We all know how nice a good massage can feel, but a study published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine shows that the benefits one session of Swedish massage can be measured on a biological level.
In a study of adults who received either the deep work of Swedish massage or light touch, those who received the real massage showed a measurable decrease of the decrease in the hormone arginine-vasopressin. This hormone is related to regulating blood pressure and managing water retention.
Researchers believe that a massage may have a positive effect on the immune system and will undertake further study to determine how massage benefits the body.
Source: https://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/spotlight/090110.htm?nav=rss
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