Yesterday I went for a massage.
My first in about 3 years!
A one hour long, full body massage.
It was wonderful.
I had knots on top of knots in my shoulders and neck and it was very satisfying having them ironed out by expert hands.
I was able to fully relax both physically and mentally and I felt absolutely on top of the world afterwards, like nothing could ruin my day!
I still feel pretty good 24 hours later.
This feeling reminded me of some of the many amazing relaxation benefits of Baby Massage:
Increased environmental coping mechanisms
Improved sleep patterns
Regulation of behavioural states
Being calm
Improved ability to calm oneself (also known as self-regulation)
Reduction of stress levels and stress hormones
Higher levels of relaxing or anti-stress hormones (such as oxytocin and serotonin)
Lower levels of stress hormones (such as cortisol and norepinephrin)
Higher levels of dopamine, which is a type of neurotransmitter Your body makes it, and your nervous system uses it to send messages between nerve cells.
Less hypersensitivity
Less hyperactivity
Enjoying positive ‘time out’
When we regularly take part in activities that calm and relax us it can have a really positive affect on our overall feeling of well being. This affects our ability to cope with what life throws at us. If we are already stressed or anxious it can just take something really small and seemingly insignificant to tip us over the edge. In contrast, when we are feeling calm, generally we are able to cope much better with challenging moments.
Babies who are massaged regularly tend to cope better in busy or stressful situations, for example large family get-togethers or events where they may be passed around a lot, or busy stimulating classes with lots going on.
Experiencing this kind of deep relaxation and all of its benefits from such a young age emphasises its importance in the foundations of developing brains. At a time when brains are developing at a rate faster than at any other time in life we can lay down the neural pathways that see us into adulthood, paving a way towards good mental health.
I’ve just booked myself another massage!