhelmed etc.
Physical: feeling lethargic, headaches, body aches, upset stomach, etc.
Cognitive: constant worrying, lack of focus, forgetfulness, etc.
Behavioural: fidgeting, nail-biting, avoiding responsibilities, use of drugs and alcohol, etc.
Now whenever stress manifests itself on your body, fret not, massage therapy can help. Gently applying pressure to certain key spots on your body can alleviate symptoms of stress. Let’s take a look at some massage techniques you can practice at home until your favourite massage spa reopens in your city!
Tired Eyes
Designed by katemangostar
Close your eyes and put your thumbs at the inner indentation of your eye sockets where the bridge of your nose meets the ridge of the eyebrows. Apply gentle pressure and move your thumbs in circles, around the eyes ending back at the bridge of your nose. Take your time and repeat this for a while until you feel better. Be careful not to apply too much pressure.
For headaches and tension.
Designed by katemangostar
Place your thumbs at your cheekbones near our ears and use your fingers to gently massage your temples. You can also use your fingers to apply firm pressure along your hairline until they meet at the centre of your forehead.
For your hands.
If you use your hands all day, you must take some time to de-stress them. Here’s a quick and easy massage technique that will work.
Stretch your hands and fingers. Rub your fingers from the base to the tip. Gently pull and twist each finger as you go.
You can also relax your hand, and use the thumb and fingers of your other hand to gently massage the fleshy part of your palm and between your index and thumb. Gentle stretching of your hands can also help alleviate stress symptoms.
Neck
Designed by Jcomp
Place both hands on the back of your neck and interlock your fingers together. Bend your head forward and let the weight of your arms gently push your head further down. This stretches the back of the neck and the muscles on your back.
Back
Designed by yanalyaz
Stand with your back facing a wall, feet shoulder-width apart. Do a half squat with your lower back against the wall. Bend forward and put a tennis ball between the wall and your back. Once the ball is in place, slowly raise yourself and allow the ball to move along your spine and back. Find tense spots on your back, and focus the pressure on them.
Feet
Designed by javi_indy
You can use a tennis ball to massage your feet as well. Stand facing the wall, keep both hands on the wall for support. Step on a tennis ball, one foot at a time. Put weight on that feet and gently allow the ball to roll under your feet.
You can also keep your foot on a chair and use your hands to massage tense spots on your feet. Apply steady pressure from the toes to the ball of the foot.
Another technique you can try involves using your knuckles. Hold your left foot with your left hand and use the knuckles of your right hand to apply firm pressure on the underside of your feet. Work your way from the heel to the toes and back down. Repeat this with the right foot.
Things to keep in mind.
It’s easy to lose yourself in giving yourself a massage that sometimes you might end up doing more harm than good. Always remember that none of the above massage techniques is supposed to cause you any kind of pain, so don’t push yourself too hard!
Always remember that home administered massages will never be as good as one administered by a professional masseur. But they do provide some relief from stress until the lockdown has eased, allowing massage spas near you to open again. And when that happens, come down to your favourite massage spa in Dubai!
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