Let’s start with this question: What reason could you possibly have not to get a massage? Because there aren’t many when you consider the health benefits. It could be that massages make you feel guilty. They can be expensive. They’re a time-drain. They’re a luxury that’s hard to justify when you’ve got deadlines, meetings, people to pick up and drop off, and a to-do list that never gets shorter, only longer. All that can be true, and yet, are massages more than just an indulgence?

A Treat … And A Treatment

Massages are, in fact, good for you. Sure, they make you feel like you’re going to float out the door with a gigantic smile on your face when it’s over, but massages are not just a feel-good treatment: They nurture health and well-being in a way that humankind has known about for thousands of years. “Therapeutic massage began approximately 4,500 years ago,” says Brian Goodwin, International Trainer for Eminence Organic Skin Care. “And it has expanded into the discovery of facial lifting massage, lymphatic drainage, reflexology, Swedish-style and other techniques.”

5 Health Benefits Of Massage

So, how does massage make us healthier, both physically and mentally? Let us count the ways:

1. It boosts your immune system. Like exposure to nature, massage treatment is another surprising activity that may increase your built-in immunity. According to a study conducted at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, massage provokes a measurable increase in the body’s immune response by boosting its white blood cell count. The end result: Our immune system is stronger and you’re more effective at fighting off disease and illness.

2. It seems to reduce inflammation and help you heal. After all, chronic inflammation is the root of many of our health issues - from sore muscles to serious conditions, like arthritis and muscular dystrophy. Massage appears to reduce the production of cytokines which hold the key to inflammation. “The bottom line is that there appears to be a suppression of pathways in inflammation and an increase in mitochondrial biogenesis,” Dr. Mark A. Tarnopolsky tells The New York Times.

3. It alleviates anxiety. Studies have shown that massage treatment can reduce the stress hormone, cortisol, and increase dopamine and serotonin which are the feel-good neurotransmitters in our bodies. Boldijarre Koronczay, president of Eminence Organic Skin Care explains, “Our goal while performing massage is to release tension throughout the body.”

4. It helps you sleep better and makes you feel generally more alert. According to The National Institute of Health, a simple massage is all you need to increase the serotonin levels that help you drift off to dreamland. By triggering this key neurotransmitter (also known as “the happy chemical” massage improves your sleep and alleviates depression as well as your all-round well-being).

5. And lastly, it has beauty benefits for the skin too! The friction alone from massage aids in removing dead skin cells and replacing them with vibrant new ones for a fresh, radiant complexion. Massage reinforces the hydrating action of creams, which is so essential in winter. It helps drain toxins from your lymphatic system and loosens up muscles and soft tissue, encouraging blood to flow more easily to the skin, nourishing and rejuvenating it, and kickstarting your blood circulation for a healthy glow.