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Research shows that massage: • Reduces work-related stress • Increases alertness and employee effectiveness • Improves speed and accuracy on math computations • Reduces anxiety, depression and fatigue • Increases vigor • Reduces depressed mood, anxiety and stress hormone (cortisol) levels • Decreases diastolic blood pressure in adults with hypertension • Decreases headaches, sleep disturbances and distress symptoms in migrane sufferers Related Research Job Performance/Stress
A study conducted at Bowling Green State University “evaluated the effectiveness of a 15-minute on-site Chair Massage on reducing stress as indicated by blood pressure.” Fifty-two participants were given a 15-minute massage; their blood pressures were measured before and after the massage. After receiving the massage, analysis showed a “significant reduction” in their blood pressure.
Cady, S. H. and G. E. Jones. “Massage therapy as a workplace intervention for reduction of stress.” Perceptual & Motor Skills 84.1 (Feb. 1997): 157-8.
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“According to a study cited by the Evanston-based American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), 98% of employees who regularly receive therapeutic massage at work said it helped to reduce work-related stress; 66% said it enabled them to stay at work when they otherwise would have gone home sick.”
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“[R]esearch from the University of Miami School of Medicine's Touch Research Institute found that office workers who received regular massages were more alert, performed better and were less stressed than those who didn't. Local managers tend to think […] that employees who are less stressed are more productive. Not only do they show up more often, but they are more effective while in the office.”
Littman, Margaret. “Massage helps address major corporate kneads.” Crain’s Chicago Business, 1 Feb. 1999.
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Massaged adults showed 1) decreased frontal EEG alpha and beta power and increased delta power consistent with enhanced alertness; 2) math problems were completed in significantly less time with significantly fewer errors after the massage; and 3) anxiety, cortisol (stress hormone) and job stress levels were lower at the end of the 5 week period.
Field, T., Ironson, G., Scafidi, F., Nawrocki, T., Goncalves, A., Burman, I., Pickens, J., Fox, N., Schanberg, S., & Kuhn, C. (1996). Massage therapy reduces anxiety and enhances EEG pattern of alertness and math computations. International Journal of Neuroscience, 86, 197-205.
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Hospital nursing and physician staff members were provided massage therapy, relaxation therapy and music therapy. These therapies significantly reduced anxiety, depression and fatigue as well as increased vigor.
Field, T., Quintino, O., Henteleff, T., Wells-Keife, L., & Delvecchio-Feinberg, G. (1997). Job stress reduction therapies. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 3, 54-56.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Immediately following massage therapy, depressed mood, anxiety and stress hormone (cortisol) levels were reduced. Following 10 days of massage therapy, fatigue-related symptoms, particularly anxiety and somatic symptoms, were reduced, as were depression, difficulty sleeping and pain. Stress hormone (cortisol) also decreased and dopamine increased.
Field, T, Sunshine, W., Hernandez-Reif, M., Quintino, O., Schanberg, S., Kuhn, C., & Burman, I. (1997). Chronic fatigue syndrome: Massage therapy effects on depression and somatic symptoms in chronic fatigue syndrome. Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, 3, 43-51.
Brain Function
Twenty-six adults were given a chair massage and 24 control group adults were asked to relax in the massage chair for 15 minutes, two times per week for five weeks. On the first and last days of the study they were monitored for EEG before, during and after the sessions. The massage group exhibited: 1) increased frontal delta power (suggesting relaxation); 2) decreased frontal alpha and beta power (suggesting enhanced alertness); 3) increased speed and accuracy on math computations ; 4) lower anxiety levels; 5) lower salivary cortisol levels; and 6) lower depression scores at the end of the 5 week period.
Field, T., Ironson, G., Scafidi, F., Nawrocki, T., Gonclaves, A., Burman, I., Pickens, J., Fox, N., Schanberg, S., & Kuhn, C. (1996). Massage therapy reduces anxiety and enhances EEG pattern of alertness and math computations. International Journal of Neuroscience, 86, 197-205.s
Hypertension
Massage therapy decreased diastolic blood pressure, anxiety and cortisol (stress hormone) levels in adults with hypertension.
Hernandez-Reif, M., Field, T., Krasnegor, J., Theakston, H., Hossain, Z., & Burman, I. (2000). High blood pressure and associated symptoms were reduced by massage therapy. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 4, 31-38.
Migraine Headaches
Massage therapy decreased the occurrence of headaches, sleep disturbances and distress symptoms and increased serotonin levels in adults with migraine headaches.
Hernandez-Reif, M., Field, T., Dieter, J., Swerdlow. & Diego, M., (1998). Migraine headaches were reduced by massage therapy. International Journal of Neuroscience, 96, 1-11.
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