Does self massage really work?
Short answer – yes!
Dry skin. Scattered mind. Sluggishness. Trouble sleeping. Feeling low?
Try a self massage!
When your skin is stimulated by loving touch or massage, it releases many healing chemicals that enhance immune function, improve circulation, and promote restful sleep.
Self-massage is a popular technique for promoting a sense of wellbeing. My daily self-massage is a time for me to reflect on the day ahead and to get a sense of how my body feels that day.
Here are the top five reasons to practice self-massage:
Rejuvenate your body and mind. When you start your day with a 10-minute self-massage, it will give a chance to reflect on how you want your day to go. A fast, firm massage stroke will energise your mind and body which helps if you’re feeling mentally or physically sluggish. A lightly flowing, smooth self-massage while you focus on your breath will help your mind slow down and your body relax.
Detox your body’s largest organ (your skin). Massaging your body flushes out impurities and toxins through your skin. Elimination of toxins is a key part of feeling energised.
Clear your body’s energetic channels. Self-massage stimulates your energetic channels, promoting the easy flow of prana or chi. Prana or Chi is your body’s natural intelligence and when it flows freely your body’s healing power is activated.
Increases your energy. The detoxifying, energetic, and balancing effects of self massage improve your circulation, sending more oxygen throughout your body which helps to boost your energy and give your skin a healthy glow.
Nurturing yourself. By taking 10 minutes each morning for this practice, you turn off your inner critic, and you turn on your ability to relax into that part of you that is pure being, beauty, and bliss.
Enjoy the healing benefits of touch every day with a self-massage. 10 minutes is great, but if you’re pushed for time anything is better than nothing!
Try this simple massage routine before your shower. If you don’t want oil in your hair, just start with your face and ears.
Begin by pouring a tablespoon of warm oil onto your scalp, vigorously working in the oil. Use small circular strokes to massage your entire scalp, as if you were shampooing your hair.
Now move to your face and ears, massaging more gently. Put a bit more oil in your palms and massage your neck, front, and back, moving out to your shoulders.
Vigorously massage your arms, using a circular motion at the shoulders, and back-and-forth motions on the arms. Then massage your chest, stomach, and lower abdomen using gentle circular motions. Use a straight up-and-down motion over the breastbone. Reach around to your back and spine and massage them as well as you can.
Massage your legs, using circular motions at the ankles and knees, and back-and-forth motions on the long parts. With the remaining oil, thoroughly massage your feet, giving your toes extra attention. Massage your body with love and tenderness—your state of mind is as important as your technique in creating a healing experience for yourself.
Leaving a thin, almost imperceptible layer of oil on the body is extremely beneficial, toning the skin and warming the muscles throughout the day, so use a mild body cleanser that won’t strip the oil from your skin.