Please share your stories with me, If you're a therapist or someone who has used Massage Therapy to help with your mental health, please get in touch.
The benefits of reflexology and massage on my mental health
I have made no secret of the struggles with my mental health after children, and I am always searching for holistic therapies to help with anxiety, stress and sleep.
My name is Safia, mother to 3 young children. I am also Commercial Director of a global media broadcasting company which I have run with my husband for over 12 years, and most recently founder of The Mum Hub.
Having 3 small children my mantra became “I don’t have time” however when my mental health took a sharp dip after my first born, my therapist suggested I look at medication to help manage these racing, anxious thoughts. It's something I never wanted to do, but felt I didn’t have a choice, so off I went into London for a consultation.
Everything was explained to me after filling out a short questionnaire about my mental state. I was then given my options…Surely this wasn’t it? Surely there was another way of calming my anxious mind and helping me sleep better, whatever that meant with little ones!
So, I politely took away all the information I was given and sat with my thoughts. Some more rational than others. I didn’t want to take medication it didn’t feel right for me.
I then started to look at non medicated approaches and more holistic options such as reflexology and massage therapy.
To be honest I thought these were just self-care treatments that you get when you’re at a fancy hotel or a spa break. I didn’t realise such therapies were used to manage anxiety, stress, depression and help with sleep.
When I first booked a treatment there were very limited at home options, so off I took myself to the nearest salon I could find for my first reflexology treatment.
I must say after the first one I had to go to the bathroom every 30minutes! But I was assured this was normal as we worked to flush out toxins.
I was recommended a course of 6 treatments, weekly to begin with and I have to say after 4 I started to feel a difference in my mind and body. My mind was calmer, and I was able to slow down and have time to actually process those thoughts.
Like anything you need to maintain it regularly which I didn’t, and I found myself slipping back into my old ways. I’m short tempered, not sleeping well and making poor food choices.
I will be trying massage therapy next after hearing some fantastic things! I can’t wait to be the best version of me for myself and my family.
Having a massage can be a totally immersive experience, it can take you out of your every day life especially if you are feeling low. It relaxes and calms your body and soul. Cares and worries drift away leaving your body renewed and ready to tackle life’s challenges. It is an uplifting experience especially with the magic hands of our practitioner Hayley. Having regular massages has always been beneficial to my mental health and I would recommend a massage experience to help overcome mental health issues.
I have understood the benefits of massage on my physical being for a long time. The stiff back after a long flight, the lack of sleep and reduced energy levels that massage always helped.
It has taken me longer to understand that the physical benefits are only a small part of the benefit.
Massage doesn’t just allow me to take a break from my routine, it demands that I do.
It means I take the time to put back into myself some of what daily living has taken out.
It requires me to focus on me.
In doing so I don’t just feel better, I feel better about myself.