EVERYBODY DESERVES A MASSAGE WEEK
Everybody Deserves a Massage Week takes place every year in July, usually the second week after the 4th of July. This observance promotes the benefits of massage, while also improving awareness of the profession as a whole.
Throughout the week, participating spas and massage therapists will offer discounts and specials on treatments. Some will create charity events, raising funds for local causes. They will provide educational resources about massage, its advantages, and the types of services offered.
Another boost the week provides is through opportunities for networking with other businesses. When groups of specialists come together for a common cause, they learn from each other, improving their skills. With that growth comes more qualified professionals and more satisfied customers. Wellness professional also join forces to bring a suite of services to the public.
Benefits of a Massage
Getting a massage not only allows time to pamper yourself, but it also has several health benefits. Some of these benefits include:
- Relieves stress – Through massage, your pulse slows, blood pressure lowers, and your muscles relax. There’s also increased production of endorphins, a release of serotonin and dopamine. The first chemical makes us feel good. Serotonin helps us relax and dopamine eases pain. All of these combine to help reduce stress.
- Promotes relaxation – Not only does massage release a cocktail of endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine, but it reduces the stress hormone cortisol. Massage also increases blood flow and oxygen to sore muscles, tight muscles, releasing tension and encouraging healing.
- Improves sleep – Massage not only releases serotonin helping us to calm and pain-relieving dopamine, but it also releases melatonin, too. Melatonin is released by the pituitary gland and is thought to help regulate our sleep cycles. Massage may also help to reset our circadian rhythms. As a result, we may be able to find a more natural sleep cycle when we seek massage therapy.
- Reduces migraine or headache frequency – When we eliminate tension, reduce other areas of pain, find regular sleep cycles, we may lessen the frequency of migraines and other headache pain. Studies have shown that massage does reduce migraine pain. Many of the guidelines for the treatment of migraines encourage a routine sleep and wake cycle, controlling other causes of pain, and reducing stress. Sometimes starting on that path is difficult, especially if pharmaceuticals have been prescribed. They often interfere with sleep, cause anxiety and interrupt the natural balance of our chemistry.
OBSERVING #EverybodyDeservesAMassage
Look for local offers from therapists near you. If you’ve never had a massage, ask questions and ease into it. Massage therapists, consider hosting an event or offering a special. Invite local heroes in for free massages or hold a blood drive. Be sure to share your event or massage by using #EverybodyDeservesAMassage week on social media.
When we say, “Everybody Deserves A Massage,” we mean everybody. So for those who find massage intimidating, check out these 7 Ways to Relax into Massage for Beginners.
EVERYBODY DESERVES A MASSAGE WEEK HISTORY
In 1995, the Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals founded Everybody Deserves a Massage Week to promote the benefits of a massage and to give others the opportunity to experience these benefits.