08 Nov How can massage therapy help you to feel better during winter?
As winter approaches and the weather turns colder, we tend to feel less healthy and energetic compared with how we feel during the summer months.
Shorter, darker days, dropping temperatures and the build-up to Christmas can all leave us feeling depleted and less than our best.
Winter in many cultures is a restorative season – so it’s important to schedule in regular self-care and treatments which can help you to recover and rejuvenate despite the changing season. Massage is a wonderful all-rounder – offering versatile benefits which help you to transition through seasons and thrive throughout winter, addressing many common complaints and health issues we experience as the colder months approach.
Benefits of massage therapy during winter
Elevate mood
Colder weather and dropping sunlight levels can both affect our mood, due to changes in the hormones naturally produced by the brain. Many people in the UK suffer with SAD (short for Seasonal Affective Disorder), which can result in lower mood, higher anxiety and disrupted sleep. Regular massage therapy has been shown to help increase energy and boost mood through increasing serotonin and oxytocin levels, helping to soothe symptoms of SAD.
Boost immunity
As winter approaches many people quickly find themselves struck down by cold and flu viruses – or bugs which begin to circulate as the seasons change. Massage is an easy and enjoyable way to give your immune system a helping hand – as it stimulates the flow of lymph fluid through the body, helping to detoxify and cleanse whilst elevating the number of white blood cells and lymphocytes which fight infection. The lymphatic system is a vital but often overlooked component within the immune system and with regular massage we can keep it in optimal condition to help keep winter bugs at bay.
Support your skin
During winter we tend to notice that our skin can become dry, sore and cracked. As we spend more time indoors the cycle of cold weather and dry central heating can even trigger flare-ups of skin conditions, such as eczema and allergies. Massage therapy supports skin health in a number of ways – firstly through improving circulation (blood flow) to the skin to keep it well-nourished whilst boosting collagen and elastin. The application of natural oils, balms and butters which are applied generously during a massage also help to keep the skin supple and hydrated – keeping dryness away for longer.
Relax deeply
Winter (in particular the build-up to Christmas) can cause us to feel even more stressed than usual. Hectic work and social schedules can also feel more overwhelming in winter when we have less daylight hours available to us. Massage is a wonderful way to relax deeply and fully to help bring more balance to our chaotic modern lifestyles. Soothing music, aromatic oils and sweeping strokes all help to relax body and mind and ensure that you feel more balanced and calmer despite any festive commitments and the winter blues.
Warm up
When it’s cold outside, we tend to feel it on the inside. Do you ever feel as though you can’t get fully warmed up – or struggle with cold hands and feet throughout the day and night? Massage feels like a big warm hug during the winter as it helps to boost circulation for enhanced blood flow which keeps the body feeling toasty for longer, even when the temperatures continue to drop.
Soothe aches and pains
People often report feeling more aches and pains during the winter – whether it’s creaking joints or sore muscles. Cold weather can also affect our musculoskeletal system – the bones, muscles and connective tissues. This is where the circulation-boosting properties of massage come into play yet again, helping to transport oxygen and nutrients throughout the body to soothe winter-related aches and pains.