Why Does Massage Feel So Good?
Massage feels good because our brain tells us it feels good. Yes, there is physical release of tension and muscular relief making you feel good, but it’s only a small part of the story.
A large part of what we call the “Halo Effect” of Massage comes from what the brain does when there’s human-to-human contact.
Precisely what chemicals make us feel good has only relatively recently become fully known.
The top 4 chemicals released when receiving a massage are:
Serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) – promotes feelings of well-being and happiness
Dopamine or 3,4-dihydroxyphenethylamine – plays a major role in reward-motivated behavior. Most types of reward increase the level of dopamine in the brain especially massage.
Endorphins come in several types all released during massage, the principal function of endorphins is to inhibit the transmission of pain signals; they may also produce a feeling of euphoria very similar to that produced by opioids like morphine.
Oxytocin is one of our favourite chemicals. We’ve discussed it here and here. Oxytocin is considered by many as the love drug. It’s stimulated and released with pleasure. Touching in general will cause it to be released (ie a hug), but most people experience its effects within intimate moments between lovers.
These “feel-good” chemicals release in the brain with human-to-human contact. They account for more of the “Halo Effect” than the physical manipulation of muscles and subsequent tension release. Fortunately when you get massages you get both the brain-chemical and physical benefits in one service.
Getting these feel-good chemicals at work can be done by getting all your staff to hug each other…but that may not be appropriate. Massage is.
Give us a call to book massage in your workplace. 1300 662 022.