5 Instant Health Benefits of Using a Massage Chair

If we’re being honest, most of us would have to say that we pile on the stress in our daily lives and we don’t take particularly good care of ourselves, health-wise. We really have no one to blame but the person in the mirror, either. Certainly we participate in a society that is driven, for success, money, and perceived hallmarks of these two things. But the truth is that each and every one of us decides to take a job that requires long hours and a sedentary lifestyle, or worse, back-breaking labor. And whether we’re ratcheting up the stress and destroying our bodies slowly or quickly, most of us wake up one day, depressed and achy, wondering how it all came about. Luckily, it’s not too late to turn things around for yourself. Diet and exercise can help, as can medical options, but you might want to think about what the addition of a simple piece of furniture to your decor might accomplish. In case you didn’t know, a massage chair can offer all kinds of benefits for the modern, harried adult.

1. Reduce aches and pains. One of the best reasons to get a massage chair is to deal with aches and pains that are common to modern men and women. In fact, back pain is one of the most widespread complaints amongst adults, and when you consider that most of us sit or stand in one place for 8+ hours a day, it’s not hard to see why. But when you come home to daily treatments of Shiatsu and Swedish massage techniques, you’ll quickly see a reduction in the back pain that’s been plaguing you for months or years.
2. Increase circulation. You may already know that massage increases circulation, and a massage chair has the potential to offer this same benefit. When your muscles relax and warm up, they begin to loosen, allowing for a greater supply of blood to reach them and flow through to other parts of the body. This increases the amount of oxygen that reaches your cells, improving your body’s ability to heal, which is why massage may also reduce swelling in some areas. In addition, massage can stimulate your lymphatic system, possibly helping to flush toxins. In short, massage chairs can help to improve your health all around.
3. Adjust your spine. When you relax and let the massage chair do its work, you might start to notice creaking and cracking up and down your spine, as if you were being adjusted by a chiropractor. This is because the tension in your back muscles can cause your spine to get out of alignment, as can your general posture (like slumping over a keyboard). When you lay back and allow the massager to roll up and down your spine, you’ll naturally start to move back towards a state of alignment (although it should be noted that massage chairs are not specifically designed for this purpose, nor do they purport to replace the efforts of a professional chiropractor).
4. Boost your mood. High stress and an achy body can lead to mood problems such as depression and anxiety. But studies have shown that massage therapy has the ability to lower cortisol levels and increase the neurotransmitters responsible for relieving feelings of depression. This is probably one reason why most people feel rejuvenated following massage treatments. And having the option available in the comfort of your own home could be a serious mood booster.
5. Reduce stress. One of the very best reasons to use a massage chair is to reduce stress. It turns out that stress is responsible for (or at least plays a role in) all kinds of ailments, from headaches and nausea, to insomnia, to reduced immune response, and more. But with a massage chair at your disposal you can achieve a state of relaxation that will help you to release tension and sleep better at night, boosting your immune system and protecting you from illness. So check out the wares at Brookstone or The Unwind Company if you want a product that will deliver these many health benefits in the comfort and convenience of home. It might be the best money you ever spent.