The Benefits of a Foot Massage and Why You Should Get One

There are various kinds of massages, and then there is foot massage.

Our feet may perhaps be the most underappreciated part of our body. It is our feet that carries the entire weight of our body and takes us to places. All of the pressure of our weight is on our feet, yet we do not give it the credit it deserves.

Let’s be honest, we do not shower our feet with care and pampering as much as we do with the other parts of our body.

There are a lot of ways to take care of our feet–foot scrubs, pedicures, and foot massages, to name a few. While all of these are great measures, a foot massage brings the most benefits among all. A great foot massage is not only beneficial to one’s feet but covers the entire human body. This is proof of the power of massage therapy.

Massage Therapy

Massage therapy does wonders. It improves health and aids in making a person’s general well-being better. It involves manipulating the soft tissues of our body to bring relaxation and calmness.

More and more people are now appreciating massage therapy and the wondrous benefits that come with it.

There are two styles in massage therapy–relaxation style and clinical style. Relaxation style is more simple and uses softer and gentle techniques. The main goal of such style is to relax the body and reduce stress. Do-it-yourself massage falls under relaxation style. The clinical style, on the other hand, is more complex with the goal of having therapeutic results. This makes use of more medical techniques. You need to be an expert or at least knowledgeable to be able to perform the clinical style properly.

Either styles may be used in giving a foot massage. What style you will be having depends on your need and preference. Either way, a foot massage in general will surely bring ease to your body and keep you in a calm and serene state.

Benefits of a Foot Massage

As mentioned earlier, a foot massage brings a lot of benefits that is not limited to the feet alone. This is why getting one on a regular basis is definitely advisable. Not only will you be treating your beautiful feet but you will also be improving your overall health and well-being.

Some of these benefits are of common knowledge and you probably know about them already. Some may surprise you and will make you want to get a foot massage the soonest time possible. Below are some of the many benefits of a foot massage and why you should be getting one.

Helps your body and mind relax

Relaxation may be the most known and popular benefit of a foot massage.

All types of massages, may it be on the neck, shoulder, back, and feet, can bring relaxation to the body. A massage eases your mind and lets your body rest and loosen up. You forget about the outside world and all your worries and problems even for a short while.

This kind of relaxation is good for both your mind and body. It relieves stress and lets your mind rest and be still. It is healthy and advisable to let your brain take a rest. Stressing out your brain too much will, in effect, stress out your body.

Studies show how a foot massage is effective in relieving stress. One study in particular checked how a quick foot massage can help reduce the stress levels of critical care patients who are subjected to great physiological and psychological stress. The patients were given foot massages that lasted five minutes long. As a result of the foot massage, the patients’ heart rate, blood pressure, and respirations decreased.

To put it simply, the quick foot massage was effective in making the patients relax.

Eases anxiety and boosts mood

Anxiety can get the best of us. With high levels of anxiety, we fail to think clearly and act appropriately as planned. It can cloud our judgment or worse, give us mental blackouts.

While there are people who get stress-induced anxiety attacks every now and then, there are also those who suffer from anxiety disorders. In fact, anxiety disorders affect about 40 million adults in the United States according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

A lot of factors may cause anxiety disorders. These include stress, genetics, and personal experiences. The good thing is that anxiety disorders are treatable.

Because a foot massage relaxes your mind, it aids in relieving your anxiety. A more relaxed and at ease mind will result in a better mood.

Improves sleeping patterns

It is hard to get some shut eye when your mind is wandering. Getting a foot massage before tucking into bed will help you sleep better because it relaxes your mind. You forget about the things that stressed you out the entire day. With nothing heavy in mind, you get better sleep.

You can add getting a foot massage to your regular bedtime routine. If done constantly and correctly, this will improve your sleeping pattern.

Effects of better sleep include a better mood and more energy to get through the new day.

Stimulates blood circulation and lowers blood pressure

Because of modern day conveniences, people move less often and rely on technology for daily routines such as getting food and commuting. We also tend to choose style over comfort and use footwear that are too light, too heavy, too flat, or too inclined for our feet.

Our feet may not be getting good blood flow with this. A foot massage stimulates blood circulation, thus, improving oxygenation in the body. This is very helpful especially with the kind of lifestyle that we have today.

On top of that, a foot massage also minimizes high blood pressure. When you are in a relaxed state of mind, your blood pressure drops. Together with a good diet and proper exercise, you can control your blood pressure just by getting a foot massage.

Aids in faster injury recovery

Daily tasks like walking, running, and standing can wear and tear our muscles and joints. Accidents may also cause foot injuries.

Blood circulation stimulated by a foot massage helps heal sore muscles and injuries faster. It prevents injuries and swelling from becoming worse.

This is best paired with stretching and muscle exercises in order for us to get better recovery results.

Final Word

Always remember that a foot massage offers more benefits than just the relaxing feeling. If added to your regular routine, you can greatly improve your health and general well-being.

A foot massage is quite simple and does not require so many resources. You can get a foot massage at a spa. If you are on a budget or don’t have the time, you may have at home massage with the use of a foot massager. You may check out our suggested foot massager machines here.

We should bear in mind that there is always something that we can do to improve ourselves. It is a matter of taking care of oneself.

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