There are substantial health benefits to a relaxation massage. Gentle massage stimulates sensory nerve endings in the skin, which transmit messages through the nervous system and cause the brain to release endorphins. These are the body's natural painkillers, feel-good chemicals that create a sense of well-being.
Massage further aids relaxation by stimulating the body's parasympathetic nervous system, sometimes called the "rest and digest system." Blood pressure decreases, heart rate slows, and digestive activity increases. Relaxation massage also increase blood circulation and stimulates the body's lymphatic system, which carries away waste products.
