Most people are required to sit in front of their computers to perform highly engaging tasks. Brain is active, but body is not. The human body is designed to move, not to be still.  Sitting still causes muscles to get “cold” and have little blood circulation. Lack of circulation means lack of oxygenated blood to your muscles, causing them to contract. This results in tension, discomfort, and pain. Incorrect posture and body mechanics also lead to aggravation of nerves and muscle tension.

Left unchecked, these discomforts can turn into debilitating problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome and chronic neck/back/shoulder issues.
Massage facilitates circulation, allowing your muscles to “breathe” and stop contracting so much. Tactile stimulation helps to bring the sensation back to the body. This is why we often hear, “I didn’t know I was sore there!” while being massaged. It makes the unconscious, conscious. This mind-body connection is the first step towards a preventative approach to health. The more aware you are of your body, the easier it is to take care of yourself.

Put another way, it is the lack of body awareness – the disconnection of the mind from the body – that put us on a path to dis-ease. Imagine if you were aware of the state of your body throughout the day – you would do more to take care of your health. Instead, we go about the day until we finally feel acute pain, missing all the queues leading up to this point. When we injure ourselves, chances are, there has been an ongoing condition for some time leading up to this event. Touch sensitizes us. Once you feel your body again, you are likely to be inspired to maintain this good feeling. When we make the connection that circulation is one of the keys to good health, we feel empowered to take health back into our own hands.

Just like brushing teeth is to maintain health and not to treat a cavity, chair massage is one way to maintain health rather than treat an injury. Just as you would go to the gym few times a week as opposed to 5 hours once a month, chair massage is meant to be used at least bi-weekly for cumulative benefits. It’s a preventative tool that, when used regularly, will ultimately have you become responsible for your own wellbeing.

Other Health Benefits:

We cannot ignore the fact that good, appropriate touch can make a huge difference on our emotions and spirit. Part of what makes massage significant is not only that it relieves bodily discomfort and help us to be more health conscious, but the way it lifts our spirits. Touch is a basic human need, and many people do not get touched appropriately, with a good intention, even in our private lives. Professional and skilled touch in the workplace environment is a safe avenue of fulfilling this often deprived need. There is so much research out there pointing to the benefits of proper touch. It can transform our whole self – mind, body, and spirit. Wouldn’t any organization want a workforce made up of these happy, healthy, and conscious individuals?