Over the last several months, many Americans have finally been able to return to a more “normal” life after a year-plus impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have gone through this process more slowly than others, and for those who are hesitant to return to certain parts of life, there may be some significant benefits found through massage therapy.

At Body Balance Massage and Float, we’re happy to offer a wide range of massage techniques, from deep tissue massage through Swedish massage, warm bamboo massage and many others. What are some of the ways our services may assist with self-care and confidence for those looking for a boost while returning to a more normal life? Here are several.

Body Confidence

One of the most common impacts of the pandemic on many Americans was the negative impact it had on body confidence. A number of people report feeling worse about their bodies now than they did before the pandemic, and this also may impact willingness to get back into certain parts of life.

Massage therapy is often highly beneficial here, primarily for a decrease in body-related stress and an increase in confidence. Massage is known to elicit positive emotions and feelings, particularly among those who are discouraged or down on themselves.

Simple Touch

Another of the key areas people missed out on during the pandemic was human contact, leading to issues of what’s known as “touch deprivation.” This condition can lead to disconnection and disassociation with the body, which in turn often gives way to anxiety or depression.

Once again, though, massage therapy provides a solution. It’s a direct form of touch, first and foremost, but also one that connects specifically to decreased stress and improved relaxation.

Physical Conditions

For many people, the stay-at-home nature of the pandemic also led to increased physical issues. Many people were understandably less willing to see the doctor or get other forms of attention for problems they were having, and this may have led to greater presence of issues like tight muscles, poor circulation, nerve compression and more. Massage therapy helps treat and correct many of these, reducing your pain levels and making it easier to recover from any conditions you’ve put off.

Stress and Social Life

Finally, we’re able to get back out into the social world at long last – but some people have anxiety or feelings of social isolation, and this process doesn’t seem easy for them. Massage will help calm the mind and relieve these kinds of subconscious stressors, allowing you to get back out into the world feeling confident and relaxed.

For more on how massage therapy is helping many people get back to their normal life, or to learn about any of our massage or float therapy services, speak to the staff at Body Balance Massage and Float today.

While everyone responds differently to stress and anxiety, there are a number of common results or symptoms that tend to affect many people in this realm. One that’s been particularly noticeable during the past year-plus during the COVID pandemic, especially with so many more people spending greater periods of time at home and inside, is stress-eating and weight gain symptoms that may impact some people who deal with stress, anxiety and even depression.

At Body Balance Massage and Float, we’re happy to provide a number of services that will directly help reduce stress and related symptoms, from massage therapy through the best float therapy services in Orem and other parts of Utah. How do stress and other emotional triggers sometimes create eating and weight issues for those who suffer from them, and how do float therapy and other forms of relaxation therapy benefit those in this position? Here’s a primer.

Stress Triggers and Overeating

As those who have dealt with stress for any period of time might already be aware, one of the body’s primary responses to stress or anxiety is the production of the hormone cortisol – the “stress hormone” in some circles. Cortisol creates a few different effects when its levels are raised, and one of these in many people is increasing the craving or desire for sweet, salty or fried foods. This is largely due to the body’s attempt to find a quick shot of energy or pleasure, which is the effect created by elevated levels of cortisol to account for stress.

For some people, this cortisol boost leads to overeating. And in turn, overeating is known to lead to several specific health concerns, including weight gain and obesity, high cholesterol or blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and additional stress or depression.

However, there are ways to interrupt this cycle, and they mostly trace back to limiting this stress in the first place.

Float Therapy

Float therapy involves a reduction of external stimuli, and this allows for stress reduction in a few simple ways. First and foremost, it allows the brain to relax itself and create positive thought patterns while in an elevated state, something that’s far more difficult during the normal stresses of a day.

For another, float therapy makes actual chemical changes in the body that help with weight loss. Floating reduces adrenaline, for instance, plus cortisol, lactate and other hormones. Instead, these are replaced with endorphins, which are positive hormones that do not lead to stress-related habits. Float therapy also lowers blood pressure and improves sleep quality, which is vital for reducing stress in many people.

Meditation, Massage and Other Relaxation Types

In addition to float therapy, other forms of relaxation may also show major benefits here. Massage therapy and meditation are two of the most well-known, and will often be worked into a daily or weekly routine to limit stress and relax both the body and mind. Speak to our team about the ideal combination of float therapy and other relaxation methods for your situation.

For more on the benefits of float therapy for weight gain and overeating, or to learn about any of our massage therapy or float therapy services in Orem, speak to the staff at Body Balance Massage and Float today.

While there are numerous specific benefits of massage therapy, from pain relief to relaxation, stress relief and more, those who get massages often also do so for the overall experience itself. Many look forward to massage day each week, knowing they get a wonderful period of relaxation and comfort where they can de-stress and focus inward.

At Body Balance Massage and Float, we’re thrilled to offer numerous massage therapy services to our Lehi clients, from sports massage and deep tissue massage to areas like trigger point therapy and many others. No matter which sort of massage you prefer or how often you receive it, what are some general tips we often offer our Utah clients on optimizing their massage experience? Here are a few basic suggestions.

Great Massage Therapist

First and foremost, finding a great massage therapist who’s compatible with your needs and keeps you comfortable is vital. While a variety of massage therapists will have the skills you require, you also want someone who has the right personality and connects with you personally.

At Body Balance, we employ a variety of massage therapists for different services, and also for different partnerships with clients. All our masseuses take a unique approach to the solutions they offer, and all are happy to discuss their program with you in advance as you’re choosing a new therapist. Beyond this, it’s important to be communicative and open with your therapist once you settle on one, as this will allow them to fully optimize your services.

Be Prepared

It’s also important to be prepared for your massage, starting with showing up on-time. Running late will only lessen your experience, from cutting off your available time to leaving you stressed as you walk in the door.

Down similar lines, we actually encourage clients to be a few minutes early for their massage appointment. This allows you time to take some deep breaths and relax yourself, another area that’s great for optimizing the session. Do your best to remove distractions and focus inward, leaving the daily stresses you have at the door and allowing for a comprehensive experience.

Post-Massage Routine

Finally, many who receive regular massages find great benefits in a post-massage routine, which should be tailored to you. The most common themes here involve continuing the relaxation and overall comfort benefits you received during the session – some go home and take a warm bath to relieve muscle soreness, for instance. In general, if you’re able to stay relaxed and comfortable in the hours directly following a massage, you’ll be maximizing the benefits you receive from it.

For more on how to optimize your massage experience, or to learn about any of our massage therapy or float therapy services in Lehi and nearby areas, speak to the staff at Body Balance Massage and Float today.

In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the basics on utilizing float therapy for athletic and exercise benefits. From the professional ranks all the way down to home workouts, those who take part in float therapy often notice significant benefits to both their physical and mental performance, plus vital recovery areas.

At Body Balance Massage and Float, we’re proud to offer float therapy services in addition to our wide range of massage therapy solutions. Athletes and those who deal with exercise-related issues are some of our most common clients in both these areas – in today’s part two of our series, we’ll go over some of the specific uses of float therapy in athletic and exercise settings, including both before and after major activity.

Warmup and Preparation

As any serious athlete well knows, proper warmup is essential to any major workout, sport or exercise. This is a process that generally involves loosening the muscles and joints before activity, ensuring they’re ready for the heavier strain than normal you’re about to put on them.

While you may not be able to float before every game or exercise, float therapy in general is hugely beneficial here. It involves removing the pressure of gravity from the equation altogether, helping relax the muscles and increasing your red blood cell count and blood circulation. This, in turn, leads to much lower injury risk due to relaxed muscles and related factors.

Mental Prep

While float therapy is fantastic for sports preparation from a physical standpoint, it’s vital not to forget about its benefits within the mental realm. Especially for high-level athletes, focus is essential for strong performance – including the ability to calm down and remain engaged with the task at hand.

Again, float therapy is an excellent resource. It limits the production of lactate in the bloodstream, which in turn improves your ability to think clearly. It’s also a fantastic form of relaxation or mediation for many, allowing you to spend time calmly visualizing success or taking any other mental preparation steps you prefer.

Cool-Down and Recovery

And of course, perhaps the most well-known use of float therapy within athletics is for cool-down and recovery purposes. Whether we’re talking about specific pain or aches in a given area, muscle tightness, cramping or any other sort of sport-related discomfort, float therapy is a fantastic resource.

Once again, the lack of gravity is a major factor here. It gives the joints and muscles the opportunity to relax and fully undergo their healing processes. In addition, magnesium sulfate in the tank further relaxes muscles, plus restores joint protein to help speed up recovery.

For more on the benefits of float therapy for athletes and those who exercise often, or to learn about any of our float therapy, massage therapy or other services, speak to the staff at Body Balance Massage and Float today.

At Body Balance Massage and Float, we’re happy to offer our floatation therapy services to a wide variety of individuals and needs. While many prefer float therapy for general areas like relaxation, calming and peacefulness, it’s also highly beneficial for another wide-ranging group: Athletes.

Whether we’re talking about professionals, amateurs or even just those who like to engage in regular athletic activity for exercise and fitness, float therapy is growing in popularity as a recovery method. Is it something you should be considering for any of your athletic pursuits, especially if you experience pain or discomfort as a result of such activities? This two-part blog series will cover everything you need to know about float therapy for athletes.

Float Therapy in Popular Sports Culture

We noted that this area has been growing in popularity – a big reason for this is acceptance within popular sports culture, namely among professional athletes. There have been several examples of this, such as this 2017 ESPN article discussing various NFL players’ and teams’ use of float therapy for recovery following games in a heavy contact sport.

Football players aren’t the only ones, either. Many NBA players, including superstar Steph Curry, have also shown interest and utilized float therapy. This isn’t the only reason float therapy is on the rise throughout many athletic areas, but it certainly doesn’t hurt either.

Athletes and Training Routines

Both at the pro level and many below it, including those who simply exercise regularly or play on a local adult sports team, float therapy can have a major impact on training routines, recovery and more. At the higher levels, it’s often a big part of speeding up recovery – many pro athletes don’t have days or weeks to recover between aches and pains, and float therapy involves several themes that improve healthy recovery.

Others may find different benefits, or additional ones. Some utilize float therapy for the mental side as much as the physical – they find they’re able to focus more intently on their workout or sport, for instance. Still others swear by the kind of energetic increases they see from float therapy, which helps many people compartmentalize energy loss and stay fresh throughout the day.

Even those with issues they may not have connected to exercise or athletic performance will see benefits from float therapy. Poor sleep quality, for instance, often impacts athletic quality much more than you’d think – float therapy helps many people improve their sleep through relaxation and similar methods, and you might see these benefits in other areas like athletics.

For more on why float therapy is a great recovery and exercise tool for athletes, or to learn about any of our float therapy, massage therapy or other services, speak to the staff at Body Balance Massage and Float today.

In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some basics on how to choose the best massage therapy format to meet your needs. There are several specific massage therapy techniques out there, each with different benefits and purposes depending on the needs of the patient.

At Body Balance Massage and Float, we’re proud to offer a wide variety of massage therapy techniques, including everything from Swedish massage to sports massage, deep tissue massage and several other distinct formats. We’ve been using this series to look at some of the common needs of those who are generally interested in massage therapy, then digging into what the best techniques are for these individuals – in today’s part two of our series, we’ll look into a couple other distinct areas of need for massage patients, plus the types of massage to consider if you’re in one of these groups.

Pain Relief and Healing

Another of the top reasons we see patients in our massage therapy clinic is for pain relief or healing of specific muscular or joint injuries. Areas like neck stiffness, lower back pain and numerous similar themes are common in our profession.

Luckily, there are multiple massage therapy techniques designed specifically to address pain and help with recovery. These include:

• Deep tissue massage: A technique wherein a massage therapist will use their knuckles, elbows, hands and even forearms to get a deep massage into layers of skin tissue. You’ll be able to feel the pressure all the way to your core, but it won’t hurt (your therapist will regularly communicate with you about pressure levels to ensure this). Deep tissue massage is ideal for treating chronic back pain, plus helps lower blood pressure, reduce stress hormone and improve relaxation.
• Trigger point therapy: In some cases, pain you’re experiencing may be due to a single tight spot in a muscle – sometimes far away from the actual pain location. Trigger point therapy involves the therapist locating this point and addressing the underlying issue causing it, using several potential techniques.

Pregnancy

Finally, while you may not have realized it, massage therapy is also ideal for expecting mothers during their pregnancy. Prenatal massage is a format that’s similar to standard massage therapy in some ways, but also involves the client laying on her side with maximum support and comfort themes in place. The therapist will make the environment as relaxing as possible, then will work with the expecting mother on her goals and needs – utilizing several potential techniques here, most notably Swedish massage in many cases.

For more on the various massage therapy techniques available to you and which to choose, or to learn about any of our massage or float therapy services, speak to the staff at Body Balance Massage and Float today.