People buy massage chairs for a lot of reasons: stress relief, sciatica pain, general back pain and general pleasure. However, when you sit back in your massage chair, you can also increase the production of dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin and endorphins.
Happiness hormones, such as the ones listed above, have a lot of benefits that you never think about, such as:
- Pain relief
- Improved motivation
- Increase attention span
- Much more
And you receive all of these benefits of happiness hormones on top of pain reduction following a workout, lower blood pressure and heart rate, back pain relief and much more.
Let's explore the benefits of massage chairs that go beyond pain relief to see what really happens to your body during a massage.
How Do Massage Chairs Stimulate the Release of Happiness Hormones?
Massage helps create what is known as a “therapeutic release.” A study from Touch Research Institutes, University of Miami School of Medicine, found that massage increased serotonin by 28% and dopamine by 31%.
Why?
Massage can hit your cranial nerves, which is what connects to your brainstem. It's difficult to reach this area of the brainstem, but the body is known for creating parasympathetic functions, too.
It's suggested that when you receive a massage, the cranial nerve relaxes and provides you with a sense of relief. Your muscle tension starts to dissipate, and stress starts to fade away. In addition, acetylcholine starts to be produced, allowing the body to reach a higher level of stability.
However, there are also a lot of other things going on blood flow increases, causing your autonomic nervous system to release dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin and endorphins, which are your happiness hormones.
What are the Hormonal Benefits of Using a Massage Chair?
What do these happiness hormones do for you? What are the benefits of these hormones? Let's find out.
The Benefits of Dopamine
Dopamine is the “motivation” hormone, and it offers numerous benefits, too. If you have adequate levels of dopamine, it will:
- Motivate you
- Improve satisfaction
- Enhance your pleasure
Often, you’ll have dopamine surges that reach the brain and provide this sense of euphoria. You'll also find that dopamine is a “reward” for the brain, and it will help increase your creativity and curiosity, too.
On top of this, dopamine is known to increase pleasure anticipation, boost memory and learning, and keep you on track to reach your goals.
The Benefits of Serotonin
Serotonin is another hormone that is released by your body during a massage. Many people associate this hormone with mood regulation, and it helps you:
- Manage anxiety
- Heal from wounds
- Experience happiness
- Sleep better
Just like dopamine, serotonin is a chemical communicator that is produced primarily in your gut and is a natural way to alleviate anxiety and depression. There's also evidence that memory and learning may increase when you have higher levels of serotonin.
Anyone with digestive issues will experience some relief with serotonin, and it’s a chemical that is also known to calm nausea.
The Benefits of Oxytocin
Oxytocin is the body’s “love hormone,” and it plays a major role in everything from reproductive systems to blood pressure, heart rate and digestion. Evidence suggests that low levels of oxytocin can lead to:
- Depression
- Lack of romantic interest
However, oxytocin may help ease stress, improve cognition, reduce the negative effects of stress and enhance pain tolerance. If you use massage as a way to alleviate aches and pains, the relief may be in part to the release of oxytocin.
The Benefits of Endorphins
Finally, massage also helps create a rush of endorphins in the body. These chemicals are often released during pleasureful activities, such as exercise or laughing. When you’re in pain, the body even tries to release endorphins to help calm the pain, too.
As nature’s natural pain relievers, endorphins will also work to:
- Improve your mood
- Reduce stress and anxiety
- Support cognition and memory
- Boost self-esteem
- Alleviate inflammation
- Boost pleasure
Massage is a natural way to improve endorphins in the body and help your overall well-being in the process. If your body doesn’t produce enough endorphins, it can lead to a host of problems, such as difficulty sleeping, aches and pains, addiction and mood swings.
Tips: What Massage Chairs Can Help Improve Your Mood After a Hard Day
Human Touch® massage chairs can help you improve your mood even after a long day at work or following other stressful events. The following chairs are all great options for anyone who wants to use massage as a mood improvement.
1. Gravis ZG Chair
Gravis ZG offers a gentle massage and is perfect for people between 5’0” and 6’2”. Manufactured for wellness-seekers, the ZG uses air massage technology, multi-zone heating and fully adjustable seating. This is the perfect chair for a home or business office, thanks to its sleek design.
2. Super Novo Massage Chair
Super Novo provides pure luxury to your massage with a chair that provides a three-dimensional massage. The 3D and 4D massage programs will target your muscles. The knee, foot and calf massage will enhance your experience, and there’s even a virtual therapist included via Alexa-enabled control.
3. WholeBody ROVE Massage Chair
The ROVE’s moderate massage allows you to pave your own way to wellness. An L-track massage reaches from the neck down to your thighs. The S-track, dual-lumbar heat and 8 auto-wellness programs help your body release happiness hormones and even provide an extending foot and calf massager.
Final Thought
If you’re focusing on habits to improve mental health, relieve pain and be the best you possible, a massage chair can help. Recovery is often the key to success with everything from exercising to intense study sessions.
Massage chairs and the happiness hormones that they help you produce may help you reach the best you possible.
