Or at least that’s what a recent study in the December issue of Integrative Medicine, A Clinician’s Journal suggests. Turns out trips to the spa can significantly enhance your physical and mental health. In fact, study participants who spent a week meditating, taking yoga classes, and partaking in a stress management program at We Care Spa, a health and wellness refuge in Desert Hot Springs, California, experienced an average weight loss of 6.8 pounds, a 7.7% decrease in diastolic blood pressure, and a 5.2% decline in cholesterol levels. The finding comes on the heels of an earlier study from Emory University, which found that indulging in massage therapy once or twice a week can lower levels of stress hormones, including cortisol. Massage can also increase white blood cell counts, which play a key role in fending off illness and infection, and can improve sleep quality, reduce migraines, and curb lower back pain. More from Prevention: 20 Mind-Body Solutions That Actually Work “Anyone who enjoys massage should consider indulging regularly,” says Mark Hyman Rapaport, MD, chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine. “Of course, a single session will do great things for the body, but regular sessions seem to be even more profound.” If a weekly spa fix isn’t exactly affordable, consider going to school: Most massage therapy schools require students to fulfill a certain number of hands-on hours, which typically means discounted rates for willing clients, so check local institutions for availability and prices (the Natural Healers database of schools can help find spots in your area). Or, you can opt for a self-massage, which is a quick alternative that still relieves stress and enhances your health, says Maureen Moon, a massage therapist and former president of the American Massage Therapy Association. Follow her tips for the best do-it-yourself rubdown: Focus on your face. Relieve tension and muscle strain caused by stress, fatigue, or staring at a computer screen by working on your face, says Moon. Firmly run your fingers up and down your forehead and then along each eyebrow before applying gentle pressure to eyelids and around the temples. Oil your feet. Using peppermint or eucalyptus oils, briskly rub the tops of your bare feet several times. From there, rub and rotate each toe and use fingers to firmly draw diagonal lines along the soles of each foot. Give yourself a hand. Aside from being easy to do on-the-go, a hand massage also relieves tension throughout the body. Tug and rotate each finger, says Moon, and then use fingers or knuckles to draw circles on the inside of your hand. Questions? Comments? Contact Prevention’s News Team!
