Spring Forward with Massage Therapy
Ahh yes the winter months are finally behind us! Have you been anxious like me to get outside and enjoy some sunshine? I personally DO NOT like cold weather or cold weather activities (skiing, snowboarding, etc.). I tend to stay in to avoid the bad weather whenever I don’t absolutely have to go outside. This is completely opposite to how I am in the spring/summer because I love being outside and working in my garden. Let's just say that the yard has been neglected and now that the snow has melted there is PLENTY of work to do.
Fortunately for me, it's only been my yard that has been neglected and not my body. I regularly practice Pilates 4-5 times per week. I've even recently added in a weekly cardio exercise. However, now that it is getting warmer, I plan to add in daily walks outside.
If you have been "taking it easy" over the winter and haven't gotten into a regular workout routine, use precaution when starting back up this spring. You want to do some prep work on your body to make sure that your attempts at getting more active doesn’t lead to back pain, sprained joints or worse.
The first thing you should do is assess your fitness and flexibility levels. If you’ve been "taking it easy" since October indoors on the couch, you’re likely to be a bit stiff. Muscles need regular stretching and movement to stay healthy and supple, so if you dive straight in with three hours of garden maintenance as soon as the clouds break, you could find yourself with a lot of fatigue or muscular pain the day after. If you want personal assistance on getting started with a healthy, full body workout routine contact me to learn more about Pilates.
Massage helps to relax and soften injured and overused muscles, but it can also help to prepare them for events like runs, walks, and sporting competitions. It figures that if you’re going to be using your muscles, tendons and ligaments for the first long period of time in months, a massage will help loosen the tissues up and get them ready for action. Massage helps to increase circulation around the whole body, which means a shorter recovery time after any prolonged activity.
Another reason to schedule your spring massage is that it can help boost serotonin levels. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter – a chemical your body makes in order to help you feel good. Sadly, production can drop in winter months as your brain needs vitamin D to produce it, and to get vitamin D, we need sunlight.
A regular massage will really help to boost the levels of serotonin and dopamine in your body, helping you to stabilize your mood and kick away the winter blues. Plan on booking a series of regular massages and you will really feel the difference when you start getting out and about in the great outdoors!