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Does Massage Therapy Really Help with Depression?

Updated: Sep 27, 2022

Mental health is a topic that can touch on sensitive subjects, such as sadness and depression. The way we feel may change from day to day, sometimes it might just seem like we feel a bit down; at other times our feelings may become more persistent or more severe than normal. This is when depression can set in and going about your normal life and doing day to day chores can be hard and staying in the house feels like your best option.


People who are suffering from depression often talk about their options for treatment, the most popular being psychotherapy. But this approach doesn't work equally well with everyone - so now researchers have started looking into other methods like massage therapy which may help people better handle chronic stressors and therefore prevent future episodes of major depressive disorder (MDD)


Depression is a serious illness that impacts more than 20 million Americans each year, if you think someone might have depression there's guidelines around diagnosing this condition. There are many signs and symptoms to look out for too, including sadness or unhappiness with life as well as anger, irritability, loss of interest in activities once enjoyable, sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, cognitive problems and physical pain such as backache and headaches.


So how does massage work as an anti-depressant?


When you feel stressed, your body releases cortisol. This hormonal response is what causes many people to become moody or irritable after they've been under too much emotional strain for an extended period of time. Luckily there are ways around this problem: one being Massage Therapy. By increasing serotonin levels through touch, massage therapy is a great way to reduce stress and improves the mood of those struggling with depression. It helps reduce the effects of depression by boosting mood, lowering stress levels and decreasing cortisol levels.


Massages stimulate endorphin production and reduce cortisol levels, which would help someone feel less stressed out or anxious about their symptoms of mental illness. Massages also have many other health benefits including lowering blood pressure levels which can help with regulating heart rhythms as well! At Aline Health we offer many different kinds of massage all ranging in the techniques which are used. It is always a good idea to speak with your doctor before considering massage as a treatment for certain conditions.


Massage therapy is a great way to relieve tension in your body that can lead to increased energy as well as preventing anxiety which can be caused from high-stress situations or long periods of time being under physical strain.



Aline Health's Massage Therapy treatments are intended to be relaxing yet effective; offering a wide variety of techniques while using only quality products designed to enhance the treatment process. Aline Health offers a wide range of massage services from our specialist massage therapists. View our massage service page with further details or give us a call today on 480-546-7463 for more information!

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