Thursday, November 27, 2008

Too Much Stress? Find Relief in a Massage Chair

By Steve Esquire

Someone is sounding the alarm bell. We kick into high gear. Our stress is activated. We know the symptoms well enough: our hearts are pounding, our muscles are tense, breathing is increased to deal with our red alert. We step it up and deal with the event. That helps to offset some of the stress, but we need to blow off steam as they say. I need time to recuperate and refresh, like at a spa. However, we know stress means we do not have time. What if you could come home and get a relaxing massage from your own massage chair?

Our bodies respond to stress with the fight or flight reaction. When we come under stress, the body prepares itself by mobilizing the major organs to support the body taking immediate action. The hands and feet are supported to take action. Trouble is most of the stress we now have is more mental than physical. This means our bodies are ready for physical action, but it never really occurs. We usually don't fight or flight, but sit there with a pile of stress on our minds. The chemicals released by our body to take action do not have a proper release.

As the new economic realities rear their ugly heads, the really good times have passed just as quickly as the came. Now we will not be able to avoid the new stress of modern times. But we do need to find ways to bring ourselves back in balance. Afterall, that is what is changing--balance. As our stress is taken to higher levels, so must our relaxation be taken to an equal and opposite level. We need to find the balance.

We know that with higher levels of stress we need to find more effective relaxation. What could be better and more effective than a massage? You get full body coverage and peace of mind to boot. Not a bad combo. Your body gets to have its tight muscles slowly and thoroughly worked over. The tightness is slowly soothed and the muscles relax. As your muscles relax, your mind shifts away from pain, torture and the anxiety of the day. Your mind is freed. Drift off into your own thoughts or better yet--no thoughts at all!

Two of the most important massage techniques are Swedish massage and Shiatsu massage. A Swedish massage is designed to relax and energize the body. It uses a variety of techniques to relax the muscles and bring about greater energy to the body. A Shiatsu massage uses the pressure points throughout the body to manipulate the energy flow. Pressure is used on the trigger points to unblock energy while kneading and chopping strokes help to invigorate the muscles.

Now these two techniques have been masterfully reproduced by modern technology. Welcome to the new age of the machine! Top companies like Panasonic, Omega, Human Touch and Sanyo have massage chairs that provide these massage therapies and many more. They have acupressure, reflexology, deep tissue, sports massage. They also got you covered from head to toe. Stress has met its balancing partner with the touch of a button.

Massage techniques are just part of these new generation massage chairs. You can find heat therapy or muscles stretching and even music. After all, music helps you to relax your mind. If your mind relaxes, your body then has a chance. Best of all for a massage chair is it is always waiting and available. Effective stress relief must occur on a periodic basis, just like the events that are causing you stress. Got Stress? Find your new balance of harmony in the new economy with a massage chair recliner.

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