Massage and hormones.
Have you ever wondered how touch relaxes you and improves your psycho-emotional state?
To understand how massage affects mood and well-being, let’s look at the hormones and neurotransmitters that regulate them.
“Have you ever wondered, how touch induces a feeling of relaxation and improves the psycho-emotional state?”
– Greiss Alex
Serotonin
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter produced by special neurons in the brain (serotonergic neurons). This hormone is responsible for regulating mood, sleep, hunger and provides a sense of general well-being and satisfaction.
Dopamine
Dopamine is another neurotransmitter whose concentration increases with massage.
Oxytocin
Oxytocin is a type of “love hormone”. It is produced in large quantities in women who have recently given birth to a child, and in lovers, since this hormone is responsible for the appearance of feelings of affection. The increase in the concentration of this hormone causes a feeling of warmth, comfort and relaxation.
Cortisol
Massage significantly reduces the level of cortisol, which, first of all, is expressed in the relief of stress and nervousness, the improvement of tissue repair, and the strengthening of immunity.
Adrenaline
Adrenaline and norepinephrine are hormones responsible for the human body’s adaptation to stress. In the sympathetic nervous system, catecholamines (norepinephrine, epinephrine) trigger the body’s response, sometimes referred to as the “fight or flight” response. Reducing their level leads to normalization of the heart rate, reduction of blood pressure, and improvement of glucose metabolism.
Massage shifts the balance away from stress towards relaxation and restoration.
