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 Managing Your StressAs much as we love the holidays, for many, they are simply a time of STRESS! Learn how stress impacts your body and how massage can help you manage it more effectively. |
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The perfect holiday gift
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A gift certificate from itm.
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itm InTouch
November 2009
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Greetings!
Welcome to itm InTouch, Integrative Therapeutic Massage's inaugural newsletter.
Located in the Old Town neighborhood, near downtown Chicago, itm specializes in Therapeutic Massage and helping clients experience relief from muscular pain and discomfort, whether due to stress, a longer-term chronic pain condition, or the result of a more recent accident or injury. Utilizing a range of muscle therapy techniques, including deep tissue, myofascial and precision neuromuscular therapy, we have the experience and the expertise to not only treat your pain symptoms, but to assess - and in many cases correct - those factors contributing to the problem. We get you back to doing what you love - or need to do - pain-free!
For those seeking holistic wellness or stress relief, we also offer Reiki sessions, as well as our signature Reiki Relaxation Massage, which incorporates Reiki, a form of energy healing. Promoting deep relaxation, this massage is guaranteed to make life's stresses more manageable.
Through itm InTouch, we aim to educate and inform you as to the benefits of massage. In each issue, we will focus on a different health-related condition and how massage can be appropriate for treatment. We'll also provide some suggestions for your own self-care at home.
From time to time, we will highlight massage-related research which you may find of interest, as well as fun exercise and health-related tips which happen to strike our fancy and maybe yours as well!
And not to be missed - each month, we will provide you with a special offer.
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Managing your stress
Believe it or not, you need stress in your life. Research shows again and again that the healthiest and most productive people are not those that avoid stress, but those that learn to manage it. Stress stimulates your physical and mental performance. So rather than trying to eliminate your stress, you want to find ways to keep it at an optimal level so it becomes a positive force in your life.
Warning Signs
"Between 60 and 90 percent of complaints brought to a doctor's office are due to stress." -- Dr. Herbert Benson, Harvard Medical School
There's no way around it - our lives are hectic! Stress begins when demands are placed on you. In your mind you evaluate whether or not those demands are threatening in any way, either physically or psychologically. If your brain decides that there is a possibility of harm, it initiates a stress response, or fight or flight response, because it causes the same bodily changes that were once vital for our survival, allowing us to fight or flee from predators. Unfortunately, in the face of today's stresses such as money worries, relationship problems, and job challenges, fighting or fleeing is rarely useful! If you don't have a physical outlet, the stress, in a sense, builds up in your body.
Your body and mind can't slow down and unwind. Over time, tension turns into chronic headaches, or perhaps neck, shoulder and back pain. You may not be able to sleep well. You never seem to feel rested. You constantly feel tired and have little energy to deal with problems effectively. You may also find that your threshold for handling stress is reduced. It becomes increasingly difficult to cope with even small stresses. Even taking time for recreational activities can seem burdensome.
Massage to the rescue
"Massage, once a luxury for the elite, is now becoming a necessity for people trying to cope with fast-paced lives." -- The New York Times
When you're under severe or chronic stress, massage can be a fast and effective way of breaking the vicious stress cycle. Massage triggers a relaxation response. This response counters the stress response and helps your body restore its balance. As your body begins to relax, your breathing deepens and your heart rate and blood pressure decrease. Muscle tension starts to let go, and painful sensations subside. Your feelings of anxiety also decrease and your mood improves, possibly through the release of hormones called endorphins.
Although the relaxation effects of massage are immediate, the real benefits come when you use massage on a regular basis. Research has demonstrated that as you get more frequent massage, the effects become more pronounced and longer lasting. Repeatedly experiencing the deep relaxation with massage helps you retain the feeling of relaxation throughout your daily activities. Massage also makes you more aware of sensations in your body, allowing you to notice subtle signs of stress and tension. Heed these early warning signs and you can take control of your stress before it takes control of you!
Self-care tip
When you don't have time to see your massage therapist, you can use your breath to help you release tension. When under stress, your breathing typically becomes fast and shallow, and you breathe from your chest instead of taking deep relaxed breaths from your abdomen. This heightens your stress and causes unwanted tension through your neck and shoulders. You can break this pattern by using deep breathing, or diaphragmatic breathing as it is sometimes called. As you do this you will feel the tension releasing from your back, neck, shoulders and chest. When your breathing becomes more relaxed your mind will also begin to relax, and you'll feel less stress and anxiety. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen and follow the instructions that accompany the illustrations. This can be done either sitting or lying. Focus on the sensations you are feeling in your body as you breathe. Repeat this sequence six to eight times. If you start to feel light headed stop immediately. Practice this several times a day. And don't just do this when you're wound up. If you do this exercise when you are relaxed, you'll become much more proficient at slowing yourself down when the pressure's on.
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If you have specific health concerns, consult your medical doctor. The information in this newsletter is educational only and is not intended to replace the advice of your personal health providers.
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Research report
Stress was once vital to our
survival. Today, researchers are finding that this innate response can be more
harmful than the dangers it was meant to protect us from.
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One area of particular interest
has been the effect of stress on immunity. The classic study highlighting this
link was done in 1991 when a researcher showed that people who had high levels
of perceived stress were more likely to develop colds when exposed to a virus.
More recently, that same researcher found that chronic stress at work increased
the chances of catching a cold from three to five times.
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What could be a better antidote
to stress than massage? There is a growing body of evidence that massage not
only decreases stress, but by doing so can bolster immune function in both the
healthy and sick.
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Despite making you more relaxed,
massage will also enhance your mental function. In a relaxed state your brain wave
activity changes and your mind can actually process information more
efficiently. In one study, employees' performance of math tests became faster
and more accurate. With regular massage they were able to do computation tests
in about half the time with about half as many errors.
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Special Offer
Save $100
Purchase a package of 4 massages for yourself to use by
2/28/10
Your special price: $240 (Regular $340)
*Refer your friends & family. For every package they purchase, you receive an additional massage free.
Offer expires 12/31/09
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Although we at itm can't take away your stress, we can help you manage it and make it easier to handle!
In gratitude, wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!
Sincerely,
Mary Peyovich
Massage Therapist, Reiki Practitioner
Integrative Therapeutic Massage
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