Massage against depression

Or maybe massage for love.

It is Valentine 14 February. A great moment for spreading love. But for some of us it’s very different. We are alone, isolated, maybe in a winter depression. Speciale in countries where there are still not that much hours of light. Sun light feeds us with vitamin D but also with the happy hormones endorphin and dopamine. Endorphin works against stress, pain, makes you feel happy, and calms your nervus system.

Ubuntu means; I am because you are. We are all connected creatures of Love. It’s in our nature to be together. Our hormones and cells react to each other. That’s why with corona lots of people experienced skin hunger. Just by looking at each other we already create oxytocin. Oxytocin is also called the Love hormone. You receive and create it with massage, sex , hugs, laughing together, but also trough things you can do alone. It connects social contact to feelings of joy. Everyone makes oxytocin when thy experience fun with other people.

Physical effects of massage

With massage endorphin and oxytocin flows in your body. It is said that taking a massage (preferably a series) has a long term positive effect on relaxing body, mind, hormone system and sleep. It lowers your muscle and fascia tension, improves blood circulation, is detoxing, and improves the functioning of your immune system. Do you take massages regularly, for example every 2 weeks, then the effect can hold for days or even weeks. Massage stimulates the body’s natural healing ability’s. Every experience leaves an impression. For example you fall down and hid your head, or long term work related stress. That impression is not only saved as a memory, it is also saved in your body. The body sends far more signals to the brain, then the brain does to the body. So to heal and relax it is very important to also work with the body.

Psychological effects of massage

Research shows that massage lowers tension, depression and stress hormones. We cannot separate body and mind. How we feel influences how we think and the same goes the other way around. Sometimes I think that hormones are what connects our body and mind. Through massage you do not only relax your body but also your mind. Getting a massage is a moment you take for yourself. This is a signal to your mind to relax. It is a moment of selfLove. Through massage you can feel safe and cared for. Specially if you experience depressed feelings it is important you trust your massage therapist. It is therefore best to visit the same practitioner for a number of weeks.

What is depression?

Someone who is depressed doesn’t experience joy  (delicious food, beautiful music) as positive anymore. There is no experience of happy feelings or painful feelings, only numbness. This is not only in the mind but in the whole nervous system. No gut feelings, no butterfly’s, or teers of joy.

Through that numbness the symptoms “not wanting to” and “not being able to” can appear. Physical  this can appear through a stiff body, digestion problems, no sexual appetite, poor blud circulation, cramping, cold and much more. Mentally this can appear as feeling empty, estranged from your body, and “I’m not enough”.

How does massage help?

Because we are all connected (we are one) touching the skin helps us heal. Through massage(therapy) you can feel connected to your body and self again. It is about feeling what you feel. With depression to heal you must train "feeling" again, through repetition you can train it like a muscle. Our hormones and cells react to each other. Through massage we create happy hormones and send it to each and every one. That includes the massage therapist. So next to all the amazing benefits of massage is the practitioner sending you health and happy hormones. Of course you can also massage yourself. This will have the same effect, but getting a massage double’s the effect.

Tip: try to massage each other for Valentine. Don’t be afraid of doing it “wrong”. Try and communicate with each other what you like. If you are alone, be your own best Valentine. Massage yourself. For me when I’m doing yin yoga I can feel very good which parts of my body want attention.

The most happy

In all the African languages there is no word for depression. That doesn’t mean they are never unhappy. In the western country’s when we don’t feel good we tend to isolate our self’s. In Afrika they do the opposite. When they don’t feel good it means they are not connected enough with there community. That’s what Ubuntu is. You are because your neighbour is, you are because I am, and I am because you are. Think about it; did you learn to walk on your own, did you learn to ride a bike all by yourself? A great research that followed many people trough there life’s, shows that people who are the most happy are the ones with the deepest connections. It’s about quality not quantity. So a few family members or friends where you can talk to about anything and everything. It doesn’t need to be talking. It’s about sharing. This can also be through physical movement or art. So being able to connect is key. For me this all comes together in massage.

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