Ten minutes of massage or rest helps the body fight stress

Short, easy-to-apply relaxation techniques can activate the body’s regenerative system for fighting stress – great news for people whose arthritis symptoms are impacted by stress.

Stress is known to have negative consequences for health and disease. Our bodies have an inbuilt regenerative system, the parasympathetic nervous system, that wards off stress in times of threat. Launching a relaxation response is key to protecting our health and restoring balance in our body.

We know that massage can improve relaxation but until now it has been unclear how it affects the parasympathetic nervous system.

New study

Researchers applied two 10-minute massages on adults in a laboratory setting and report their findings in Scientific Reports. A head-and-neck massage was designed to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system by applying moderate pressure on the vagal nerve, which is the largest nerve running to the parasympathetic nervous system. A neck-and-shoulder massage with soft stroking movements examined if just touch is also relaxing.   

Another group of people sitting quietly at a table was tested for the effect of rest without massage.

Ten minutes of resting or receiving either massage resulted in psychological and physical reduction in stress (as measured by heart rate variability). The physical effect was stronger when participants received either massage.

“We are very encouraged by the findings that short periods of disengagement are enough to relax not just the mind but also the body,” says lead author Dr Maria Meier. “You don’t need a professional treatment in order to relax. Having somebody gently stroke your shoulders, or even just resting your head on the table for ten minutes, is an effective way to boost your body’s physiological engine of relaxation.”

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