Does Massage Help Extend Healthspan?

For too long, massage has been dismissed as a luxury. But I see it as a powerful, non-pharmacological tool that affects far more than just muscle soreness.

Recent research suggests its impact is holistic, integrating physical, emotional, and neurological effects. It helps re-establish the connection to the body and is being used increasingly in hospital care for long-term pain reduction and improved sleep.

How massage can help extend healthspan:

• Reduces stress: Massage activates the parasympathetic nervous system (the "rest and digest" functions of the body) that promotes a state of calm and helps your body relax and recover from stressful situations. Chronic stress can shorten telomeres, the protective caps on our chromosomes that can speed up biological aging, and massage may help counteract this effect.

• Supports cellular health: Some research suggests that massage may help keep telomeres longer. Telomeres shorten as we age, and stress can accelerate this process. Massage, by reducing stress, might help preserve telomere length and keep cells healthier.

• Promotes a stronger immune system: Applying light pressure to your skin can increase circulation in your lymphatic system (your body's natural toxin removal and immune system network). Through effects on your immune system, massage could contribute to reducing inflammation in your body and allow you to recover quicker from infection.

• Improves heart health: By promoting relaxation, massage can lower blood pressure and improve blood circulation throughout the body, which is crucial for overall health and disease prevention.

• Boosts sleep quality: Massage can help reduce stress and promote relaxation, making it easier to fall asleep naturally and experience a deeper, more restorative sleep.

• Enhances physical function and quality of life: Massage can help alleviate muscle tension and joint pain, which can improve stability, endurance, strength, and mobility. Massage therapy may help restore some physical functions lost due to illness, stiffness, or injury, which fosters greater independence and allows people, especially seniors, to stay active and socially engaged.

• Supports mental health: Research indicates that massage can significantly reduce anxiety in the short term and may have a positive impact on overall mental health.

Massage is one intervention where the answer to "Does it work?" may rely on both the science and the wisdom of the body. When incorporated into a comprehensive wellness plan that includes other healthy habits like stretching, exercise, meditation, and a good diet, massage can be a proactive tool for extending healthspan, though more research is needed to confirm a direct causal link.