Massage: The Toll on Your Body

Some of the body’s reactions include an elevation of heart rate and blood pressure to give more blood to muscles to enable quick action, dilation of the eyes to allow better visionby letting more light in, constriction of blood vessels to limit bleeding from potential wounds, increased activity in the reticular formation of the brain (to increase the alert, aroused state) and release of fatty acids and glucose from storage centers (to allow more available energy to the body). This response is adaptive in the short-term, as a means to deal with an immediate threat. To maintain homeostasis, the body has an anti-stress feedback system that works to counteract the effects of stress. High levels of cortisol feedback to the hypothalamus to turn off the production of epinephrine, reducing the stress response. One of the early researchers to demonstrate how the PNS can be activated is Herbert Benson, MD. In his book, The Relaxation Response (HarperTorch, 1975) Benson discussed how meditation could lower blood pressure and rate, reduce oxygen consumption, relax muscles and reduce perspiration. He called the total of these effects the “relaxation response” and it came to be seen as the antidote to the stress response. The impact of ongoing stress on the body has been understood through the seminal work of Hans Seyle,3 who described a three-phase “General Adaptation Syndrome” in which the capacity to effectively adapt to a stressor decreases over time. Besides the obvious link between musculoskeletal tension and stress, a broad range of other conditions and illnesses are thought to stem from or be exacerbated by stress. For example, increased cardiovascular tone can result in high blood pressure; inhibited immune function can result in increased susceptibility to illness and some types of cancer. Tissue repair, such as wound healing, is slowed and digestion can also be impaired. While stress is generally thought to be a natural part of life, numerous researchers over the last 25 years have sought to illuminate the personal characteristics and environmental factors that are most likely to bring on and counteract its negative effects. For example, researchers have examined issues such as the relative level of perceived job demand (how much work is required) and control (the level of autonomy) to explain why people in certain jobs seem to be more susceptible to stress. Research has suggested that in high-demand jobs, having a sense of control or autonomy for men and social support for women can help protect against the negative impacts of stress.4 To help employees deal more effectively with stress, increasing numbers of employers are providing on-site chair massage for employees.