By in Sports Massage

The Link Between Mind & Body: What Scientists are Saying

In my previous blog post, I explained more about my intuitive approach to massage therapy, bringing harmony between mind and body.

This week I read some very interesting research from the University of Pittsburgh, which concluded that the mind and body link exists not just through intuition, but also in science.

The research, published in ‘The Science Explorer’, details the discovery of neural pathways within the brain. These separate pathways are responsible for processing sensory information, and also for releasing adrenaline and hormones into the body to help us cope with stress.

No doubt we’ve all experienced that famous “fight or flight” response when we’ve been confronted with a stressful situation! The symptoms of this response often include a fast-beating heart, dilated pupils and sweating – all of which help your body prepare itself for action.

We evolved as humans to pay attention to stress responses such as these because they helped keep us safe in times when we hunted for food and danger was literally all around us. These days, however, with the advent of crowded public transport, a bellowing boss, and rowdy children, we can experience stress responses several times a day.

In addition, the mental, emotional and physical sensations that arise when under stress are often felt even when we’re just thinking about, or imagining, a stressful event. Life can be so unfair sometimes!

Beat the effects of stress with the combined powers of mind and body

Luckily, in these modern times, we have options when it comes to responding to, and beating, stress – meaning that we do have some control. For example, you might decide to ignore an insult rather than answer back, or perhaps take a later, less crowded, train to work.

This control extends to how we can link our body with our minds in order to combat stressful situations. Scientific research has discovered that the areas of the brain that are involved with the body’s movement and posture can affect our mood, and therefore our response to stress, meaning the mind and body link genuinely exists and has genuine potential to achieve balance in our lives.

These findings have shown that even a simple posture change, such as sitting up straight, can help manage negative emotions. Dancing, meditation, and yoga can also be powerful stress-beaters.

Massage your way to a more balanced life!

Of course, an intuitive sports massage that balances both mind and body can act as a powerful stress-beater, leaving you feeling refreshed, revitalised and ready to engage with the world again. With all these scientific findings proving that you’re doing yourself some good through harmonising your body and mind, there surely isn’t any better excuse to arrange an appointment!

Simply get in contact with me at The Body Matters.

Louise
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