0 reply
0 recast
0 reaction
during my last massage session, I started wondering - why do I feel both physically and mentally relaxed? I suspected hormones were involved, and it turns out there's a whole cocktail at play:
- oxytocin (trigger: gentle strokes, trust in the masseur, the reassurance they won’t harm you → lowers anxiety)
- endorphins (trigger: muscle pressure → blocks pain signals, reduces stress, creates euphoria)
- cortisol drops as the hypothalamus-adrenal axis is suppressed through relaxation. Adrenaline levels also decrease.
- cytokines, the signaling molecules affecting immunity and inflammation, also shift balance: pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-6, linked to chronic stress and pain) decrease. anti-inflammatory cytokines (promoting tissue repair and relaxation) increase.
this makes the massage doubly enjoyable 1 reply
1 recast
18 reactions
0 reply
0 recast
1 reaction
