Massage with Hot Stone: Benefits to Reap
Massage therapies are beneficial in many ways. They can rejuvenate both the body and mind while providing therapeutic benefits. Massage with hot stone is also one of the massage therapies where heated stones are used to massage the body. It relaxes damaged soft tissues as well as tense muscles throughout the whole body. The stones used for the massage are usually basalt which is a volcanic rock. It can retain the heat which helps in the therapy. The stones are heated somewhere between 130 to 145 degrees and may be placed along with feet and toes, palms, face, chest, stomach, and spine. Massage techniques like kneading, tapping, vibration, circular movements, and long strokes are used for hot stone massage. Sometimes cold stones are also used in this massage. These are usually sued after hot stone to soothe the skin and engorged blood vessels.
Better mental health
Massage therapies are not only beneficial for the body but also the mind. These therapies are great stress reliever. A study conducted in 1997 discovered that a 15-minute workplace break with massage is capable of reducing stress better than a break without a massage. Cardiovascular responses like stroke volume were improved with only 10 minutes of massage during a 2001 study. It can even reduce after-surgery effects to some extent.
Promotes good sleep
While sleeping pills are common for patients with insomnia, massage can be a better alternative. A research result proved that massage is capable of promoting better relaxation and sleep. Infants with sleep problems went to sleep faster when they were given a massage of 15 minutes by their parents. Those infants also showed better activeness, alertness as well as positivity on waking up. Through various researches found that massage is capable of promoting better sleep, the reason is not still clearly known.