The power of human touch can be traced back throughout human history. The Greek god of healing, Asclepius, used touch to heal people and healing massage has been used in India, China and Southeast Asia since the third millennium BCE. But in today’s busy, individualistic world, it seems the value of touch has been forgotten and neglected in favour of other senses, like taste and sight.
With loneliness and isolation becoming a global pandemic, many people are literally never touched by another human. Touch is known to boost our immune system, lower blood pressure, lift mood and soothe stress and anxiety by reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Massage is such an effect way to address this human need for touch. Functional brain imaging studies show that during a massage, changes take place in many areas of the brain involved in regulating emotions and stress response, including the amygdala and the hypothalamus.
With so many people suffering from anxiety and stress, a regular massage is a great thing to incorporate into your self-care routine. If you can afford a professional massage therapist then book yourself in (it’s so worth it). If not, simply ask your partner or a friend to do you a simple hand or scalp massage.
For an at home scalp massage, simply follow the steps below:
- Sit down in a comfortable chair or lie down on a bed/sofa. If using oil, make sure to put a towel around your neck and on the chair/bed to catch any drips.
- Begin by applying light to medium pressure on the head with your fingertips in circular motions. If you’re using oils, dip your fingertips in the oil, then proceed with the massage.
- Move around the scalp in small circular motions.
- Use your thumb to apply pressure from the hair line to the back of the head, simply pressing down with your thumb as you work your way backwards.
- Gently pull sections of the hair around the hairline – use whatever pressure the person is comfortable with.
- Use your entire palm to smooth your hands backwards from the hairline towards the back of the head, using a mixture of firm and light strokes.
- Use your finger-tips to give the scalp a good rub, as if you are massaging in shampoo – again using a pressure that the person is comfortable with.
- Massage for a minimum of 5 minutes, making sure to cover the entire head.
- You can wash the oil out with shampoo or leave it in overnight for the added benefit of nourishing the hair and scalp.
We really do need to stop seeing massage as a luxury and start seeing it as an important part of maintaining healthy well-being.
So don’t put it off any longer and book yourself in for a massage today by contacting me on +447952595513 and give yourself the love and care you deserve.
