After a hectic day out, you return home in serious need of a massage and may not even have the energy to go to the spa. That’s where a massager comes in. A massager is your best bet in such times to help you relax and ease tension in your muscles at your own convenience.
Generally, massages are pretty expensive. The national average for a massage is $60 per hour. Getting yourself any of the essential massagers could be the smart choice to save you a lot of money.
Massagers have a ton of benefits, ranging from providing better sleep to relieving stress and anxiety. Want to know more? Follow us to learn all you need to know about massagers, their health benefits, and tips for choosing the right massager that would suit your needs.
Massagers
A massager is any device used in rubbing or kneading parts of the body to stimulate circulation and promote relaxation. It makes use of vibration or percussion to cause soothing and relaxation of the body.
There are a variety of massagers in the market with varying prices and quality. The cheap and generic ones may not be as effective or offer as many health benefits as those from therapeutic brands.
If you would like to purchase any, we advise that you opt for those used, trusted, and recommended by physicians and other health professionals.
Benefits Of A Massager
You may be wondering what massagers can do for you or if they are worth your money. From their therapeutic and health purposes to how much they can help you unwind and relax after a long day in the comfort of your home, there’s no argument when it comes to how helpful a massager can be. The following are some benefits of a massager.
#1. Promotes Relaxation Response
Massage devices play a critical role when it comes to relieving tension in the muscles. It loosens up muscles that contract from a specific position over a long period due to stress and improves mobility. They can lower heart rate and stress hormones and also slow down breathing. The massager targets affected areas to provide relief.
#2. Improves Blood Circulation
Massages involve rubbing and kneading which stimulate soft tissue and encourage blood to flow to the whole body. Foot massagers are designed primarily to improve blood circulation. With good blood circulation and increased blood flow, your body is well-equipped to fight off potential sickness and raise oxygen levels. It also helps your body to function efficiently.
#3. Better Sleep
Sleep is essential to everyone’s physical and mental well-being. Lack of sleep or insomnia is largely related to stress. Massagers have been proven to be effective tools for stress reduction. Reports show that people sleep better after a massage and wake up feeling better. The body massager for instance targets specific areas to ease tension to provide relaxation and comfort. It helps you clear your mind and body to allow you to rest better.
#4. Soothe Stress and Anxiety
While meditation, exercises, and deep breathing are some common ways to ease stress and anxiety, you may be surprised at how much a massager can help. Stress can cause several problems for your body and mind like weight gain, insomnia, and more. The foot massager is very essential as it assists in easing tension and providing an overall sense of relief to your body. It helps to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety and increase levels of self-confidence.
#5. Alleviates Muscle Soreness
It is common to experience muscle soreness usually called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) after a serious workout, heavy lifting, or some strenuous physical activity. One benefit of a massager is that it can help boost recovery in your muscles while reducing soreness.
#6. Relieves Pain
Pain brings discomfort which can be frustrating. A lot of the pain in the body happens due to inflammation and tension may be a result of an injury or chronic condition. An essential massager can come in handy for relieving pain to ease the tension and keep your tissues and joints healthy.
#7. Increases Range of Motion and Flexibility
One of the primary functions of massage therapy is to ease tension in your joints and muscles. Regular massages provide you with a lighter feeling and more flexibility around the joints. It increases your range of motion and your ability to move more freely. Massagers are appropriate for both young, middle-aged adults and the elderly.
5 Essential Massagers
You can find a wide variety of massagers in the market. The following are 5 essential massagers that can provide you with both therapeutic and relaxation benefits.
#1. Body Massager
This massager makes use of oscillating, vibrating, or kneading motions to soothe muscles. Body massagers are handheld and can be used to address whole-body aches, pains, and tension in muscles. They are designed to relax muscles, soothe nerves, improve blood circulation, enhance skin elasticity, reduce pain and soreness in muscles, and reduce stress and skin wrinkles.
While the body massager may come in various designs, you should look out for those that are user-friendly, safe, practical, and easy to use.
#2. Foot Massager
Foot massagers are one of the most common massagers you can find around. They are very effective in promoting blood circulation. Although foot massagers come in several variations and models, a great majority of them are user-friendly. All you have to do is to place your feet in and turn it to the intensity suitable for you.
#3. Percussion Massager
Percussion massagers also called massage guns are another essential massager you may want to acquire. It uses a hammering motion to break up muscle tension and scar tissue for targeted relief. Percussion massagers are mostly used by sportspeople who want to prevent soreness and promote muscle recovery after exercise. You could also benefit from this device and do not necessarily have to be an athlete to make use of it.
#4. Chair Massager
If you want to splurge on self-care, then chair massagers would be a good investment. They run up to several thousand dollars but for good reason. These machines are much larger than other massagers and can target many parts of your body at the same time. They boost blood circulation, relieve stress, provide whole-body relaxation, soothe muscles, and relieve stress. It’s an excellent choice if you want whole-body relaxation and do not mind spending extra money on it.
#5. Massage Balls
These are one of the cheapest types of home massagers. They are effective in relieving muscle tightness, breaking up tension in the body, and working out knots. Though the massage balls are very useful, they do not offer whole-body relaxation. They are ideal for handling pains and tightness and targetted areas.
How to Choose An Essential Massager
Getting a massager that suits your needs can take time since there are a lot of options to choose from. However, there are a few things to keep in mind to help you in the selection process.
#1. Customizable Settings
Every person has a unique body and preference and you may want your massager to be able to fit into yours. Hence, you should look out for a massager with adjustable settings with a range of speed and pressure options.
#2. User-Friendliness
When choosing a massager it is important to look for products that are user-friendly, simple, and effective. You may require products that are easy to use with practical designs.
#3. Trusted by Physicians
Massagers that are used and trusted by physicians and other health professionals often produce the best results. A key takeaway to ios to consult your physician when deciding to purchase a massager. Their recommendations could be useful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it okay to use a massager every day?
Getting a sports massage or a medium to firm Swedish every day is not harmful. The more intense massage like the very deep tissue or exotic massage should not be done every day. It can cause micro-tears and delayed onset muscle soreness.
What are the health benefits of massagers?
There are numerous health benefits associated with massagers ranging from better sleep to relaxation and pain relief. If used effectively they promote both mental and physical wellbeing.
Are there any side effects of using a massager?
A very common side effect of massagers is overuse injuries. Excessive use of these devices can lead to bruising, muscle soreness, and soft tissue damage.
What are the 4 types of massage?
The most common types of massage include Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, trigger point massage, and sports massage.
How long should you use a massager?
Massage guns help with relaxation and are used to reduce muscle tension. To use them, you should apply them to the targeted area for about 2 minutes. Using it for more than 2 minutes can cause bruising or soreness.
Conclusion
Massagers are great tools for relaxation, stress relief, and better sleep and it gives you the liberty to get a massage whenever you like in the comfort of your home. While it provides you with the full therapeutic and health benefits, it is also cost-effective. If you are invested in your health and self-care, you should consider getting one. Remember to look out for any of the essential massagers recommended by physicians.
Editor’s Recommendations
References
Healthline – What are the different types of massage
MedMassager – 8 Surprising Ways Home Massagers Can Boost Your Health
