Life can be busy and stressful. Between work, family, and everyday responsibilities, it’s easy to put your own wellbeing at the bottom of the list. This is something we often see at our clinic here in Christchurch. Many of us only realise how much stress we’re carrying when our body starts to let us know.
Stress is a normal response to challenging situations. In the short term, it helps us respond to demanding situations. However, when stress carries over into the long term, it affects the mind and the body. You don’t always have to feel stressed to experience its physical effects. Massage can be an effective way to mitigate the effects of stress and help our bodies recover from daily life.
How Can Stress Affect Your Body?
Ongoing stress can influence many systems throughout the body, including the nervous, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, digestive, endocrine, and immune systems. Everyone experiences stress differently, but common symptoms may include:
Physical symptoms
• Tight or tense muscles, particularly in the neck, shoulders, or jaw
• Headaches or tension headaches
• Neck, shoulder, or back discomfort
• Feeling more sensitive to aches and pains
• Fatigue or low energy
• Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking feeling unrefreshed
• Teeth grinding or jaw clenching
• A racing heart or palpitations
• Digestive changes, such as an upset stomach, bloating, or changes in bowel habits
Emotional and mental symptoms
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Anxiety or excessive worrying
• Irritability or frustration
• Feeling restless or finding it difficult to relax
• Low mood
• Difficulty concentrating or feeling mentally “foggy”
• Reduced motivation
Not everyone experiences the same symptoms, and they don’t always occur together. If you’ve noticed some of these symptoms, stress may be one factor contributing to how you’re feeling.
Stress and anxiety can also influence how we experience pain. When the nervous system is under ongoing stress, we may become more sensitive to aches and discomfort, meaning that everyday muscle tension can feel more noticeable or intense. Many of these physical symptoms, particularly muscle tension in the neck, shoulders, and jaw, are areas that respond well to massage therapy.
How Can Massage Help with Stress?
Many people delay taking time for themselves because they feel too busy or believe they should simply “push through” their discomfort. But when we’re busy or under ongoing stress, it’s common for the body to respond with muscle tension, fatigue, poor sleep, and increased sensitivity to aches and pains.
This is where massage comes in. Many people find that massage helps ease muscle tension, reduce everyday aches and stiffness, and promote a sense of relaxation and wellbeing. For some, it also becomes a regular opportunity to step away from the demands of daily life and reconnect with their body.
Massage treatments such as deep tissue, hot stone, relaxation, and restorative facial (buccal) may help to relieve the stress of everyday life and give your body the time to recharge and recover that it needs.
Taking time to pause is part of looking after yourself. It isn’t a luxury; it’s part of maintaining your overall wellbeing. Our Christchurch team is here to help when you’re ready to book.