By Beau Miakinkoff, LMT, LMP, CA, IAC

Our lives are filled with stress and anxiety. These two stealthy cohorts are so well allied that we rarely even notice them until damage has already occurred. Most of us deny that we have anxiety or even feel stressed. Reality tells a different tale. The epidemic proportions of millions of Americans taking prescription anti-depressant drugs is the defining evidence of a nation in need of relaxation.

There is a myriad variety of massage therapy. I believe all of them are therapeutic and a source of much needed relaxation and healthy well-being maintenance. Massage therapy can be a preventative to stress overload that fuels anxiety which in turn may lead to depression. It is a holistic therapy that encourages the body's natural responses to lower heart rate, reduce blood pressure, improve blood circulation and lymph flow, ease tension in muscles, restore diminished range of motion in joints, and raise the levels of endorphins (the body's natural painkillers). It has a profound effect on the mind as well by soothing nerve receptors.

Relaxation massage is to the human body and mind as a tune-up and oil change is to a motor vehicle. Massage therapy for relaxation enhances medical treatments and helps people feel less stressed and anxious. A body being and feeling calm helps the human brain to return to a more normal functionality allowing healing and self-correcting. Relaxation improves the body's secretions and excretions allowing for increased production of gastric juices, saliva and urine that results in better digestion and intestinal function. Relaxation has beneficial effects on all the internal organs and the immune system as well.

The most common type of relaxation massage is Swedish Relaxation. It is not intended to target the deeper muscles and is designed to gently or firmly manipulate soft tissues to encourage a sense of calmness, a release of tension and stress from the body, and to promote a sense of restfulness and a feeling of rejuvenation. A Swedish relaxation massage may be enhanced with a variety of methods. I like to add aromatherapy (essential oils or incense) and use hot stone therapy accompanied with pleasantly soothing music. I use hot stone therapy with pretty much all of my massages. The hot stones promote deeper muscle relaxation. My clients love the luxurious warmth as well as how it seemingly melts away all traces of tension, aggravation and stress. I have full descriptions of all my massage therapies on my website: http://portland-massage-therapy.net/ .

There are many things a person can do to assist with experiencing the total relaxation effects of a massage therapy session:

• Don't eat a big meal right before your appointment. Something along the lines of a light snack and a glass of water is best.       Hydrating your body helps with removing and eliminating the toxins within.
• Be on time. Arriving a few minutes early is ideal. It gives you a bit of time to sit quietly and compose yourself prior to your session. There is nothing more defeating than to arrive in a rush or late.
• Breathe deeply during your massage session.       It helps to expel anxiety and stress.
• If you find your thoughts are racing during your session, quiet your mind by concentrating on the massage strokes.       Become "body centered" by following the massage therapist's hands on your body and focusing on how the touch feels to you.
• Do not get up from the massage table too quickly.       A relaxation massage can leave you feeling light-headed and perhaps a bit dizzy. This is common. Allow for some open, quiet time after your massage session. Sometimes a little time to integrate or absorb the results of being relaxed requires some "re-entry" time.
• Drink a little more water after your massage session. It is important to keep your body hydrated.

Massage therapy of any kind has its greatest benefits over time. The therapeutic effects are cumulative, meaning the more often you receive them, the better you will feel and the more quickly your body and mind will respond.