1. Stress Relief for Seasonal Changes
Short Answer: Autumn can bring about more stress, as it’s often a busy season with activities, school, holidays, and end-of-year work demands. Massage can be especially effective for releasing built-up tension.
More details: Fall is the time of year when it seems like everything happens all at once, everything is scheduled at the same times, and just as you feel like you are getting into a routine, the holidays show up and suddenly you have to prepare for the end of the year. Fall flies, but life doesn't stand still, which can get stressful. Add on top of this all that the weather is getting colder, days are getting shorter, and the relaxation from summer vacation quickly becomes just a memory. Since things are so busy, self-care gets pushed to the bottom of the "to-do" list, but it is often more important when things get busy and stressful.
2. Focus on Lower Back and Hips
Short answer: Autumn activities, like yard work, raking leaves, and preparing for winter, can lead to lower back and hip strain. A massage therapist can focus the massage on the specific areas that get irritated from seasonal chores.
More details: Even though everything in the yard starts to die as it gets colder, yard work and preparing the outdoors for fall and winter still happen. Raking leaves, and pulling out plants can be hard ont he low back, hips, and legs, or using appliances like leaf blowers can cause the whole body to vibrate and get fatigued. Plus, moving patio furniture out of the winter weather areas or stocking up on firewood or salt in preparation for the upcoming winter can make the whole body hurt. When getting a massage, the therapist can help by focusing the massage and adding heat treatments if needed to the areas of the body that get overworked with chores and yard work.
3. Sleep Adjustments
Short answer: As the days shorten, some people experience shifts in their sleep patterns. Relaxing massages can help manage the potential mood shifts and sleep disturbances that can come with fall. Massage may also help those who feel a little off-balance as daylight hours decline.
More details: Even though the days get shorter and there is more darkness, doesn't mean that sleep comes easier. The darker days and time changes can mess with the pineal gland which controls melatonin production and helps regulate sleep. Massage can help regulate hormones and keep everything working smoothly so the changes don't cause too much sleep disruption and therefore upset other things in teh body like stress and anxiety.
4. Digestion changes
Short answer: In the Fall, the body adjusts to a heavier, more comforting diet after the lightness of summer. Massage can stimulate the lymphatic and circulatory system plus gentle abdominal massage can help support digestion and detoxification, preparing the body for richer foods.
More details: In the summer we typically eat much lighter foods because of the warm weather and the seasonal fruits and vegetables. Once the weather turns colder, our food shifts to richer, heavier, and more comforting foods. Not to mention all the holidays in the fall and winter are very heavily celebrated with food - lots of food. Massage can aid digestion and keep the systems working in a regular way so that the shift of food types don't cause too much issues. Keeping the circulatory system in good shape with massage can help all the organs fuunction better including the kidneys, liver, and the stomach and intestines which will help keep the changes in types and quantities of food consumed during the cooler months from disrupting the digestion that the body has become accustomed to.
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