April 2025
Hello, and welcome to this month's article! As Spring gets underway... It’s that special time of year when the world awakens and another season of renewal begins—a wonderful time to get outdoors and enjoy all that nature has to offer.
As you immerse yourself in springtime activities, set aside some time for your next massage and enjoy the many benefits it offers you this time of year.
According to WebMD.com, spending time outside can:
- Help you get exercise
- Improve your focus
- Help you get vitamin D
- Lessen your anxiety
- Improve your sleep
- Give you better immunity
- Boost your creativity
- Help you keep a healthy weight
Accompanying the main massage article this month is some health information on something most of us take for granted in life: humming. Who knew this simple pleasure can offer you some surprising health benefits? Read on to learn more...
Mother’s Day is right around the corner, so consider a massage gift certificate for the special Moms in your life.
Stay healthy; see you soon for your next massage!
Treat Yourself Right with a Springtime Massage
Who doesn’t love the coming of Spring? At this time of year, massage offers numerous benefits like stress relief, improved circulation, muscle relaxation, and boosted energy, making it a great way to rejuvenate and prepare for the warmer months.
Here's a more detailed look at the benefits of massage in spring:
Physical Benefits:
Muscle Relaxation and Tension Relief— Spring can be a time of increased activity and stress, making massage a great way to release tension and soothe tired muscles.
Improved Circulation— Massage promotes blood flow, which can help deliver oxygen and nutrients to your tissues, boosting energy levels and aiding in overall well-being.
Increased Flexibility and Range of Motion— Massage can help to loosen your tight muscles and joints, improving flexibility and range of motion.
Reduced Inflammation— Massage can help reduce inflammation, which can be particularly helpful during allergy season.
Pain Relief— Massage can help alleviate various types of pain, including muscle aches, headaches, and joint pain.
Boosted Energy Levels— Improved circulation and reduced stress can lead to increased energy levels and a more vibrant feeling.
Mental and Emotional Benefits:
Stress Reduction— Massage is known to reduce stress hormones like cortisol, promoting relaxation and a sense of calm.
Mood Enhancement— Massage can release endorphins, which have mood-boosting effects, helping you to combat the winter blues and embrace the brighter days of spring.
Improved Sleep— Massage can help to relax both your body and mind, promoting better sleep quality.
Increased Self-Awareness— Massage can help you become more aware of your body and its needs, encouraging better self-care practices.
Enhanced Overall Wellness— By addressing both physical and mental well-being, massage can contribute to a more balanced and fulfilling life.
Doing this may quite possibly be the easiest thing ever to boost your health
by The Conversation
There are plenty of health claims about humming. They include reducing stress, helping you breathe more easily, relieving sinus congestion, lowering your blood pressure and lifting your mood. That’s a lot of potential benefits for something that comes pretty naturally to most of us.
Can something so simple really be healthy? Here’s what we know so far.
Humming’s all around us— Humming is likely connected to our earliest memories of comfort and care, as caregivers soothe infants with lullabies and humming. Infants, unable to comprehend speech, take in the melodic information, making humming one of our earliest forms of bonding through sound.
As we get older, we hum when we’re happy, embarrassed, displeased or in agreement with someone. Mmm. Hmm.
We often hum tunes unconsciously, even ones we don’t like, by mirroring what we hear. Some tunes can even get stuck in our heads if they contain hooks and repetition. And let’s face it, humming’s also handy when we can’t remember the words. ...
What happens when we hum? When we hum, we create a buzzing sound with our mouth closed. We force air through our vocal folds (the newer term for vocal cords), causing them to vibrate and produce sound. We can control the pitch by adjusting the tension of our vocal folds to hum a tune.
All this vibration likely stimulates our vagus nerve (we actually have two), part of our parasympathetic nervous system. This is the nervous system that calms and restores body functions such as our heart rate, digestion and respiration.
People often hum as a way to relax. Their heart rate can decrease and their heart rate variability can increase. Heart rate variability refers to the slight fluctuation in time between each heartbeat. A higher heart rate variability is associated with better health.
When we hum, oscillating sound waves may also affect the sinuses, leading to increased levels of nitric oxide in the nose. One study found a 15-fold increase of nasal nitric oxide from humming compared to exhaling quietly. Nitric oxide is involved in everything from brain and immune function to blood flow to the lungs and sexual arousal.
In another study, researchers looked at people with allergic rhinitis (such as people with pollen or dust allergies). When they hummed, they had higher levels of nasal nitric oxide and had fewer sinus problems compared to those who exhaled silently.
Humming also leads to some unexpected psychological effects. These include increased body awareness and “decentering” — the ability to separate oneself from thoughts, emotions and sensations. ...
In a nutshell— We hum for lots of different reasons, suggesting that these common vocalizations play an important role in our lives.
Source: studyfinds.org
He who has health, has hope; and
he who has hope, has everything.
— Thomas Carlyle
The content of this article is not designed to replace professional medical advice. If you’re ill, consult a physician.
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