If you’ve ever gotten a massage before, chances are you already know how beneficial it can be for your health and well-being. Did you know that there’s a way to enhance the experience even further? Next time, try an aromatherapy massage!
An aromatherapy massage is your regular massage – with the added benefit of essential oils!
Whether diffused in the air or applied to your skin, high-quality essential oils are said to have many benefits, depending on the oil used.
At Abundant Health, we use Young Living Essential Oils. These high-quality products are made from top-grade sources from a company committed to sustainable, eco-friendly sourcing. We want to give everyone who walks through our door the best possible experience, and offering the highest quality essential oils available is a part of that!
What are essential oils?
Most likely, you’ve heard of essential oils and may have even used some in your home or workplace. Whether or not you use them on a regular basis, you might not know exactly what they are or where they come from. Essential oils are extracted from a variety of plants, herbs, and trees. Through the process of steam distillation or cold pressing, these extracts become highly concentrated. This makes these oils much more potent than the plants they come from. Because of this, even a few drops are thought to have powerful health and wellness benefits.
How does adding aromatherapy help during a massage?
When used correctly, essential oils have a myriad of benefits. Aromatherapy works by triggering smell receptors in the nose to send messages through the nervous system to the limbic system.
Since the limbic system controls emotions, certain smells are often able to promote certain emotional and even physical responses. Each oil or smell stimulates a different reaction, so working with a trained specialist can help you get the outcome you want!
Some positive reactions to essential oils include:
- Mood boosts
- Reduced stress
- Increased Attentiveness
- Improved sleep
- Reduced anxiety
- Reduced nausea
- Headache relief
Why choose an aromatherapy massage over a massage without essential oils?
When combined with massage, the benefits of both massage and aromatherapy are enhanced! Aromatherapy massages have been shown to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, increase relaxation, decrease muscle tension, and provide pain relief. This includes pain from the various following conditions:
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic lower back pain
- Myofascial pain syndrome
- Arthritis
- Insomnia
- Temporomandibular joint dysfunction
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Polymyalgia rheumatica
- Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
- Premenstrual syndrome
- Rheumatoid arthritis
Adding a massage to your self-care routine is shown to decrease stress and improve overall health. Add aromatherapy to that, and you take it to the next level! Whether the essential oils are diffused during the session or used with the massage oil directly on your body, or both, we know that adding aromatherapy can greatly enhance the experience of any massage.
The exact benefits of an aromatherapy massage depend on which essential oil you choose. Some are better for relaxation, while others are used to revitalize or relieve pain. Working with your massage therapist to find out what you need is the best way to know which oils to use, and all the benefits you will receive! Add aromatherapy to your next massage: you’ll be glad you did!