5 Reasons You Should Get a Relaxing Aromatherapy Massage

Nature has bestowed countless gifts to mankind. While some are abundant and easily accessible, others lay hidden to be discovered. Out of these precious natural elements are the numerous and varied herbs and flowers that contain certain essential oils packed with health benefits. While some can be ingested, others can be directly absorbed in the body through skin to gain their benefits.

There are many different types of essential oils, each different in its composition and hence in the benefits that can be procured from it. Some essential oils can be mixed together to make oil blends which are then used to gain specific health benefits. Let's learn what the different advantages of aromatherapy massage are.

• One of the most essential benefits of aromatherapy massage is relaxation of the mind and the body. If you are feeling mentally and physically stressed, then aromatherapy using specific oil blends can really help you relax. This fact has been established through the research done at the University of Maryland Medical Centre. After the massage, you will come out feeling relaxed and calm. The essential oils that are used for this purpose are vanilla, lavender, sandalwood, chamomile, rose, orange blossom etc. Many certified aromatherapy centers will let you choose between the different oil blends to suit your preferences.


• The other most common reason for which aromatherapy massage is preferred is because it helps in the relief of pain. The gentle massage promotes blood circulation throughout the body, and because the essential oils get absorbed into the bloodstream, they reach the different parts of the body and help in the recovery of tissue and aids in curing inflammation. Clove, rosemary, sweet birch, cypress are more commonly used for this purpose.


• Aromatherapy also helps in enhancing the sleeping patterns; therefore, people who suffer from lack of sleep or insomnia should opt for aromatherapy massage using grapefruit, sweet orange, English lavender and patchouli. They act as anti-depressants and calming agents, the person is able to relax after the massage and is able to sleep restfully.


• Another benefit of aromatherapy massage is that it helps in rejuvenation. Rejuvenation is different from relaxation. Essential oils have the ability to be absorbed not only within the skin for hydration, but also reach the blood stream from where it is transported to all parts of the body and that includes all the joints and even the mind. Oils like grapefruit, orange blossom, mint, rosemary and lemon are uplifting properties. Together these oils enliven the mind and provide energy to the body. This is because they are able to release the hormone noradrenalin which helps in sustained attention effectively.


• Lastly, the essential oils also helps in curing digestive problems and in controlling the appetite. For example, Fennel and Patchouli both have the ability to suppress appetite. Besides, they can also help in detoxifying the body. Fennel, especially, possesses this quality and so does orange blossom.

Aromatherapy essential oils massage has a lot of benefits. However, care should be taken that in some conditions it is not allowed, therefore before going for aromatherapy massage, do consult your doctor.

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What Is Hot Stone Massage And What Does It Do?

Hot stone massage is a type of massage developed using techniques found from Native American history. The Native Americans would use stones heated by fire to treat aching muscles and help them heal, as was often the case with these highly active people. Mary Nelson developed the first massage treatment to use hot stones which is called LaStone Therapy. Since this was created many other masseurs and spas have created their own versions of the treatment such as stone therapy, wild water stone therapy and other such names.

When receiving a hot stone massage, the masseur will use heated smooth stones to heat up certain muscles in the body. Whilst these stones heat up the body, the masseur will use others as extensions of their hands, rubbing them all over a person's body in different massage strokes to achieve complete relaxation. 

The advantage of using hot stones is that muscles are warmer and therefore more relaxed, meaning they can be worked to a higher degree without the need to press so hard during massage. Through hot stone massage a masseur can achieve the same effects as deep therapy massage if they do the massage strokes correctly.

Hot stone massage is very difficult to master, and many people find that when they go for one, they actually come out no better than they were before. To reach the right level of skill to perform a good hot stone massage a masseur needs to have been working for many years. Over these years a masseur will develop a sense for what their customers can tolerate in terms of temperature, and also learn how to effectively massage after using stones to gently heat muscles.

Some people have complained about going for a hot stone massage and being treated like an ironing board. This is not the effect that you should be feeling, and if a masseur begins to make you feel this way they need to be told, otherwise a massage could be wasted and you could in fact end up coming out feeling worse than when you went in.

In conclusion, stone massage is a type of massage developed from techniques used by the Native Americans. The fact that it has been used for so long shows that it's an effective type of massage that clearly achieves a greater level of healing and relaxation in the muscles, otherwise people would have moved onto a different form of massage that achieves better results.

Hot stone massage is one of Charlotte Palmer's favourites. She uses her special massage bed from Beauty4Less to make sure she can get it right, and she always has great results from her clients who keep on coming back for more.

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