While massage can be deeply relaxing on a purely physical level, research also indicates that it produces profound neurochemical changes that increase psychological well-being. 

Recent studies concerning massage and mental health have found that massage therapy effectively reduces symptoms associated with:

•  Anorexia nervosa
•  Anxiety
•  Depression
•  Stress
• Other mental health conditions

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How Massage Therapy Can Reduce Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression?

Massage therapy has been proven to reduce trait anxiety and depression, with a course of care providing benefits similar in magnitude to those of psychotherapy. It increases neurotransmitters associated with lowering anxiety and decreases hormones associated with increasing anxiety. It also significantly decreases heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure, while reducing depression in individuals with HIV, lessening anxiety in cancer patients, alleviating anxiety and depression in military veterans, and lowering work-related stress for nurses. By incorporating effective massage therapy clinic management software, massage therapists can streamline patient care, ensuring consistent and targeted treatments for better results.

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Although researchers don't know exactly why massage therapy has such marked benefits for depression, anxiety and other mental disorders, it's believed that it reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the body, lowers blood pressure and heart rate and increases serotonin and oxytocin levels.