Does Massage Have the Power to Improve Decision Making

Everyone has experienced difficulty making decisions at some point in their life, whether these decisions have to do with “small” choices–like what to have for dinner or what movie to watch–or with much bigger choices–like the career path one wants to pursue or the home they want to buy. If this difficulty weren’t torturous enough on its own, some of us are even haunted by perpetual second-guessing once we have made decisions, and we find ourselves lying awake at night wondering if another decision might have been a better one. It’s exhausting.

There are so many choices and options to select from throughout the course of our lives that making decisions is just a part of the deal. Being able to understand our choices and options thoroughly is an important part of making decisions that contribute to our happiness, however, it’s no less true that making decisions can be stressful at times, especially if we are already experiencing any amount of anxiety. We may feel that making a decision is absolutely final in that it cuts off all other options or choices and forces us to deal with whatever consequences there may be. This is understandably difficult to consider and face, and it does nothing to reduce the stress or anxiety of decision making. So what can you do to improve your decision making?

The Benefits of Massage

There are many wonderful benefits of massage therapy, from deep relaxation to detoxification, better blood circulation, and much, much more. One of the lesser known but nonetheless important benefits of massage therapy is its ability to help improve an individual’s decision-making abilities.

Massage therapy requires that the individual remains physically relaxed and still while focusing on their body, which inevitably leads to calmer breathing and a quieter mental state. This meditative-like state allows the individual to focus on important basics, like their ability to understand their physical and emotional needs, without the added “noise” of stress and anxiety. Furthermore, massage therapy stimulates the release of important hormones like serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin, and adrenaline. These hormones not only contribute to the feelings of motivation, well-being, self-confidence, and relaxation, they also work well to combat the feelings of depression or anxiety that cause an individual to feel stuck and unable to weigh different options or choices easily or well. Furthermore, massage therapy works to lower levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine in the individual’s body–two hormones that contribute to intense feelings of anxiety.

An individual in the state of physical and mental relaxation that is introduced through massage therapy often discovers that it is easy to make good decisions–ones they can easily stand by without any regret. This does not mean that one has to think about and make decisions while receiving a massage since the beneficial effects of their massage can continue even after the massage is over. During a massage, the individual should always focus their attention on relaxing their body and their mind, nothing else.

If you find that making decisions always seems to be a bit of a struggle, you may discover that regular massages work wonders to improve your confidence and decision-making abilities–especially if you let your massage therapist know that this is what you need and are hoping for. Some of the greatest benefits of massage are achievable only when you are entirely prepared for the process, and you give your therapist all of the information they need in order to ensure the best results. Understanding some basic massage therapy tips and techniques can shed some additional light on what to expect, and how your massage can be tailored to your own specific needs.

Looking for a relaxing, decision-making enhancing massage in Clearwater? Come visit Botanica Day Spa–we will be very happy to help.

Love,

Gen