Experts estimate that upwards of ninety percent of disease is stress-related. And perhaps nothing ages us faster, internally and externally, than high stress. Massage is an effective tool for managing this stress, which translates into these benefits:

• decreased anxiety
• enhanced sleep quality
• greater energy
• improved concentration
• increased circulation
• reduced fatigue

Massage can also help specifically address a number of health issues. Bodywork can:

• alleviate low-back pain and improve range of motion
• assist with shorter, easier labor for expectant mothers and shorten maternity hospital stays
• ease medication dependence
• enhance immunity by stimulating lymph flow—the body's natural defense system
• exercise and stretch weak, tight, or atrophied muscles
• help athletes of any level prepare for, and recover from, strenuous workouts
• improve the condition of the body's largest organ—the skin
• increase joint flexibility
• lessen depression and anxiety
• promote tissue regeneration, reducing scar tissue and stretch marks
• pump oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs, improving circulation
• reduce postsurgery adhesions and swelling
• reduce spasms and cramping
• relax and soften injured, tired, and overused muscles
• release endorphins—amino acids that work as the body's natural painkiller
• relieve migraine pain