When you get a massage, your body releases endorphins, serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin. These are the chemicals of happiness that are often associated with a “runner's high” and can help you relax both physically and mentally. A good massage can help reduce stress and tension, increase alertness, and improve circulation. It can also help eliminate lactic acid, metabolic by-products, and waste that build up over time.
Massage therapy treatments can also help reduce cortisol, the stress hormone, and stimulate the release of endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine. Techniques such as kneading, twisting, and myofascial release are used to increase these positive hormones. Massages can be performed on specific areas of the body to release tension and reduce swelling and tension. The main way manual massage therapy helps “release toxins” is by improving circulation, which in turn helps organs perform their natural detoxifying functions.
