One of my favorite things when coming home after a stressful day at work is sinking into a nice Jacuzzi tub to relieve stress and the aches and pains on my body. There is no doubt that the jets in the tub have beneficial effects on the body, but what really makes those aches and pains go away is the healing effects of the hot water. We’ve known about the beneficial effects of hot water for relieving pain and stress for centuries, but it’s only in the last few decades that manufacturers have used that concept in massage chairs.
Obviously, massage chairs that use heat don’t do so with the use of water, but the heat alone can still have a lot of great effects on the body. It turns out it’s the actual heat that relieves stress in the body and in this article we’ll take a closer look at why.
Relaxes Tense Muscles
When you apply heat to your body the heat actually loosens and relaxes tense muscles; when the muscles relax, the tension and knots built up over time are diminished. That’s why you feel so relaxed after a hot bath; there’s nothing better for removing tension and stress from your body. It’s a technique that’s been used for centuries and was even familiar to the citizens of ancient Rome and ancient China.
Takes Away the Cramps and Spasms
Your muscles cramp up because they’re not receiving enough oxygen, and that’s generally due to poor circulation. This can happen for a number of reasons, but one way of tackling it is through heat therapy. As we’ve already indicated, heat will loosen up those muscles. When those muscles loosen up the cramps and spasms that you may be experiencing either diminish or disappear completely.
The Mental Aspect
Heat therapy, when used in a massage technique or a massage chair, is not only beneficial for your physiological well-being, but it can also help with your mental well-being. When you’re in pain you’ll often find it hard to concentrate as much as you would like to; when you can’t concentrate you can’t perform at your best, which in turn will stress you out. When you remove pain through techniques such as heat and massage you’re also removing stress, and this allows you to function at your best, having the added effect of putting you in a better mood.